How Often Should You Clean Your House

Cleaning can get overwhelming at times. How often should you clean your bathroom or your kitchen, how often should you hoover? These are all questions we often ask ourselves and never seem to find the proper answer. Still, cleaning doesn’t need to feel like a never-ending chore, once you have a proper system to follow. So, if

You dislike cleaning all the time, so you wonder if there’s a set of rules when to clean what;

You’re moving from your parents and wonder how often you must clean your new home now that you’re on your own;
You have somebody who thinks you clean way too much and need to slow down.

Then read along!

Table of Contents:

Why is cleaning your home necessary?
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Yearly

Why is cleaning your home necessary?

Cleaning may be an annoying chore, but it’s essential for a healthy home. Some of the most important reasons why you should keep a clean and tidy home:

Doesn’t trigger allergies – carpets and soft furnishings collect a lot of dust. That, in turn, can trigger allergic reactions from family members with respiratory diseases such as asthma. On the other hand, the absence of dust will not cause asthma attacks and will not worsen it.
Improves mental health – clutter has negative effects on your brain. It makes decision making way harder because your mind is always busy processing all the items your eyes see. Stress levels are also much higher than usual. All these unnecessary items collect dust as well, so there’s that.
Prevents infestations – that’s not to say that you’re completely protected from pests; however, the chance of them getting inside your home is lower. Dust mites need dust; vermin eat old rotten food; roaches eat clutter. By removing their food source, you lower the infestation risk, as there’s nothing to attract the pests.
Stops germs – last, but not least, cleaning reduces the number of germs in your home, making it better for your health.

So, now that you’re convinced let’s see how often you should clean your house.

Daily

Fortunately, there aren’t that many things which require daily cleaning. The items which do require daily cleaning are all in your…

Kitchen

If you cook regularly for your family, then the kitchen should be your top priority for cleaning. If you only cook from time to time, then only clean after use. Be sure to clean the following items:

Kitchen sink – Use an all-purpose solution between equal parts of white vinegar and water to clean the tap. To better clean the drain, pour down baking soda and white vinegar, wait several minutes and rinse with hot water. Mind you, these two ingredients will give out a hissing noise and foam when combined. Learn more on how to clean kitchen sink.
Eating utensils – if you have silver cutlery, do not use rubber gloves whilst cleaning it. Rubber tarnishes silver.
Aluminium cookware – Be gentle when you clean your aluminium cookware. This alloy is soft and can be easily scratched.
Dishes – do your dishes after you’re done with the meal. Don’t let them pile up because they might start to emit a bad smell.
Counters tops – wipe any spills as soon as they happen.
Tables – collect any breadcrumbs if you eat baked goods.
Coffee maker – fill it with a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water. Turn the device on, on brew cycle and when it has reached halfway, turn it off. Let it sit like that for an hour. Afterwards, switch back the brewing cycle. When it’s finished, toss the solution and run a clean water cycle.

Weekly

Now that you’re done with the daily kitchen cleaning checklist, what items should you clean weekly? How often should you clean your bathroom for example?

Bathroom

Bathrooms are humid most of the time, which is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and mould. By cleaning your bathroom regularly, you not only eliminate most of the bacteria, but you also prevent mineral build-up on your tile grout.

Mix a solution of 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol with 2 cups of how water. If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, use white vinegar. Pour the solution in a spray bottle and shackle before use.

Before you start cleaning anything, remove all items from shelves.

Sink – clean the bathroom sink as you did with the one in your kitchen.
Toilet – spray the entire toilet from top to bottom, first with the lid closed, then open the lid and spray it. Wipe away using paper towels. That way you don’t have to worry about cross-contamination.
Towels – wash your towels at the highest temperature setting possible. Use colour-safe bleach on coloured towels and nonchlorine bleach on white towels.
Bathrobes – wash as you would your regular clothing, but use half of the detergent so that the robes would keep their softness.
Mirrors – wipe the surface with a clean cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol. This should remove surface debris. Now spray the mirror with a DIY glass cleaner (1 cup of water, 1/4 cup white vinegar and 2 drops dish soap) and wipe it clean with a microfiber cloth. This cloth will give you a streak-free shine.
Tub – Scrub away any stains and soap scum. Clear out the drain by pouring baking soda and lemon juice, waiting several minutes and rinsing with hot water. Clean the tub with a DIY cleaner.
Shower walls – you can use the same cleaner as you did on the tub.
Shower – to remove and prevent limescale deposits, immerse the showerhead in white vinegar. Rinse well afterwards. If you need a stronger mix, add some baking soda.

