A Complete Guide on How Often Should You Clean Your House

Daily Cleaning Tasks

1. Kitchen: Wipe down counters and sweep up any food debris after you cook in your kitchen. Extra food particles can lead to pest issues. You can also remove trash if you notice food waste beginning to have a lingering smell.
2. Bathroom: Wiping the sink to clean soap and toothpaste residue each day will leave your bathroom feeling clean. Using a disinfectant to wipe down the toilet bowl is helpful in maintaining freshness. 
3. Dishes: Make sure to clean dishes or utilize the dishwasher immediately after using them, making sure food doesn’t stick to your dishes. Wiping the sink down fully after each cleaning is also recommended. 
4. Vacuum: Keeping up with vacuuming, especially if you have a pet, can change the whole appearance of a home. Take a few minutes to vacuum each day to pick up unwanted dirt and grime. 
5. Living room:  Fluff pillows and nicely fold your blankets to refresh your room. You should keep the surfaces clean of things like dishes or remote controls. 
6. Bedrooms: The morning is key for bedrooms, so start each day by making your bed, putting away clothes and shoes, and cleaning dressers and nightstands.

Weekly Cleaning Tasks

1. Laundry: Having a day scheduled each week to complete your laundry will ensure you have clean clothes ready for the following week’s activities. Make sure to fold and hang them right after they are dry so that you don’t create clutter piles!
2. Carpet: Plan a weekly deep clean vacuum session to ensure all dust and grime are off your floors. Do spot treatments with carpet cleaners to remove stains. You can also hire professional house cleaners like those at Maid Brigade to deep clean your carpets. 
3. Toilets: Use toilet bowl cleaners and a brush to get the seat, bowl and under the rim. Wipe down all handles and the base of the toilet. 
4. Polish Mirrors: You can make your mirrors shine by using either glass cleaner or a mixture of water and vinegar with a microfiber towel or paper towel to eliminate streaks and dust. 
5. Floors: After vacuuming, use specialized floor cleaners with a mop or swiffer. Wood requires softer cleaners than tiles or vinyl, so be mindful! 
6. Deep Cleaning the Bathroom: A deeper bathroom clean involves scrubbing the grout and soap scum in the showers, as well as tackling commonly missed areas like the drains, spouts, and vents. 
7. Dusting and Furniture Cleaning: It’s best to remove dust using a microfiber cloth or duster on commonly dusty areas, like mantels, picture frames, shelves and electronics.  Baseboards and under furniture are easily forgotten, but can get very dusty!

Bi-Weekly Cleaning Tasks

1. Bath Towels: These can get grimy after a while, so make sure to wash them using hot water and quality detergent to freshen them up. 
2. Sinks: Use a mild cleaner and cloth to clear the basin of water stains, soap scum, and toothpaste residue. Use a disinfectant on faucets and handles to renew their shine and check your drains to make sure there’s no backup. 
3. Clutter: Look around your house and make sure there’s no piles that need to be put away or items that are no longer needed! 

Monthly Cleaning Tasks

1. Bulbs and Lights: To enhance brightness, dust using a microfiber cloth or duster. Don’t forget to also dust inside light fixtures and on ceiling fan blades. 
2. Shower cleaning: Find your preferred shower cleaner and make sure to scrub the grout, tiles, and glass doors. If you have a tub, scrub the basin and consider replacing or cleaning shower liners. Also check your shower head and spout to clear any blockages. 
3. Upholstery Cleaning: Use a vacuum to go into crevices that have accumulated dirt and crumbs and take a spot cleaner to remove any stains. 
4. Curtain Cleaning: You should remove your curtains and clean them as per the instructions listed on the item. Cleaning them removes dirt and allergens that are often unnoticed. 
5. Deep Cleaning Kitchen Appliances: Take time each month to keep clean things like ovens, microwaves, air fryers, refrigerators and dishwashers. 
6. Wash Windows Inside and Out: Use a glass cleaner or vinegar-water mixture and a microfiber cloth to remove any dirt.

