We all have the happy task of keeping our homes clean on a regular basis. Believe it or not, some people actually like cleaning their house. But, for most people, keeping a house clean amid a busy life can be a challenge, and in some cases overwhelming. Especially these days, with everyone working and schooling from home, we all need a house cleaning plan!
Having a plan for how to keep a house neat, clean and fresh can help alleviate some of the overwhelm and can give homeowners an opportunity to decide what tasks to do themselves and which to outsource to someone else.
Why it’s important to keep a clean home
Keeping a clean home goes well beyond just keeping a space “looking good.” Regular housekeeping keeps your home healthy and contributes greatly to the well-being of the occupants.
A home that is dusted and cleaned regularly is much less likely to have issues with mold and germs that cause viruses and disease. Additionally, for those with allergies, regular cleaning prevents the build-up of allergens. Surprisingly, even a house that “looks clean” can be teaming with nasty germs and viruses that can make people sick if surfaces are not regularly disinfected. The areas of your home most likely to harbor germs and viruses are the kitchen, bathrooms, countertops and floors. These areas should be cleaned often.
Another impact of a messy or dirty home has to do with the mental and emotional impact on family members. Not surprisingly, a cluttered or dirty living space have a negative impact on the mental health of the people who live in the home. When people let their home go, at some point they will likely begin to feel overwhelmed and anxious. In addition to the negative impact of dirt and clutter, there’s also an equally positive impact a neat and clean space has on people’s attitudes and moods.
One thing that can help a family keep a clean home is to set up routines that are done daily, weekly and monthly. Here is are a few of our professional tips for breaking housekeeping down into manageable tasks.
House cleaning that should be done daily
Part of keeping a clean house it to make sure daily chores are done on a regular basis. Things that should be done daily are:
- Make your bed every morning.
- Wash the dishes or put them in the dishwasher after breakfast and dinner.
- Wipe the kitchen countertops and stove top after each meal.
- Clean up spills and messes when they occur.
- Put things away when you are done with them.
- Pick up rooms before going to bed.
- In busy households it may make sense to run the vacuum once during the week.
This sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? It can be, and you will be amazed what a difference doing these things daily can make in terms of reducing weekend cleaning time and the accumulation of clutter. Just ask family members to clean up after dinner and pick up the family room before going to bed, and everyone get to wake up to a neat and clean house. As you can imagine, this makes mornings much more enjoyable.
House cleaning that should be done weekly or biweekly
Most people spend some time every weekend cleaning the house. While not always the most fun way to spend a Saturday, it is a necessary part of keeping a clean home. Depending on just how busy your home is, these chores should be done on a weekly or biweekly basis.
In the bedroom
- Change the linen on the beds.
- Dust the furniture (buy a feather duster – it makes dusting easy work).
- Vacuum and mop floors.
In the bathrooms
- Clean the showers and tubs, removing soap scum and mold or mildew.
- Clean bathroom counter tops, sinks and mirrors.
- Neaten up toiletries and bathroom counter tops.
- Sanitize the toilet and toilet area.
- Vacuum and mop the floor.
In the kitchen
- Wipe down the outside of appliances; polish stainless appliances.
- Disinfect the countertops.
- Dust countertop items.
- Wipe down the outside of the trash can.
- Sanitize the sink with a spray bleach.
- Vacuum and mop the floor.
- Clean the microwave.
In the living areas
- Dust furniture, knack-knacks and lamps (again, a feather duster will make this super easy and fast.).
- Vacuum carpets.
- Vacuum and mop hard surface floors.
You must admit, that when broken down like this, these tasks look manageable. And what will make them more manageable is to break the list in half and do half this weekend and the other half next weekend. Still look daunting? Check out our recurring house cleaning services.
House Cleaning that should be done monthly
Some tasks just need to be done once a month. The great thing is, you can break this list down and do just a few items each week.
- Dust ceiling fans.
- Wipe down doors and doorframes.
- Dust blinds, A/C vents and baseboards.
- Wipe windowsills and window ledges.
- Disinfect doorknobs, light switches and remote controls.
- Vacuum closet floors.
- Dust electronics.
- Clean out the refrigerator.
One of the ways to prevent letting house cleaning rise to level of overwhelm is to tackle it on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. It is more that most people can do to try and tackle all this every weekend. The secret is to break it into manageable chunks and get the entire family involved.
After implementing this schedule for a month, give some thought to which of the tasks you found enjoyable and manageable for you and your family. These chores can be assigned to family members and should be kept on a schedule. Other items can be easily outsourced. A professional cleaning company like Love My Maids is available to take on those items you do not want, or have the time, to do. If you’d like more information about our cleaning services contact us anytime.
We hope these tips help you keep your house clean and healthy without too much effort. One thing I bet you know already, living in a house that is neat and clean is great for your mental health. Nothing feels better than coming home to a clean house!
