Buzz
Even if your home isn't a grand estate like Downton Abbey, you likely prefer not to clean more than necessary.
Matthew Lloyd/Getty ImagesI like to think of myself as a clean and organized person. During the workweek, I make an effort to tidy up and do the daily chores that maintain cleanliness, but by the weekend, I find myself tackling big cleaning projects that can take up much of my day. It seems like, without fail, as the week ends, my home starts to get cluttered. I can't help but feel like I'm not the only one battling to keep the house spotless.
The frequency with which you clean a room in your home depends on its use and how often it's utilized. Despite my attempts to convince myself that I'm maintaining a clean home daily, the truth is I could probably dedicate more time to the daily upkeep to avoid having a big cleaning task on the weekend. For those of us who aren't fond of housework, the secret to doing less overall is by committing to more consistent, small cleaning sessions. Fortunately, many of these daily tasks can be completed in under 30 minutes.
Start by tidying up the living room and bedroom. To keep your bedroom looking neat and organized, make your bed daily and clear away any clutter. In your living areas, wipe off fingerprints from shelves and tables, and tidy up general messes every day. Once a week, dust the furniture, frames, and electronics, clean the mirrors, and vacuum or sweep the floors.
That's sufficient for these areas. But what about the rooms that tend to get dirty faster, like your kitchen and bathroom? Let's dive into those next.
How often should you clean your kitchen?
Kitchens are the most frequently used spaces in a home. We not only cook and eat there, but we often gather in the kitchen too. Since the frequency of cleaning depends on how much you use it, cleaning while you're cooking is a great habit. For instance, washing dishes immediately after preparing a meal prevents them from piling up.
The same goes for countertops and stovetops. Wipe them down after each use. Use a gentle dish soap or kitchen spray to remove any stickiness or spills. For tougher stains, scrub them with a brush or pad. Lastly, sweep the kitchen floor to avoid dirt buildup while cleaning the other areas of the kitchen.
Other tasks can be saved for weekly cleaning. These include wiping spills from cabinet doors and appliances, cleaning the dish rack, and mopping the floors. When you clean, choose a starting point (like the stove) and work from top to bottom, left to right to ensure you don't miss any areas.
Ovens and refrigerators should be wiped down promptly when food spills to avoid more extensive cleaning later. If you use your oven often, plan for a deep clean every two to 12 weeks. For self-cleaning ovens, run the self-cleaning cycle and wipe away any ash. For non-self-cleaning ovens, use an oven cleaner and a brush to remove any food particles. Be sure to ventilate your kitchen well while cleaning the oven.
In your refrigerator, keep track of expiration dates and discard expired food. At least once a month, wipe the shelves with water and a mild dishwashing liquid.
Since your trash can holds most of the waste you don't want in your kitchen, it's crucial to clean it every other month. When food spills outside the bag or comes into contact with the can’s surface, it can lead to mold and mildew. To clean it, take the trash can outside, hose it down, and use a kitchen disinfectant spray to eliminate bacteria and odors. Dry the can thoroughly with a towel or let it air dry in the sun.
How often should you clean your bathroom?
Clean your bathroom sink every week.While cleaning the bathroom may not be your favorite task, it certainly requires attention. To prevent mold and mildew, manage moisture levels daily by using an exhaust fan and leaving it on after your shower. Keep your shower curtains open to air them out and hang bathmats to dry. Remember to wipe or squeegee shower walls and clean any splashes off mirrors.
For your weekly bathroom cleaning, thoroughly wipe down your bathtub and shower stall with warm water and a bathroom cleaner to remove any dirt buildup. If you notice mildew, treat it with bleach or a mildew remover. Also, inspect your showerhead for any mildew accumulation and clean it off.
Use bathroom cleaner to wipe sinks and faucets; scrub toilet bowls with a toilet cleaner and brush. Tidy up any clutter that has built up during the week. Clean mirrors, replace towels, and scrub counters and any other surfaces. Dust tends to accumulate over time, so it's helpful to wipe surfaces regularly before dust becomes noticeable. Sweep the floor to remove dirt and hair, and mop as needed. Don't forget to empty the wastebasket.
How often should you wash your sheets?
Changing your bed sheets is often overlooked, but regularly washing your linens is vital for maintaining a healthy and clean living space. Over time, sheets accumulate dust mites, skin cells, and oils, which can trigger allergies and respiratory issues. Consider that an average mattress contains 10 million dust mites, and a two-year-old pillow gains 10% of its weight from dead dust mites and their remains. Yuck! Regularly washing your sheets can protect you from this unpleasant buildup.
There are differing opinions on how often to wash bed sheets. Some people recommend washing them at least once every one to two weeks with detergent and water heated to at least 77°F (25°C) to kill any dust mites. Others believe that if you shower before bed and don't allow pets in the bed, you can stretch it to a month between washes.
On the flip side, some suggest that since you shed skin cells nightly, pillowcases should be changed every few days and sheets once a week. Unlike other cleaning tasks, washing sheets is more dependent on your lifestyle, routine, and preferences. As long as you're washing your sheets regularly, you'll reduce the buildup of unpleasant debris in your bed.
There are certain household items that don't need to be cleaned every week, but should be tackled less frequently during deep cleaning sessions. Tasks such as steam cleaning carpets, washing your blinds, and cleaning curtains only need to be done three times a year. Ceiling fan blades should be cleaned at the start and end of each season or every couple of months if you use your fan year-round.
