Creating a Fair Cleaning Routine | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 私たちの掃除のやり方はうまくいっていませんし、キッチンはいつも散らかってしまいます。

   Our cleaning routine is not working, and the kitchen keeps getting messy.

   私たちの

   our

   掃除

   cleaning

   やり方

   way; method

   うまくいっていません

   is not working

   キッチン

   kitchen

   いつも

   always

   散らかってしまいます

   keeps getting messy

   More detail

   私たちの means “our.” 私たち is the first-person plural pronoun “we/us,” and の links it to the following noun, marking the relevant possession or association. Example: 私たちの家 means “our house.” 掃除 means “cleaning.” It is a noun that can also be used in compounds and with verbs, as in 掃除をする (“to clean”). In this sentence it identifies the activity whose method is being discussed. やり方 means “way of doing something” or “method.” やる is “to do,” and 方 here contributes the idea of a way or manner; やり方 is a set expression for “how to do something.” Example: 料理のやり方 means “how to cook” or “a cooking method.” The phrase 掃除のやり方 therefore means “the way of cleaning” or “cleaning method.” うまくいっていません is the polite negative form of うまくいく, “to go well” or “to work out.” The part うまく means “well,” while いっていません expresses that the situation is not proceeding successfully. Here it describes the cleaning method as currently not working. Example: 計画がうまくいっていません。 — “The plan is not going well.” キッチン means “kitchen.” It is a loanword written in katakana. In this sentence it is the subject of the second clause, the place being described as becoming messy. いつも means “always” or “consistently.” Here it presents the kitchen becoming messy as a repeated pattern. Example: 彼はいつも早いです。 — “He is always early.” 散らかってしまいます is based on 散らかる, “to become messy” or “to get cluttered.” The form 散らかって is its て-form, followed by しまいます, the polite form of しまう. With an unwanted or regrettable result, てしまう presents the result as something that ends up happening, often despite the intention. Together with いつも, this form describes the kitchen as repeatedly ending up messy. The supplied context also makes clear that this is not being presented as deliberate. Example: 部屋が散らかってしまいました。 — “The room ended up getting messy.” Together, 私たちの掃除のやり方 is “our way of cleaning,” and うまくいっていません says that this method is not working. The first clause is joined to the next with し, which connects the two related observations: キッチンはいつも散らかってしまいます means “the kitchen keeps getting messy.” The complete utterance is therefore: “Our cleaning routine is not working, and the kitchen keeps getting messy.”

2. 私たちのどちらも、わざとそうしているわけではないと思います。

   I do not think either of us is doing it on purpose.

   私たちのどちらも

   either of us

   わざと

   on purpose

   そうしている

   doing so

   わけではない

   it is not that

   と思います

   I think

   More detail

   私たちのどちらも identifies the two people as the relevant group: 私たち means “we/us,” and の links that group to どちらも. どちらも refers to both members of a pair. In this negative statement, the meaning is “either of us” in English: the negation makes the overall claim “neither of us is doing so.” The form どちらも itself does not mark the negative; the negative meaning comes from the construction later in the sentence. Example: 二人とも来ました。 — “Both people came.” With a negative predicate, 二人とも来ませんでした。 means “Neither person came.” わざと is an adverb meaning “intentionally” or “on purpose.” It describes the purpose behind the action, not whether the action is completed. Example: わざと壊したのではありません。 — “I did not break it on purpose.” そうしている combines そう, “so/in that way,” with している, the ている form of する. Here, そう refers to the action or manner already under discussion; the context supports a cleaning-related behavior, but it does not specify a more precise action. している presents that behavior as ongoing or characteristic at the relevant time. The useful pattern is そうする (“do so”) and そうしている (“be doing so” or “be behaving that way”). わけではない is a reusable pattern meaning “it is not the case that …” or “it is not that ….” After そうしている, it denies the proposition “be doing so.” This is different from simply describing an action as impossible: it rejects that characterization, here specifically the idea that the behavior is intentional. Example: 嫌いなわけではありません。 — “It is not that I dislike it.” と思います contains 思います, the polite form of 思う, “to think,” preceded by と, which marks the content of the thought. In this sentence, the content is the preceding proposition: that neither member of the pair is doing the action intentionally. Japanese often leaves the subject of 思います unstated; the fixed translation identifies it as “I.” The polite ending gives the sentence a polite, measured tone. Together, 私たちのどちらも sets up the two people, わざと specifies intention, and そうしているわけではない says that the relevant behavior is not intentional. と思います presents this as the speaker’s view, producing the intended meaning: “I do not think either of us is doing it on purpose.”

