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1. First, ~safely~ store your cleaning supplies so kids can't get into the potentially harmful chemicals.
2. Toddler-proof your floor coverings by investing in a washable Ruggable rug that's better at handling spills and stains.
3. Clean their backpacks — aka their mobile bacteria hubs — on the reg.
4. Speaking of mobile germ catchers, give your phone and tablets regular wipe downs with alcohol sanitizing cloths, especially before you pass them off to the tot to keep them quiet at a restaurant.
5. Designate a mudroom area so that they won't track icky stuff into the house.
6. Add a doormat to both the inside and outside of your entry doors...that way you can stop more dirt from entering your home and easily switch the welcome wagon when you feel like it.
7. Clean those car seats! One study found they typically harbor TWICE as many germs as a toilet seat.
8. Clean up seat-ruining messes with an upholstery cleaner that'll undo whatever it is your kids are doing to your backseats.
9. And guard the back of your seats with protective kick mats because no matter how many times you say "Stop kicking!" your kids keep on doing it like it's their job. It'll be much easier to clean dirt and grime off the mats instead of your seats.
10. Wipe a pacifier or toy that fell on the ground with your shirt instead of cleaning it with your mouth.
11. If kids want to "help" clean, start them off with matching socks.
12. Sanitize a sippy cup with white distilled vinegar, a bowl, and hot water.
13. Always make your kids wash their hands before eating meals. And really, well, OFTEN before other stuff too. If you need some motivation a hand soap with a cute label or a pump that deposits a foamy paw print might help.
14. And keep disposable soap sheets handy in case you're out in a public bathroom without soap (ick). The cute bear carrying case might just encourage some hand washing too.
15. Loosen stuck-on debris from a high chair by spraying it with a white vinegar-and-dish soap solution and plastic putty knife.
16. Throw hard plastic toys — especially Legos — in a mesh laundry bag and then in the dishwasher to sanitize them.
17. Hand wash soft plastic and rubber toys. And spot treat plush toys.
18. Deal with a soiled mattress the right way.
19. Erase crayon marks from walls and other surfaces with WD-40.
20. And conquer other stains with Grandma's Secret, an under-the-radar solution with serious stain-removing prowess, a chance on messes and stains that make you do some — like, cleaning pen from a white leather couch.
21. Wash potty-training underwear that's soiled from an accident in a freshly flushed toilet.
22. Leave blowout cloth diapers out in the sun to help remove stains.
23. Avoid mold-prone toys and follow a toy manufacturer's directions for cleaning.
24. And clean up the soles of kids' shoes with a Magic Eraser.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.