A Crash Course in Speed Cleaning

by Amy Sardone on Aug 07 2024

It all started with a book. First published in 1987, SPEED CLEANING by Jeff Campbell was the very first step-by-step set of instructions on housekeeping.

It's a proven method that provides even the most profoundly cleaning impaired the wherewithal to clean in the smartest way possible. The method was carefully curated by The Clean Team, then a preeminent house cleaning service in San Francisco.

For over 18 years, they kept records of every visit to thousands of households. They used time-and-motion analysis and an endless comparison of cleaning products and equipment to develop a method that would save every step and every moment possible. The result is a thoroughly tested system of cleaning without a wasted motion.

And now almost 40 years later, the Speed Cleaning method is used by hundreds of professional cleaning services around the world.

We've all seen the statistics. The average person spends 2 to 4 hours PER WEEK cleaning their home. Between working 40+ hours a week and hopefully sleeping at least another 40+ hours a week, do we really want to spend another 14 to 28 hours cleaning?

Cut Your House Cleaning Time In Half With Speed Cleaning

Speed Cleaning teaches you new cleaning skills designed to save you time without sacrificing the thoroughness of the cleaning. Once you master the skills and the process, you'll also grow to dislike your cleaning chores less and less - and certainly enjoy the new free time it provides.

The 13 Tenets of Speed Cleaning

Make every move count
Use the right tools
Work from top to bottom
If it isn't dirty, don't clean it
Don't rinse or wipe a surface before it's clean
Don't keep working after it's clean
If what you're doing isn't working, then shift to a heavier-duty cleaner or tool
Keep your tools in impeccable shape
Repetition makes for smoother moves
Pay attention
Keep track of your time and get a little faster every time
Use both hands
If there are more than one of you, work as a team

That's it. Like any new skill, Speed Cleaning must be learned, practiced, reviewed and perfected. But it's well worth the effort. The payoff is that you will save hours every week.

But Where Should You Start?

Start by reading the book(s).

Perhaps more than once. SPEED CLEANING is the step-by-step starter's guide that details a weekly cleaning system for areas that need attention every week or two; a thorough cleaning of the kitchen and bathrooms, including washing the floors in those rooms and dusting and vacuuming throughout the hours.

The second book, SPRING CLEANING, covers the jobs that you don't tackle every time you clean but that you shouldn't ignore forever: jobs like washing windows and waxing floors.

CLUTTER CONTROL provides instructions on organizing cupboards, drawers, closets and much more. TALKING DIRT answers the 157 most frequently asked cleaning questions collected by the experts at the The Clean Team. GOOD AS NEW provides in depth tips for how to stop wear and tear and make expensive appliances and furnishes last longer.

Get The Right Gear

Speed Cleaning quickly evolved into more than a cleaning method. Over the last 30+ years, we've continuously developed and improved products designed specifically to help you become a master at speed cleaning. However, with over 300 products in the Speed Cleaning Catalog, it can be difficult to know where to start.

Introducing the Total Home Care Kit

Based on over 20 years of feedback from professional maid services and homeowners, Speed Cleaning has assembled THE Total Home Care Kit containing everything you need to keep homes spotless! And save 20% with the kit versus buying everything individually. The kit now includes access to the Speed Cleaning Online Certification, the online version of our training program that teaches the complete Speed Cleaning method.
Learn more here: Speed Cleaning Certification

Get Cleaning

Malcolm Gladwell famously claimed that it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to become a true expert at something. While there may be some truth in his statement, we've found that you can become a master at Speed Cleaning in far less time if you just commit to using it each and every time you clean.

For instance, the cleaning specialists in our house cleaning business typically become proficient in the processes in as little as a week. Yes, they clean all day, every day, but even if you just clean on weekends you'll see improvement and time-savings almost immediately.

From Debbie to Amy: Continuing the Speed Cleaning Legacy

In 2011, Debbie Sardone, one of America’s most respected cleaning industry leaders and founder of Cleaning for a Reason, acquired Speed Cleaning from its original creator, Jeff Campbell. Under her vision, the brand grew beyond products and books—it became a movement focused on efficiency, excellence, and safety. In 2023, her daughter, Dr. Amy Sardone, joined as co-owner, infusing science and innovation into every formula. Together, they continue to uphold Speed Cleaning’s legacy: delivering professional-grade products that are fast, effective, and safe for people, pets, and the planet.
If you’d like to learn more about our CEO, Dr. Amy Sardone, check out this blog Meet Amy Sardone | The Vision and Leadership Behind Speed Cleaning

Some Things Never Change — And That’s a Good Thing.

This video may be from decades ago, but the principles of Speed Cleaning remain timeless.Just like the BIC pen, which has kept the same simple, effective design since 1959, the Speed Cleaning method still delivers efficiency and excellence today.

Technology evolves, tools improve, but a well-designed system never goes out of style

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