3. もっとはっきりした基準が必要かもしれません。特に食器とコンロについてです。

   Maybe we need a clearer standard, especially for dishes and the stove.

   もっと

   more

   はっきりした

   clearer; clear

   基準

   standard; criterion

   必要

   necessary; needed

   かもしれません

   maybe; might

   特に

   especially

   食器

   dishes; tableware

   コンロ

   stove; cooktop

   について

   about; regarding

   More detail

   もっと modifies はっきりした, increasing the degree of clarity: “more clearly defined” or “clearer.” It is also reusable with adjectives and descriptions, for example: もっと簡単な方法です。— “It is a simpler method.” The comparison is supplied by context; もっと does not itself identify what the comparison is with. はっきりした comes from はっきりする, “to become clear” or “to be definite.” Before 基準, the form はっきりした describes the criterion as clear or well-defined. Although した is formally the past form of する, in this noun-modifying use it presents a resulting state and does not mean that the criterion was clear in the past. Example: はっきりした答えが必要です。— “A clear answer is needed.” 基準 means a standard or criterion used for judging, deciding, or organizing something. Its meaning here is a standard that would make the relevant decisions clearer. Example: 判断の基準を決めます。— “We will decide the criteria for judgment.” 必要 means “necessary” or “needed.” It is a noun and also functions as a な-adjective; in this sentence it is the predicate meaning that something is needed. The sentence does not state a numeric amount merely because it contains an indefinite-looking English translation such as “a standard.” Example: 休憩が必要です。— “A break is necessary.” かもしれません expresses uncertainty: “may,” “might,” or “maybe.” 必要かもしれません means “may be needed,” so the speaker presents the need as a possibility rather than a firm assertion. This polite form is built on the plain form 必要かもしれない. Example: 明日は雨かもしれません。— “It might rain tomorrow.” 特に narrows attention to one especially relevant area: “especially.” It does not mean that the following items are the only things under discussion. Example: 特に朝が忙しいです。— “Mornings are especially busy.” 食器 means dishes or tableware, the items used for eating and serving food. In this sentence it is one of the areas to which the needed standard relates. Example: 食器を洗います。— “I wash the dishes.” コンロ means a stove or cooktop, specifically the cooking appliance or burner area. It is a loanword, and its meaning here is the appliance rather than the food cooked on it. Example: コンロを使います。— “I use the stove.” について is the particle combination meaning “about,” “concerning,” or “regarding.” It marks the topic or area being discussed. Here it follows 食器とコンロ, so the phrase 食器とコンロについて means “regarding dishes and the stove.” Example: 予定について話します。— “I will talk about the plans.” The sentence first presents the possible need: もっとはっきりした基準が必要かもしれません, “Maybe a clearer standard is needed.” The noun phrase もっとはっきりした基準 is the thing that may be necessary. Then 特に focuses the discussion on 食器とコンロ, joined by と, and についてです identifies them as the relevant area: “especially regarding dishes and the stove.” Together, the utterance means: “Maybe we need a clearer standard, especially for dishes and the stove.”

4. 毎週、担当を交代してもよいと思います。そうすれば、いつも同じ人がモップをかけなくてすみます。

   We could rotate tasks weekly, so the same person does not always mop.

