Hands down, spray bottles are the bomb-dignity when housekeeping with kids. There is just something about how versatile these little tools are for little hands.

Before you start making assignments, I recommend you determine what type of cleaning liquid you want your child to use. Windex has always been our go-to because it has a low ammonia content, it is blue, so your preschooler can see where they have sprayed it, and it does have disinfecting properties. If, for any reason, you don’t feel comfortable starting with this type of product, you can always start with a spray bottle with water in it. Either way, you will need to be clear about what things they can spray and clean and what is a definite no-go.

Start with choosing a few things that they can clean daily. (e.g., Kitchen tables with a polyurethane coating, kitchen chairs with the same type of coating, tile tables, metal bed frames, small spills on hard surface floors). You need to have this conversation! Otherwise, your favorite antique table or the big screen TV will feel the weight of the “spray bottle crime.”

I can’t tell you enough how cleaning with a spray bottle in hand will exponentially open up the world of cleaning for your preschooler! I am sitting on the edge of my seat, excited about how much they will have a blast! Hand them some paper towels and a rag and let them go. This is an absolutely fantastic way to entertain them when you are doing some adult-size housekeeping in a room. They can work alongside you and feel like they are contributing.