Living by yourself for the very first time? Looking to brush up on your housekeeping skills? It can seem impossible to stay on top of the messes of everyday life. With a cleaning schedule, it is easy. Chunk out your tasks by what needs to get done each day, week, month, and so on. Here’s how you clean and keep your place looking brand new year-round.
Immediate Clean Ups
Anything that looks, feels, or smells funky must be cleaned immediately. When a pet gets sick, you spill some food, or the floors are sticky, it needs to be cleaned immediately. These should take precedence over other tasks in the schedule.
Every Day
- Make your bed. This makes your room look so much better and starts your day on the right foot. Plus, everyone knows it’s best to go to bed in a bed that’s been made.
- Do the dishes. Clean your dishes after every meal. Dirty dishes are the ultimate eyesore in anyone’s kitchen.
- Sweep the floors. You know how much filth sits on your floor. Giving your floors a quick sweep every day lessens their effects and keeps you walking on a clear path.
Every Week
- Change your bedding. Replace your sheets to keep your bed fresh.
- Clean microwave. Most use the microwave often to make their daily meals. Your microwave probably has food splattered all over it. Take a wet sponge and scrub the surfaces until their clean again.
- Wipe down bathroom surfaces. Clean the mirror, sanitize the sink, scrub the toilet, squeegee the shower, and mop the floors for a sparkling bathroom.
- Vacuum and dust the rest of the house. Use your vacuum to get rid of dust and dirt on the floor. Feather dusters can help with furniture.
- Do your laundry. You want clothes to wear throughout the week.
- Sanitize your sponges. When everything is done, you need to kill the bacteria on your sponges. Mix ¾ cup of bleach with one gallon of water and soak your sponges for 5 minutes. After that’s done, rinse, and you are finished!
Every Month
- Clean your appliances. Dishwashers, laundry machines, and vacuums all need cleaning too. Make use of the self-cleaning cycles these appliances offer and change your vacuum bag to keep them running strong.
- Dust those hard-to-reach areas. Treat your blinds, light fixtures, and fans to a good cleaning keep them at their best.
Every 2 Months
- Wipe down the inside of your fridge. Spoiled vegetables, open containers, and messy children can all cause problems inside your fridge. Remove everything and thoroughly cleaned surfaces to refresh.
- Wash shower curtain. Mold and bacteria can build up. Luckily, these can be cleaned with ease.
- Freshen drains and garbage disposal. If you ever had a smell in the kitchen but could not quite place the source, it is probably either your garbage disposal or your sink drain. Bobvila has some pro tips to get rid of those odors.
Every Year
- Deep clean your carpets and upholstery. Vacuuming is not enough. Invest in a carpet cleaner and remove any stains.
- Deep clean your windows. Remove dust and grime first, spray the glass with a cleaner and wipe away with a microfiber cloth.
- Clean dryer and vents. Use the crevice tool of your vacuum to remove debris from those areas. This is crucial to prevent house fires.
These are our beginner’s tips for keeping a house clean. Try Good Housekeeping for a more in-depth cleaning schedule to build your routine. They also have great tips on splitting up the work to make it less overwhelming.
If you need help getting your cleaning schedule done before the spring cleaning season is over, try these tips of ours!