Keeping an entire house clean is no mean feat—there are just too many things to do and, usually, too little time to do them. Even after reading many blogs about cleaning, you may still find yourself unable to decide on a schedule that will optimize the use of your time in accomplishing your cleaning chores. This is something we, at Matic Services, understand.
The truth is, you don’t need to feel pressured to accomplish your household chores all at once. Instead, you can schedule those that don’t need to be done too often. After that, break it down room by room, and come up with a detailed schedule you and your family can follow.
To help you get started, here is an example of a detailed schedule stating when you need to accomplish specific chores for every room in the house:
Living Room and Other Main Living Space
Daily
- Deal with the mail every day. This will help you prevent papers piling up in your garage or mailbox while allowing you to sort out your bills and other important letters. You should also reuse and recycle paper you no longer need and secure important ones in a safe place.
- Sweep up or vacuum areas where people usually walk around in, especially entryways and pathways.
- Deal with dirt, spills, and other forms of mess as needed.
- Return items after using them in their proper places (e.g. put books in shelves and toys in their toy boxes).
- Get rid of the trash properly. Recycle, reuse, or compost items as appropriate.
Once or Twice Weekly
- Remove dust from hardwood floors using a dust-mop to prevent scratches.
- Vacuum carpets and other walkways, especially if you live with children and/or pets.
Monthly
- Get rid of dust in blinds and baseboards by wiping with a damp cloth or vacuuming.
- Use a vacuum with a brush attachment to clean upholstered furniture.
- Vacuum dust and dirt under the furniture.
- Wash rugs and clean doormats.
- Clean ceiling and wall fans.
Seasonal/Spring Cleaning
- Clean window screens using a vacuum cleaner or hand vacuum.
- Wash the windows both inside and out.
- Hire a carpet cleaner and have the floor underneath the carpeted area rid of dust and dirt as well.
Kitchen
Daily
- Deal with the dishes after every meal. Don’t leave anything unwashed.
- Unload the dishes from the dishwasher and dry it. Put everything in its proper place afterward.
- Clean kitchen countertops. Clean as you go while preparing ingredients for cooking to reduce your workload after meals.
- Dry the sink and free the stove top from food spills and splashes of cooking oil using a degreaser.
- Make sure appliances like your microwave, coffee maker, refrigerator, and dishwasher are clean after every use.
- Sweep or vacuum high-traffic areas.
- Put away spices, ingredients, and tools after using them.
Once or Twice a Week
- Defrost your freezer and get rid of spoiled and unused leftovers.
- Wipe down other parts of the kitchen that don’t usually get cleaned like cabinets and appliances. Clean handles thoroughly.
- Do a quick dusting on all surfaces to reduce allergens and prevent scratches and other signs of wear and tear.
Monthly
- Clean out the oven, especially if there is a buildup of grime.
- If your trash bins are detachable, wash their insides thoroughly. If not, spray with disinfectant and give them a good wipe to eradicate germs.
- Clean your dishwasher based on the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Seasonal/Spring Cleaning
- Remove detachable parts, wash them, and dry. Wipe down the inside of your fridge before turning it back on.
- Polish your silverware.
Bedroom
Daily
- Have all the members of your family make their beds every day.
- Put things in their proper places such as dirty clothes in hampers or laundry baskets.
- Deal with messes and dirt as needed to avoid staining.
Once or Twice a Week
- Do the laundry every week. If needed, increase the frequency to twice weekly to prevent dirty clothes from piling up.
- Once the clothes are dry, fold or iron them as appropriate and put them neatly in your dresser.
- Replace and wash beddings, including pillowcases and mattress covers.
- Sweep or vacuum to get rid of dust, dirt, and other allergens.
Monthly
- Organize and clean dressers and drawers.
- Remove dust and dirt, including those under the furniture and other nooks and crannies.
- Bring pillows outside for natural disinfecting from the sun. Air them out to prevent mold and unpleasant odors.
Seasonal/Spring Cleaning
- Declutter dressers by removing clothing and other items that are no longer being used. Set them aside for donation or sale, recycle absorbent cloth by turning them into rugs, and put seasonal clothing like thick jackets and swimsuits in storage. Do the same for toys and other items.
- Wash stuffed toys and pillows.
- Vacuum mattresses.
Bathroom
Daily
- Wipe down surfaces and fixtures such as counters, mirrors, and faucets.
Once or Twice a Week
- Scrub and clean surfaces more thoroughly, especially the toilet, mirror, and shower.
- Replace rugs and towels.
- Give the sinks, drain, toilet seat, and toilet bowl a good scrubbing.
- Scrub the shower walls and the tub.
Monthly
- Mop the bathroom floor.
Seasonal/Spring Cleaning
- Apply grout and tile cleaner.
Everywhere Else
Daily
- Return items that you’ve finished using in their proper places.
- Empty trash and recycling bins whenever necessary.
Once or Twice a Week
- Sweep or vacuum floors and other hard surfaces in the house.
- Mop the floors to avoid staining. Dust-mop hardwood floors first to prevent scratches.
Monthly
- Remove dirt and dust from blinds and baseboards using a vacuum or a damp rag.
- Sweep the patio, garage, and exterior walkways.
- Clean door handles, light switches, and the wall area where they are installed in.
- Get rid of debris and other dirt from your dryer and washing machines.
- Wipe down doors, door frames, and moldings.
- Clean fixtures in the ceiling in one room every month and rotate.
Seasonal/Spring Cleaning
- Clean the gutters, chimney, and fireplace.
- Use a vacuum to clean under heavy furniture and move lighter ones when removing dirt and dust under them.
- Clear out air vents, including their covers.
- Remove cobwebs in corners of the ceiling, stairwells, and other similar parts of the house.
- Change or clean the filters of air conditioning and furnace units. You can do this less frequently during low-use seasons.
A Clean House is a Healthy Home
Cleaning is probably that one essential task only a few people would love to do.
Use this detailed room-per-room schedule to make accomplishing chores easier and a lot less daunting.