   毎週

   every week

   担当

   assigned task

   交代してもよい

   may rotate

   と思います

   I think so

   そうすれば

   if so

   いつも

   always

   同じ

   same

   人

   person

   モップ

   mop

   かけなくてすみます

   can avoid having to do it

   More detail

   毎週 means “every week.” 毎 means “each/every,” and 週 means “week”; this compound works as a time expression. Example: 毎週日本語を勉強します。—“I study Japanese every week.” 担当 means an assigned responsibility or task. In this sentence, 担当を交代する means to take turns handling the assigned tasks; 担当 itself is a noun, not the verb “rotate.” Example: 掃除の担当です。—“It is my assigned cleaning duty.” 交代してもよい combines 交代する (“to take turns / alternate”) with てもよい (“it is permissible to…”). The form 交代して is the て-form of 交代する, and てもよい gives permission or presents an acceptable option. Here it expresses the proposal that the task assignments may be rotated, not a command that they must be rotated. Example: 明日、交代してもよいです。—“It is all right to take turns tomorrow.” と思います is と plus 思います, the polite form of 思う (“to think”). After a statement, と思います makes it a measured “I think…” statement. Here it presents the speaker’s proposal as an opinion: “I think it would be okay.” The subject of 思います is understood from the sentence and is not separately stated. そうすれば means “if that is done” or “if so.” そう points back to the immediately preceding proposal, and すれば is the conditional form of する (“do”). Together, this introduces the result expected from adopting that proposal. Example: そうすれば、時間が足ります。—“If so, there will be enough time.” いつも means “always” or “every time.” It modifies the situation that follows, indicating repeated regularity. In this sentence it means that the same person is not required to mop on every occasion. 同じ means “same.” It is an adjective-like form that identifies something as identical or unchanged; unlike an inflecting Japanese い-adjective, it does not take an い ending. Example: 同じ方法を使います。—“I use the same method.” 人 means “person.” In 同じ人, it is the noun being identified as the same person. 人 can also be read ひと in ordinary compounds or phrases, while its reading depends on the expression; the fixed sentence itself establishes the meaning “person.” モップ is the loanword “mop.” In モップをかける, it names the cleaning tool used with the verb phrase. The particle を marks モップ as the object of かける; モップをかける is the reusable expression “to mop.” かけなくてすみます means “can avoid having to do it” or “are spared from doing it.” It contains かける (“to apply/use, and in モップをかける, to mop”), its negative form かけない, the connective form かけなくて, and polite すみます from 済む (“be settled / be sufficient”). The pattern V-なくてすむ means that it is possible to get by without doing V, or that doing V is unnecessary. Here かけなくて refers to mopping, and the construction says that the same person will not have to mop every time. Example: 今日は料理をしなくてすみます。—“Today I can avoid having to cook.” Putting the parts together, 毎週、担当を交代してもよいと思います says, “I think we could rotate the assigned tasks every week.” そうすれば links that proposal to its result. いつも同じ人がモップをかけなくてすみます means “then the same person will not always have to mop”: 同じ人 is the person who would otherwise repeatedly do it, が marks that person as the subject, and モップをかけなくてすみます expresses being spared from mopping. The whole utterance is therefore: “We could rotate tasks weekly, so the same person does not always mop.”

5. それは公平そうですね。ただ、私は浴室を掃除するより、ゴミを出すほうが好きです。

   That sounds fair, although I prefer taking out the trash to cleaning the bathroom.

   それは

   that

   公平そう

   seems fair

   ですね

   right? / indeed

   ただ

   however

   私は

   as for me

   浴室

   bathroom

   掃除する

   clean

   ゴミ

   trash

   出す

   take out

   より … ほうが好きです

   prefer ... to ...

   More detail

   それは sets “that” as the topic. それ is a demonstrative pronoun; its specific referent is not identified by this sentence alone. は marks the topic, so the sentence presents an assessment of that topic. 公平そう means “seems fair.” 公平 is the adjective-like word meaning “fair,” and そう here is attached to an adjective to express an appearance or impression: 公平そう = “appears fair” or “sounds fair.” This is different from a direct assertion such as 公平です (“it is fair”). ですね adds a sentence-ending confirmation-seeking or shared-assessment tone. です is the polite copular form, and ね invites agreement or presents the statement as something the speaker expects the listener to recognize. Here, the whole opening is naturally “That sounds fair.” ただ introduces a qualification or contrast: “however” or “although.” It connects the favorable assessment before it with the speaker’s personal preference that follows. 私は makes the speaker the topic of the preference statement. 私 means “I,” and は marks it as the topic; the form does not indicate the speaker’s gender or number. 浴室 means “bathroom” in this sentence. With the following verb, it forms 浴室を掃除する, “clean the bathroom.” を marks 浴室 as the object of the action. 掃除する means “clean” or “clean up.” It is a する verb: the noun 掃除 (“cleaning”) combines with する to make the verb. Its nonpast form can describe a present habit, a future action, or an action under discussion; here it appears inside the comparison, referring to cleaning the bathroom as a task. ゴミ means “trash” or “garbage.” In ゴミを出す, it is the object marked by を. Example: ゴミを出します。 — “I take out the trash.” 出す means “take out” in this context. Its basic meaning is broader—“put out,” “bring out,” or “take out”—and the object and situation determine the specific interpretation. Here, ゴミを出す is the ordinary expression for putting trash out for collection. It is distinct from 出る, “go out” or “come out,” which describes something going out rather than someone taking something out. より marks the comparison standard. In the pattern AよりBのほうが好きです, A is the thing B is preferred to. Here, 浴室を掃除するより means “rather than cleaning the bathroom.” ほうが好きです expresses preference for the item marked with が. ほう literally means “direction” or “side,” but in this comparison pattern it identifies the preferred option; 好きです means “like.” The complete pattern is AよりBのほうが好きです — “I prefer B to A.” Putting the parts together: 浴室を掃除するより supplies the less-preferred alternative, and ゴミを出すほうが好きです identifies taking out the trash as the preferred task. Thus the complete utterance means: “That sounds fair. However, I prefer taking out the trash to cleaning the bathroom.”