Seasonal Tips

1. Gutter Cleaning: Safety using a ladder, clean out the gutters and downspouts of accumulated tree materials. This keeps your home safe from water damage. 
2. Deep Clean Your Mattress: You should remove all of your bedding and vacuum any dirt as well as spot treat any stains to freshen up your mattress. 
3. Sweep and Clean Fireplaces: If you have a fireplace, you should seasonally sweep up dust and soot buildup to ensure you can safely utilize your unit in colder months.  
4. Dust Your Ceilings and Walls: Cobwebs, dust and grime build up on these flat surfaces and you may not notice! Take a microfiber cloth or duster to tackle these areas. 
5. Clean Your Deck: Use a blower to remove any debris and consider power washing each season so your deck is ready for outdoor use. 

Which Part of the House Takes the Longest to Clean?

Most people find that the kitchen takes them the longest to tackle, as it is utilized the most frequently with messy materials! Because of all of the appliances, you have to frequently keep up with cleaning different items with different products. Staying on top of daily and weekly cleaning tasks will help in tackling how often house cleaning comes up. If you are overwhelmed with your kitchen cleaning, fear not! The professional house cleaners at Maid Brigade in Richmond, VA offers Regular Cleaning House services to tackle your high need areas. 

Tips for Maintaining a Well-Organized Cleaning Routine

The key for creating a well-organized routine is doing what we just did for you- making a checklist that is easy to follow with clear steps! Having a to-do list will keep you on track to make sure your house stays clean and fresh. At Maid Brigade, we have our own system for tackling house cleaning and we can take the routine off of your shoulders. Give us a call today to hear more. 

Maid Brigade Offers Flexible Cleaning Schedules

Wanting to keep your house clean but running out of time to tackle how often you should clean your house? We understand. That is why Maid Brigade offers a variety of house cleaning services that are catered to exactly what you need. We have expert cleaners and top of the line products to ensure you maintain a happy and healthy home. We work around your schedule to find services that work for you. To hear more and receive a quote, explore our website or give us a call today!

FAQs:

What is deep cleaning?

Deep cleaning means tackling areas often overlooked in a daily clean. How often should you deep clean your house? Typically monthly or seasonally. 

What is considered a messy house?

This really depends on the homeowner, but a messy house typically has unwanted dirt and grime in highly used areas. 

How do I know if my house is clean enough?

This is also based on the homeowner and their preferences, but typically you will feel like your house is clean when surfaces and frequented areas are free of dust, clutter and grime. 

What is considered excessive cleaning?

House cleaning frequency may be excessive when you are utilizing so much time to clean that it feels impossible to keep up with and the overcleaning begins to deteriorate items in your home. 

What is the 80 20 rule house cleaning?

This common rule of thumb for cleaning suggests that focusing on the 20% of tasks that are most important will lead to 80% of the cleaning results. 

How clean is the average American home?

This is hard to quantify as every person has a different preference on what actually feels “clean”. Do what feels right to you! 

How do I clean high-traffic areas effectively?

Keeping high-need areas clean means being prompt when handling any sort of mess. Don’t wait to clean up spills or wipe down surfaces, do it right away! 

Is cleaning the house good for your health?

Absolutely! Consistent cleaning gets rid of built up grime, bacteria, and allergens that make us sick. A clean house also creates a sense of calm. 

How long should it take one person to clean a house?

This varies on the task you are handling. Daily tasks should take a few hours, but larger, less frequent tasks could take longer. 

How often should I clean my home?

We recommend tackling certain things daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or seasonally. We list these in our handy cleaning checklist above. 

How often should you clean your walls?

Cleaning your walls seasonally ensures that you tackle dust buildup before it becomes a bigger problem. 

How often should I wash my bedsheets and pillowcases?

You should wash these items weekly to maintain a feeling of freshness when you go to sleep.