What to Clean After the Holidays
January 9, 2018Household Items That Can Be Cleaned in Five Minutes or Less
March 23, 2018Cleaning your home can be overwhelming at times, especially for those of us who work 40+ hours each week in addition to taking care of a family. Most of the stress from house cleaning comes from not having the proper routine or organizing your cleaning method. Here is a guide to help you figure out what to clean and how often, hopefully making your life easier and your home beautiful all at once.
Every Week:
- Store away items after you’re done using them. If you keep your blender or juicer in a cabinet space, don’t leave it out the rest of the week unless you use it every day. After washing dishes, don’t leave them in the dish drainer or dishwasher all week. Put them in their designated places once dry.
- Keep your kitchen mess-free. Wash dirty dishes, clean your countertops with soap and water or disinfectant spray (especially if raw meat has come in contact with the countertops), clean stove spills, take out the trash.
- At least once a week, clean your shower/bathtub. This will prevent mildew and the chances of mold. It also takes care of mineral deposits.
- Clean your sinks. A lot goes down the drain each week in both the kitchen and the restrooms, so use disinfectant wipes or cleaning spray to get it shining like new.
- Keep the bedroom neat. Make the bed each day, keep clothing items stored away in their designated place, organize the items on your bedside table, etc.
Twice a Week:
- Clean your floors. Sweep then mop hardwood floors to prevent scratches, clean tile floors in the bathroom and kitchen, vacuum carpeting. It’s amazing how much dirt and grime can build up on floors in just a few days.
- Maintain the clutter. Don’t leave items scattered around your home; little clusters of mess can add up over time. Before you know it, that small mess in the corner of your living room is now taking up more space. Break it down before it builds up.
Once a Month:
- Clean your baseboards and blinds. This can be done with cleaning wipes or a vacuum.
- Clean out your garage. Sweep, pressure wash (if desired), remove clutter, organize, etc.
- Sweep your patio and walkways. This prevents a build-up of debris from bad weather, the current season, etc.
- Vacuum and/or wash upholstery. Clean coverings, cushions, curtains, rugs, etc.
- Dust ceiling fans and ceiling light fixtures. Also, be sure to rotate your ceiling fans once a month.
Every Three Months:
- Polish your wood furniture.
- Dust or vacuum cobwebs. Check all ceiling corners, stairwells, and tight spaces.
- Check your furnace and HVAC filters. If they look dirty, clean them. If they need changing, change them.
- Clean your oven. This is important, especially for those who use this quite a bit to cook meals. If you notice that it becomes dirty rather quickly, then add this to the list of items to clean each month.
Every Six Months:
- Wash your windows. This includes both inside of your home and outside of your home. For windows located in the workspace of your home (over the kitchen sink or your home office desk), clean these quarterly.
- Go through your basement and attic. De-clutter, dust, clean. It’s easy for pests to hide in these spaces if there’s plenty of clutter for them to nest within. Don’t let this happen!
- Vacuum and flip/rotate mattresses.
- Polish your silver, if you have any.
- Air-out your pillows.
Once a Year:
- Clean behind and underneath heavy furniture.
- Flip your rugs over and clean the backside through vacuuming.
- Give your carpets a good deep cleaning. This is more than just scented carpet cleaning powder; this is achieved through a carpet cleaning machine.
- Move your rugs 180 degrees. This evens out the wear and tear it experiences over time.
- Wash your walls.
- Clean/dust chandeliers.