6. 希望は考慮してよいですが、嫌な仕事も分担する必要があります。

   Preferences are fine, but the unpleasant jobs still need to be shared.

   希望

   preferences

   は

   as for

   考慮してよい

   may be considered

   ですが

   but

   嫌な

   unpleasant

   仕事

   work; jobs

   分担する

   share; divide a task

   必要があります

   there is a need

   More detail

   希望 means a wish, preference, or desired option. Here it is the topic marked by は: the sentence first discusses what someone prefers. A useful related distinction is 希望する, “to hope for / desire,” which is a verb; 希望 in this sentence is a noun. は marks 希望 as the topic. It does not itself mean “is”; the following expression supplies the statement about that topic. 考慮してよい contains the verb 考慮する, “to take into consideration,” in its て-form, 考慮して, followed by よい, “good/acceptable.” The pattern Vてよい means that doing V is permitted or acceptable. Thus 考慮してよい says that taking the preferences into account is acceptable. ですが is a connective meaning “but” here. It links the acceptable treatment of preferences to a contrasting requirement. です is the polite form of the copular element, and が in this construction functions as a contrastive connector; it does not mean the subject “I” or “he/she.” 嫌な means “unpleasant” or “disliked” when it modifies a noun. It comes from the na-adjective 嫌だ; before a noun, this type uses な, as in 嫌な仕事. This describes the work as unpleasant, not the person who must do it. Example: 嫌な作業を後回しにする。 means “I put off unpleasant work.” 仕事 means “work” or “a job/task,” depending on context. In this sentence, the translation’s plural “jobs” reflects the general category of work that may need to be divided; the Japanese noun itself does not mark plural number. 仕事 can refer to employment in some contexts, but with 分担する it naturally refers to work or tasks that people share. も follows 仕事 in the source. It means “also,” “as well,” or “even” and adds the unpleasant work to the sharing requirement. Here it emphasizes that the disliked work is included in the requirement, rather than saying that only pleasant work is shared. 分担する means “to share or divide a task or responsibility among people.” It is the dictionary form of the verb 分担する, and this form appears before the necessity construction. Example: 家事を分担する。 means “We share the household chores.” This verb focuses on distributing responsibility, not merely helping with a task. 必要があります expresses necessity through the pattern 必要がある, literally “there is a necessity,” with polite あります for ある. After a dictionary-form verb, Vる必要があります means “need to V.” Therefore 分担する必要があります means “need to share/divide [it].” The observed verb あります is the polite nonpast form of ある; it is not the verb that means “share.” Taken together, 希望は考慮してよいですが means “Preferences may be taken into account, but,” and 嫌な仕事も分担する必要があります means “the unpleasant work also needs to be shared.” The whole utterance therefore says: “Preferences are fine, but the unpleasant jobs still need to be shared.”

7. 書いておけば、あとで私たちの間に不満がたまるのを防げます。

   If we write it down, we can keep resentment from building up later.

