How Often Should You Clean Your House? An Informative Guide
Most of us prefer a clean and tidy living space. This is why more than half of Americans prefer cleaning every week. But is this enough?
How often should you clean your house? Our in-depth guide looks at every common chore and how frequently they need to be done.
Every Week
Most people devote at least a day a week to clean. If this sounds like you, you should know which areas of the home deserve the most attention.
Microwave
If you don’t clean your microwave every week but use it frequently, it’s time to put the microwave on your regular cleaning list. The microwave accumulates a lot of bacteria — which can get into your food!
To clean your microwave, take a damp rag with a little bit of dish soap. Wipe down the inside and outside, including the doors. If your microwave has a detachable plate, take that out and hand wash it in the sink.
Bed Linens
You should never forget to add your bed sheets to your regular laundry rotation.
Your sheets harbor dead skin, dirt, and bacteria. If you don’t regularly change your sheets and pillowcases, ensure you put your linens in the laundry machine at least once a week.
Bathroom
Some parts of your bathroom are notorious because of their griminess. Take the toilet and the bathtub as prime examples — the average toilet has 34,000 units of bacteria and your bathtub has more than 1,000 bacteria units per square inch.
Fortunately, all you need is a bathroom cleaner or soap and give your toilet and tub a good scrub. There are also simple shower sprays you can spray in the tub daily to ensure you kill off that bacteria.
What about the counters and mirrors? If you’re cleaning the tub and toilet, you might as well clean these areas. Dust and bathroom products can build up on the counters and mirrors.
Take a damp rag with soap and wipe your counters. Spray your mirrors with glass cleaner and wipe them down with a paper towel.
Desk
If you don’t spend too much time at your desk, you can clean this area less. But if you’re sitting at your desk night and day, give it a good cleaning every week. Your desk is a breeding ground for bacteria, especially your computer.
Take an all-purpose cleaner and spray it all around your desk. Wipe it up with a rag. Pay special attention to your computer and any other object you use frequently.
Simple Dusting
Certain furniture items, such as tables, should be dusted every week. You can also do this task daily to prevent dust from building up.
Once A Month
Now that the basics are out of the way, there are some intricate tasks you should clean every month. Here’s a breakdown of these easily-ignored cleaning chores.
Intense Dusting
Dust doesn’t only build on your furniture. You’ll find dust under your couch, on windowsills, and even your doors. Dust these areas every month.
Refrigerator
Your refrigerator holds bacteria and food particles. Fortunately, most people don’t have to clean out the fridge as often as they think. Devote a day a month to clean out everything in your fridge and give it a good clean.
For rather clean fridges, use a slightly damp cloth with a little bit of dish soap. For dirtier fridges, use white vinegar on a paper towel. Wipe down the entirety of the fridge, paying special attention to the drawers.
Light Fixtures
Did you know dirty light fixtures results in dim lights? All you need to do is take a dry cloth and give your lightbulbs a good wiping (don’t forget to turn off the light first).
Ceiling Fans
We tend to forget ceiling fans accumulate dirt and dust. And all of that dust is dispersed in the air! All you need is a specialized ceiling fan duster to get that pesky dust off of the fan blades.
Clean Walls
Keep in mind, you don’t need to wipe down every wall on a monthly basis. But certain walls, such as ones that touch your trash can, deserve a frequent cleaning. All you need is a damp cloth with soap.
Dust Air Vents
Your air vents accumulate more dust than you think. Take a duster and wipe off the dust. This prevents dust and dirt from flying into the air.
Clean Under Cushions
Have you looked under your cushions? You’ll be shocked by what you can find there! Take a day out of each month to lift up each cushion. Use a small vacuum to suck out any dirt and dust.
Clean Windows
Every month, take glass cleaner and clean the inside and outside of the windows — at the very least, clean the windows you can reach. You should also wipe down the windowsills and clean the blinds.
Appliances
When was the last time you cleaned your oven or laundry machine? Don’t wait for spring cleaning to clean your appliances. You’ll want to pay special attention to the oven, garbage disposal, dishwasher, stovetop, and laundry machine.
Every Few Months
There are many odd tasks that homeowners only occasionally clean. Some homeowners don’t clean these areas at all. Here’s what you should clean every three or four months.
Pillows
No, not your pillowcases. Your pillows. If you’re washing them in the washing machine, use hot water and a mild detergent. Some pillows should be washed by hand, such as memory foam pillows.
Dry your pillows by placing them in the dryer — always use a low heat setting. You can also choose to air dry them and place them in the dryer on the “fluff” setting.
Clean Your Carpet
Your carpet contains a lot of bacteria and vacuuming doesn’t kill that bacteria. Call a professional to clean your carpet once every few months — however, you can clean your carpet less if you don’t have children or pets.
How Often Should You Clean Your House? You May Need To Hire A Professional
How often should you clean your house? This depends on what needs to be cleaned. Certain tasks, such as dusting and washing your bed sheets, should be done weekly. But you don’t need to clean that carpet for a few months.
What if you don’t have the time to clean frequently? Don’t worry — you can call a professional to handle these essential cleaning duties. Get a quote today!
Tags: clean everything, how often should you mop, how often to clean house, often clean, weekly cleaning service