How Often Do You Need to Clean Your Home?

I can't say that I'm a fan of dusting and scrubbing, but I do love living in a clean house. I've learned that if I want my house to look nice on a regular basis, there are some chores that I absolutely must do every day. Thankfully, there are also some jobs that I can get away with doing only every once in a while. Here are the ins and outs of how often you need to clean certain areas of your home.

Daily

1. Wash Dishes

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   A sink full of dirty dishes not only looks messy, but it also invites mold and bugs. At the very least, dishes should be rinsed and stacked neatly until you can attend to them, but it's really best to wash them daily.

2. Make Beds

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   If your bed is messy, the whole room will look messy. The opposite is true, too: If you take the time to make your bed, you'll feel more in control of the whole day.

3. Tame Clutter

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   It's harder to clean a cluttered home. You have to lift and move things to get to the surfaces that need to be cleaned. Besides, when clutter abounds, the house just doesn't look clean. Do a daily pick-up to keep clutter under control. Sort the mail, put away toys, and take recycling to its bin.

4. Wipe Down Sinks

   

   Both the kitchen sink and the bathroom sink can benefit from a daily wipe-down. A quick cleaning keeps the sinks spot-free and also helps banish germs. While you're at it, a daily toilet wipe-down is a good idea as well.

5. Sweep Floors

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   Dirt and crumbs multiply remarkably quickly, especially in homes with kids. A daily sweeping job will get the mess off your floor before it has a chance to settle in and take up permanent residence. This, in turn, makes your weekly mopping job much easier.

Every Other Day to Weekly

1. Do Laundry

   

   Small families can probably manage to get all of the laundry done in one day a week. Larger families will need to focus on this chore about every other day.

2. Dust Surfaces

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   A dusty home can trigger allergies, so going over household surfaces to remove dust should be a weekly chore. If you are especially prone to allergies, use a damp rag to dust instead of a dry one.

3. Vacuum

   

   Vacuuming is another way to bust the dust in your home. Doing this chore weekly will also take care of tiny bugs, dropped food, hair, and random fuzz that has a tendency to appear on the floor.

4. Mop

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   A once-a-week mopping of the hard floors in your home will get up the grime of daily life. A combination of vinegar and water cleans nicely without leaving behind a layer of film. Of course, spills and big messes should be spot-cleaned immediately, and a weekly mopping will take care of the rest.

5. Scrub the Toilet Bowl

   

   The inside of your toilet bowl will stay sparkling clean if you pay special attention to it once a week. Turn off the water supply and empty the bowl of water so that you can really target spots and stains.

Monthly

1. Clean Baseboards

   

   If your baseboards are clean, your whole house will look nicer. Wiping them down once a month is enough to keep dust from building up.

2. Wipe Refrigerator Shelves

   

   Remove food from the refrigerator and give each shelf a quick wipe-down to tackle spills, stains, and germs. Of course, you should spot-clean spills as they happen, but a once-a-month cleaning allows you to really get things in shape. Toss out-of-date food while you're at it.

3. Scrub the Shower

   

   If you are cleaning your sink daily and your toilet weekly, the bathroom will stay in pretty good shape overall. However, your tub and shower do need attention monthly to prevent mildew buildup.

Quarterly to Twice Yearly

1. Deep Clean the Beds

   

   Your pillows should be washed several times a year. While you're at it, give the beds themselves a good cleaning too. Vacuum the mattress and the frame. Then, to prolong the life of your sleep set, flip or rotate the mattress and rotate the box springs.

2. Wipe Refrigerator Coils

   

   Your refrigerator will run most efficiently when you clean its components a few times a year. First, remove the dust. Then, since your refrigerator is pulled out anyway, wipe down the sides of the fridge and the walls behind it.

3. Deep Dusting

   

   A dusty house is a health hazard, so a few times a year, banish the buildup of dust with a deep cleaning. Use a dusting tool or a vacuum attachment to go over air vents. Then, remove them for a soap-and-water cleaning. Dust fan blades before you start using them for the year and again when the fan season is over.

Yearly

1. Wash Windows

   

   Give your windows a sparkling shine right before the beginning of the open-window season. The best time to do it is on a cloudy day so bright sunshine doesn't cause your cleaning solution to streak.

2. Clean Window Treatments

   

   To properly clean window treatments, you'll have to take them down. It's a big job, but it gets rid of the dirt and grime that have built up all year. Blinds should be dusted. Curtains need to be washed, either at home or with professional dry cleaning.

3. Shampoo Carpets

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   A deep cleaning of the carpets will not only bust stains but will also tackle the buildup of dirt and grime that can accumulate throughout the year. This can be a DIY job, but it's also one that you can outsource to professional carpet cleaners.

Which of these chores are you going to tackle first? I think it's about time for me to go do my daily sink-wipe down. Comment below to let me know your cleaning schedule, and if you gleaned new ideas from this article, be sure to share it with your friends!