   書いておけば

   if we write it down

   あとで

   later

   私たち

   we; us

   の間に

   between

   不満

   resentment; dissatisfaction

   たまる

   build up; accumulate

   防げます

   can prevent

   More detail

   書いておけば combines 書く, “to write,” with ておく, which indicates doing something in advance or leaving the result in place, and the conditional ending ば: 書いておけば = “if we write it down beforehand.” The subject is understood as “we” from the fixed translation; Japanese often leaves a recoverable subject unspoken. A reusable pattern is Vておけば、... — “if you do V in advance, ...” Example: メモしておけば、忘れません。 — “If you make a note of it beforehand, you will not forget.” あとで means “later” or “afterward.” It places the relevant result at a later time, without itself specifying exactly when. Example: あとで確認します。 — “I will check it later.” 私たち is the pronoun “we” or “us.” In this sentence it identifies the group whose relations are at issue. Japanese pronouns do not generally show grammatical case through their form here; the particle の connects this noun phrase to the following phrase. の間に marks a space or interval between people or things. In 私たちの間に, it means “between us” or “among us.” The particle の links 私たち to 間 (“space” or “interval”), and に marks the location where the buildup occurs. This phrase does not by itself state how many people are in the group. 不満 means “dissatisfaction” or “resentment” here: a negative feeling that can accumulate when an arrangement feels unsatisfactory. It is a noun and can be used in compounds or with particles, for example 不満を伝える — “to express dissatisfaction.” たまる means “to accumulate” or “to build up.” In this sentence it describes 不満 as gradually increasing in amount or intensity; it is not the verb for someone deliberately collecting something. A useful contrast is たまる “accumulate” versus ためる “accumulate or save something deliberately.” Example: 不満がたまる。 — “Dissatisfaction builds up.” 防げます is the polite form of the potential expression from 防ぐ, “to prevent” or “to stop.” Its potential meaning is “can prevent,” so the sentence presents the result as possible rather than as a simple command. The object being prevented is expressed by 不満がたまるの, the nominalized clause “dissatisfaction building up.” Example: 事故を防げます。 — “You can prevent accidents.” Together, 書いておけば sets up the condition “if we write it down in advance,” and あとで places the result later. 私たちの間に identifies the relevant space as “between us,” while 不満がたまるのを marks “dissatisfaction building up” as what is prevented. Thus the whole utterance means: “If we write it down, we can keep resentment from building up between us later.”

8. 簡単な表を作って、しばらく試したあとで見直しましょう。

   Let's make a simple chart and review it after we try it for a while.

   簡単な

   simple

   表

   chart; table

   作って

   make, and…

   しばらく

   for a while

   試した

   tried

   あとで

   afterward; later

   見直しましょう

   let’s review

   More detail

   簡単な means “simple” here and stands before the noun it describes. The base form is 簡単だ; 簡単な is the attributive form used before a noun, as in 簡単な説明 (“a simple explanation”). It describes 表, not the action of making it. 表 is a noun meaning a chart or table. The same word can refer to different kinds of organized information depending on context. Example: 表を見ます。 means “I look at the chart/table.” 作って comes from the verb 作る (“to make”). Its て-form links this action to what follows: 作って、見直しましょう means “let’s make [it], and let’s review [it].” The て-form here is a connector, not the final polite suggestion form. Example: 資料を作って、送ります。 means “I’ll make the materials and send them.” しばらく is an adverb meaning “for a while.” It indicates an unspecified period rather than an exact duration. Example: しばらく待ちます。 means “I’ll wait for a while.” 試した is the plain past form of 試す (“to try” or “test”). Here it means trying the relevant item for a while. The past form appears because this trying is completed before the later review. Example: 新しい方法を試した。 means “I tried a new method.” あとで means “afterward” or “later.” In しばらく試したあとで, it follows a completed action and means “after trying it for a while.” A reusable pattern is [plain form] + あとで, as in 食べたあとで、薬を飲みます。 (“After eating, I take the medicine.”) 見直しましょう comes from 見直す, “to review” or “reconsider,” plus the polite volitional ending 〜ましょう. It proposes a shared action: “let’s review it.” The object is not stated overtly in Japanese; the fixed translation supplies “it” as the understood thing being reviewed. Example: 計画を見直しましょう。 means “Let’s review the plan.” Together, 簡単な表を作って gives “make a simple chart,” しばらく試したあとで gives “after trying it for a while,” and 見直しましょう makes the final proposal “let’s review it.” The whole utterance therefore means: “Let’s make a simple chart and review it after we try it for a while.”

9. その表が厳しすぎると感じたら、言い争う代わりに調整できます。

   If it feels too strict, we can adjust it instead of arguing.