Frequently touched surfaces

Door handles – clean and disinfect with a 50-50 water and white vinegar mixture in a spray bottle. Spray the handles, then wait for several minutes and then wipe with a clean cloth.
Carpets and rugs – vacuum them on a weekly basis, but how often should you hoover if you have a pet? You should vacuum every few days, to remove the shed fur.
Desks and cupboards – remove the layer of dust on the top surfaces.
Laundry – depending on the size of your household, you might have to launder once a week, or more.
Keyboards and mouses*
Cell phones*
Remote controls*

*Be very careful when cleaning your electronics. Most of them can sustain damage from antibacterial products or moisture. Unless the manufacturer states otherwise, you better use tech-friendly wipes.

After cleaning do a proper DIY surface disinfection.

Monthly

Most of the following items are used daily but don’t get dirty right away. That’s why a monthly clean is perfect for them.

Plants – wipe the dust off your plants with a damp cloth. Not only are you removing dust, but you are helping the plants breathe more easily by cleaning their stomata.
Microwave – place a bowl full of water and white vinegar inside. Set the temperature on high and wait until the window steams up. Switch the microwave off and give it time to cool down. Wipe away the food spices with a sponge.
Fridge – Get the food out and clean the fridge interior with the vinegar and water solution. Check which foods are close to their expiration dates. Throw out the ones past the date. You can clean your fridge in less than an hour.
Tile grout – sprinkle baking soda on the grout and pour lemon juice over it. You will get a sizzling reaction which will break any grime. Scrub the solution with an old toothbrush and rinse with water. Check our post for more tips on How to clean tile grout.
Windows – wipe down the window with a paper or microfibre towel to remove any layers of dust. Next, mix 10 parts of warm water with one part white vinegar and pour the solution into a spray bottle. Spray the window and wipe with a soft clean cloth.
Floors – you should mop high traffic floors once a week and the rest, every month. As far as wooden floors go, remove the top layer of dust first. Then, mix 4 cups of warm water and a few drops of dish soap. Mop the wooden floor with this solution.
Air conditioner filters – get the filters out of the unit and put them under running water. It will wash away the residue and dirt. Leave them overnight to dry off and place them back into the unit slots.

Yearly

Oven – mix 1/2 cup of baking soda with 2 tablespoons of water. You should get a paste. Spread the paste in the oven inside and leave it overnight. During this time you can clean the trays and racks. The next day wipe away the paste with a damp cloth. Also, do not forget to clean inside the oven glass. Check our post on how long to wait after cleaning before you use your oven.
Curtains – detach the curtains and wash them in your washing machine on a gentle cycle. Use a mild detergent. Dry with the rest of your clothes.
Closets – get all the items out and decide which you no longer need. Clean the inside, by starting with the shelves then moving to the floor.
Pantries – clean the same way as you do your closet.
Light fittings – remove light bulbs and clean them with a damp cloth. Place the fittings in warm water and wipe them with a cloth. Put everything back together.

Need a Cleaner?

Find a professional to take care of your home.

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Call professionals

If you don’t feel like you can keep up with all these chores or simply wish to spend your time on other more important activities, then consider reaching out to professionals. Fantastic Services works with fully equipped and experienced cleaners in London. Your home will be sparkly clean in no time and if you want you can arrange regular cleaning.

Takeaways

Clean your kitchen daily.
Clean your bathroom weekly along with frequently touched items.
Clean your plants and tech once a month.
Clean your oven, curtains and declutter once every year.

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How often do you clean your home? Do you use any special DIY cleaners? Let us know by commenting!

Image source: Shutterstock / sebra

How Often Should You Clean Your House

Why is cleaning your home necessary?