You know that your home needs to be cleaned, but you might not know just how often specific things should be cleaned. Most people don’t! That’s why we’ve put together this helpful list of how often you should clean some of the most common household items.
Floors and Walls
Floors and walls are some of the most important things your home, after all, they take up the most space! However, many people don’t remember to clean them as often as they should.
Walls should be cleaned about once a month. This is especially true for walls that get a lot of use, such as walls in your kitchen that might get splashed with food, or common room walls that kids touch a lot. Other walls, such as those in closets or a little-used guest room, can go longer between cleaning but should still be cleaned a few times a year. This is because all walls in our home pick up dirt, dust, and chemicals that are in the air and get dirty. When you are cleaning walls, don’t forget the corners where cobwebs tend to accumulate!
As for floors, it depends on the flooring type. Kitchen floors should be swept every day to remove food crumbs and mopped at least once a week (in addition to every time there is a spill). Other tile and wood floors should be swept and mopped at least once a week. You should also get your tile floor–especially in rooms with a lot of moisture such as bathrooms–deep cleaned at least once or twice a year to remove mold and dust.
Carpet (including rugs) should be vacuumed at least once a week. If anyone in your family is prone to allergies, you should increase your vacuuming, as carpets can harbor allergens. Carpets also need to be professionally cleaned 1-2 times a year to keep them clean and in good condition. If you spill something on the carpet, clean it right away as letting it sit will cause the stain to become permanent.
Living Room / Den
For many families, the living room is the dumping ground for a lot of things: shoes, backpacks, mail, etc. In order to keep your living room from getting too messy, do a quick tidying up every night before you go to bed. Put away everything that is out of place. It might be difficult the first time, but eventually it will be quick and easy. Be sure to have your kids do the same with their belongings.
Many people forget about cleaning their furniture altogether. Take care to keep your furniture clean by limiting the amount of food on it. Vacuum your furniture whenever there are crumbs or another mess on it. Once or twice a year, get your upholstery professionally cleaned.
Don’t neglect the dusting, either. It may seem like there is no dust to worry about, but dust accumulates a little bit at a time until suddenly, it seems like your house is covered in it overnight. Even if it seems invisible, it’s there. Thus, you should dust about once a week. Don’t forget to dust behind the furniture and large electronics like television, as well on the tops of tall furniture like bookcases.
Kitchen
The kitchen is the source of some of the biggest messes in the house, but regular cleaning can easily prevent them from getting out of hand. Handle spills immediately when possible. Allowing them to sit allows stains to set and cause potentially permanent stains on the counter or floor.
Also take care of your dishes as soon as you can, preferably at least once a day. This will keep the mess from getting too big and food on your unwashed dishes from going bad.
Clean out your fridge at least once a month, checking expiration dates on food and throwing out anything that might be bad. Wipe down the shelves and drawers while you’re at it. Don’t forget about your freezer either! This will keep bad food from stinking up your kitchen.
Clean any spills on your stovetop or in your oven as they occur. At least a few times a year, deep clean your oven to remove burnt food particles and grease. Many ovens have a self-cleaning function to make this a breeze.
Bedrooms
You know that you should make your bed every day, but did you know that you should change the sheets once every 1-2 weeks? This will remove all of the sweat, dead skins cells and body oil that accumulate while we sleep.
Once a week, run a duster along your blinds, or even better yet, a vacuum with a brush attachment. Then, once or twice a year, do a more thorough cleaning with a soft cloth.
Make sure you keep dirty laundry in a hamper and make sure that laundry is done regularly, rather than allowed to sit for a while. Make a nightly habit of picking up any other clutter in your bedroom, and teach your kids to do the same.
Bathrooms
Every few days clean any built-up residue in and around the sink with a damp cloth or paper towel. Keep an eye on your fixtures, both in the sink and in your tub or shower, for any calcium build-up due to hard water. If you have a water softener, keeping it thoroughly stocked can prevent this kind of buildup from even happening, but regular cleaning helps too.
A quick scrub once a week with a disposable toilet scrubber can prevent your toilet from developing into a huge mess.
Be sure to swap out your towels for new ones a few times a week to prevent dustl growth. You will also want to wash your nath mats regularly to keep them fresh and clean.
By staying on top of regular cleaning, you’ll keep your home much cleaner and save yourself a lot of trouble on deep cleaning later!