You know that everything in your house needs to be cleaned, but you might not know how often to be cleaning it. For example, it’s easy to know to wipe off the counter when something spills or they otherwise get dirty, but often should you mop the floor if it’s not visibly dirty? For your convenience, we’ve put together this easy guide that tells you just often you should clean most things in your home that you may be wondering about.
Floors and Walls
Every room in your house has walls and floors that need to be cleaned, so let’s start there.
Your walls need to be about once a month, give or take. If you tend to keep your windows open in the spring and summer, particularly if your area has heavy pollen, cleanings should probably be increased to every week. This will reduce the allergen build up in your home. If you have children with sticky fingers, make sure to do regular spot checks to clean up problem areas before they set in. This may mean quickly wiping down parts of your wall every day. Another thing to pay attention to is cobwebs Remove these as soon as they appear. A broom will do the trick, as will a vacuum with an attachment.
Whether you have hardwood, tile, or carpeted floors, they should each be cleaned about once a week. Sweep and mop hardwood and tile floors weekly, and vacuum your carpets and rugs the same amount. Because a vacuum can’t remove all of the dirt that accumulates in your carpets, it’s recommended that you have a professional carpet cleaning about twice a year. This will remove any built-up dirt or allergens and leave your home cleaner.
Kitchen
Some of the biggest messes in the house happen in the kitchen. Regular cleaning can help this room not get too out of control. Here are a few good rules of thumb. Handle spills immediately, especially if they involve food, and wipe the countertops down every night. Don’t dishes sit in the sink overnight, and wipe down the empty sink every day to prevent bacteria and odors from occurring. Once a month, pour some baking soda and vinegar down the drain and let it sit for a few minutes before flushing out with boiling hot water. This will prevent food particles from accumulating in your drain and stinking up the whole room. If you have a garbage disposal in your sink, cut a lemon and run it down the disposal after cleaning for a fresh scent.
The appliances in your kitchen need to be cleaned regularly as well. Every three months, take everything out of your refrigerator and throw away any expired food. Then wipe up any spills before returning the food. Clean your oven out once or twice a year, in addition to cleaning any major spills when they occur to prevent them from burning in the oven.
Living Room / Den
The biggest source of messes living rooms and dens is clutter from everyday life. To prevent this, make sure that everything where has a home, and always place items in their home as soon as you set them down. If you don’t have a spot to put your mail, it will end up on any surface available and build up. If you have children who aren’t good at cleaning up after themselves, encourage everyone to spend five minutes at the end of the day putting away any stray items like shoes or toys.
Something that most people don’t think about is deep cleaning the various surfaces in their living rooms. Your upholstered furniture should be cleaned by a professional once or twice a year to remove allergens and bacteria. Flat surfaces such as tables, shelves, and the top of the entertainment center need to be dusted at least once a month to avoid accumulation.
Bedrooms
The biggest concern in bedrooms is laundry. Make sure to launder your sheets every week, every two weeks at the very least. Wash your pillows twice a year to remove sloughed skin and body oil build up. Make sure that your dirty laundry is stored in a basket, instead of sitting on the floor, and wash your clothing regularly. Clothing that gets especially dirty, such as gym clothing or clothing you wore todo yardwork in, should be washed immediately to prevent odors in your room.
The same as the living room, everything in your bedroom should have a place that it belongs, and should never be put left outside of that place. If your closet or dresser is overflowing, take the time to go through and get rid of some clothes so your clothing can be properly put away.
Bathrooms
Your sink and shower need to be cleaned regularly to prevent soap cum and other build up. Take the time to rinse down the shower walls after showering, and deep clean it once a week. Wipe out any toothpaste or anything else in your sink nightly, and deep clean your sink once a week as well.
Because your bathroom tends to be wet and steamy, the tile and grout are prone to mold growth. You deep clean your tiled surfaces once a week and have your tile and grout professionally sealed once a year to keep mold out.
A quick scrub once a week with a disposable toilet scrubber can prevent your toilet from developing into a huge mess. Wash or replace your hand and bath towels every three days to prevent bacterial growth. Professionally clean the tile surfaces in your bathrooms a couple of times a year to keep them free from dirt, grime and bacteria build-up.
Of course, every home is different, and if you have kids you might find yourself cleaning much more often. Use this guide as a starting point on your way to a clean and healthy home!