   その

   that

   表

   chart

   厳しすぎる

   too strict

   と感じたら

   if it feels

   言い争う

   argue

   代わりに

   instead of

   調整できます

   can adjust

   More detail

   その points to something understood from the context as “that …”. Here it modifies 表, the chart, matching the translation’s “it.” Japanese demonstratives include この “this,” その “that” (often associated with the addressee’s or already-mentioned information), and あの “that over there”; choose among them according to discourse and distance, not simply noun number. 表 means “chart” or “table.” It is a noun, and その表 is the noun phrase “that chart.” Example: 表を作ります。 means “I/we will make a chart.” 厳しすぎる means “be too strict” here. The base adjective is 厳しい “strict” or “severe”; すぎる follows an adjective stem to express excess: 厳しすぎる = “too strict.” This differs from 厳しい, which only says “strict,” without the meaning “more than is suitable.” と感じたら expresses a condition involving the feeling that something is the case. と marks the content of the feeling, so 厳しすぎると感じる is the pattern “feel that it is too strict.” The base verb is 感じる “feel,” and 感じたら is its past-form conditional, used here for “if/when [someone] feels.” The Japanese subject of 感じる is omitted; the fixed translation renders the overall idea naturally as “if it feels too strict.” 言い争う is the dictionary form of a verb meaning “argue” or “quarrel.” It refers to arguing with words, rather than simply having a difference of opinion. The dictionary form can precede 代わりに in the reusable pattern V-る代わりに, “instead of doing V.” 代わりに means “instead of” in this construction. After 言い争う, 言い争う代わりに means “instead of arguing.” The noun 代わり can also mean “a substitute” or “replacement,” but that is not its function here. 調整できます means “can adjust.” It is the polite potential form of 調整する, “to adjust” or “fine-tune”: 調整できる means “can adjust,” and 調整できます is its polite form. The object is omitted in Japanese; here, the fixed translation renders it as “it,” referring to the chart. Example: 設定を調整できます。 means “We can adjust the settings.” Together, その表が厳しすぎると感じたら sets the condition: “if the chart seems too strict,” or more literally, “if [someone] feels that the chart is too strict.” 言い争う代わりに gives the alternative action: “instead of arguing.” 調整できます says that adjustment is possible. Thus the whole utterance means: “If it feels too strict, we can adjust it instead of arguing.”

10. 目標は、完璧な仕組みではなく、家をもっときれいにすることです。

    The goal is a cleaner home, not a perfect system.

    目標

    goal

    完璧な

    perfect

    仕組み

    system

    ではなく

    not; rather than

    家

    home

    もっと

    more

    きれいにする

    make cleaner

    ことです

    is the act of

    More detail

    目標 means “goal” or “objective.” It is a noun, and 目標は marks it as the topic: “As for the goal …” 完璧な means “perfect.” 完璧 functions as a な-adjective here, so な appears before the noun 仕組み: 完璧な仕組み means “a perfect system.” For direct negation, use 完璧ではない (“not perfect”); 不完璧な is not the useful standard contrast here. 仕組み means “system,” “mechanism,” or “arrangement.” In this sentence it is the noun contrasted with the actual goal. Example: この仕組みは簡単です。 — “This system is simple.” ではなく is a connective pattern meaning “not …, but/rather ….” It presents 完璧な仕組み as the rejected alternative before the actual goal. Example: 電車ではなく、バスで行きます。 — “I’ll go by bus, not by train.” 家 means “house” or “home.” Here it is the object whose condition is improved. Example: 家を掃除します。 — “I clean the house.” もっと means “more” or “to a greater degree.” With きれいにする, it makes the result stronger: もっときれいにする means “make [something] cleaner” or “make [something] tidier.” きれいにする means “make clean,” “make tidy,” or, in another context, “make beautiful.” きれい is a な-adjective; before する, it takes the adverbial form きれいに, while する supplies the meaning “do” or “make.” Example: 部屋をきれいにします。 — “I tidy the room.” ことです turns the preceding verb phrase into a noun-like expression and ends the sentence with the polite copula です. Thus きれいにすること means “making the home cleaner” or “the act of making the home cleaner.” Putting the parts together, 目標は、完璧な仕組みではなく、家をもっときれいにすることです。 means “The goal is making the home cleaner, not a perfect system.” The supplied translation naturally expresses the same contrast as “The goal is a cleaner home, not a perfect system.”