How to Save Time on Cleaning: Tips from Professionals

To make cleaning take less time and avoid worrying about scratches and fingerprints, select the right materials for finishing and furniture. Which ones? Anna Krapivko, an architect-designer, shares her insights.

Anna Krapivko is an expert. An architect-designer and graduate of MArхI.

Flooring

For the kitchen, bathroom, and foyer, tiles are the ideal choice. I don't recommend using monochromatic black or white tiles if your goal is practicality. Choose medium tones instead. If the style allows, opt for aged-effect materials — dirt is barely visible on such surfaces. When selecting parquet or laminate, prefer surfaces without beveled edges and choose medium tones.

Design: Anna Krapivko

Wall Finishing

Use paint with a high gloss content for walls: it's water-repellent and easier to clean. The best option is to use this type of finish in the bathroom and kitchen.

Design: Anna Krapivko

What's easy to clean in the bathroom is large tiles with minimal width seams. The seams should be slightly darker than the tiles or in the same tone, so they don't cause problems. On black tiles, water droplets stand out clearly.

Another interesting material for bathrooms is washable wallpaper. These are made from special bidirectional glass fiber fabric, impregnated with a water-resistant solution.

Design: Margarita Rasskazova

When using regular wallpaper, always check the labeling. On the roll, there are symbols: three waves mean high resistance to moisture, one wave means the material requires gentle handling.

Design: Berphin Interior

Kitchen Cabinets

Cabinet doors are better without panels and beveled edges, as dirt accumulates more easily on them. Based on my experience, it's much easier to clean a kitchen in minimalism style rather than classic.

Glossy surfaces are the most noticeable, especially black ones: fingerprints remain. If you want such a kitchen, make sure to install handles. The least noticeable are light, smooth matte cabinet doors.

Design: Anna Krapivko

When designing the kitchen, avoid too many joints. Built-in appliances are easier to clean. Also, use touch controls wherever possible — for switches too.

Design: Anna Krapivko

Countertops

Marble is currently very trendy, but it's a temperamental material: avoid spilling anything on it — not even acid or red wine. Of course, there are marble care products, but they require dedicated time and attention.

Soft wood, such as birch, easily gets scratches and dents. Hardwoods like beech require more effort to dent. To protect from moisture, wooden countertops must be treated with oil, which also takes time.

Design: Anna Krapivko

Artificial stone doesn't absorb anything and leaves no scratches, making it very easy to maintain. The exception is countertops treated with lacquer.

Plumbing Fixtures

To make cleaning easier, choose wall-mounted plumbing fixtures and cabinets with legs or mounted on brackets — this will greatly simplify your life.

In the shower, use frameless glass with aluminum frames. Dirt inevitably accumulates at the junctions between glass and frames. Also, always use special cleaning products for glass that repel water.

Design: Anna Krapivko

Furniture

Don't be afraid to use white furniture in interiors — it's just as easy to clean as dark-colored ones, and dust is less visible on white furniture than on furniture in colors like wenge. Choose soft furniture with removable covers that can be washed. Furniture on legs also simplifies cleaning.

Design: Anna Krapivko