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Cleaning Routine
In order to keep your house cleaning work under control, you need to create a system that makes sense for you, your home and people you live with. The demands of a large house will not be the same as those of studio flat; and the home of full-time working couple will not need the same upkeep as a house occupied by a family with two children and a dog. You may have hours to spend each day on keeping your home clean and tidy, or you may only have a few hours during your busy working week. Whatever your lifestyle, however, the house cleaning basics are the same.
Essential Daily Cleaning Tasks
If you don’t have time to do the more arduous jobs around the home, simplify your routine as much as possible by doing only the essential daily tasks. These entail keeping the bathroom(s), bedroom(s) and kitchen cleaned.
Bathroom(s) Clean surfaces and taps with cloth soaked in an antibacterial bathroom cleaner or multi-surface spray. To avoid the build-up of scum, wipe down the shower cubicle or bath with a sponge or cloth after each use. Spraying shower cubicles with a specialist shower spray will prevent the build-up of limescale. A scummy bath or shower is not inviting to use. Hang wet towels to dry, but if they are sopping wet, change them. Your facecloth may need to be changed daily for hygienic purposes.
Bedroom(s) Make the bed first thing in the morning, but try to air them for a while first. Ventilate the bedrooms for at least half an hour every day, if you can.
Kitchen Keep the kitchen clean, dishes washed and food cupboards well stocked at all times. Clean pots and pans as you go along or stack them in the dishwasher. Even if you haven’t got a full load, run a rinse cycle to prevent food from crusting over or rinse them under the tap. Put out clean tea towels and cleaning utensils every day.
Floors Clean the floors in high-use areas, such as the kitchen and hallway, especially if you have young children or pets. Sweep, damp mop or vacuum as necessary.
Foods Always keep some fresh vegetables and fruit available for a quick, healthy meal, whenever time is short.
General cleaning Although cleaners can be expensive, if you cannot afford domestic help once a week, try to arrange to share one with a friend. Choose the most arduous tasks for the professional to do, such as oven cleaning, window cleaning, carpet cleaning.
Laundry Try to do a little bit of laundry - whether it’s washing, drying or ironing - twice a week, before it becomes an overwhelming chore. However, to save fuel and money, wait until you have a full wash load before firing up the washing machine.
Rubbish bins Empty pedal or swing bins every day, as a matter of hygiene.
Weekly Cleaning Tasks
Each of these jobs should be tackled at least once a week, some of them more often. try to establish a weekly routine for these chores so you have a clear idea of what needs to be done on which day.
- Change bed linens.
- Toss pillows into hot tumble dryer for about 15 minutes to freshen them and eliminate dust mites.
- Change bath towels twice a week.
- Vacuum carpets and rugs twice a week; floors and upholstered furniture weekly.
- Wash all hard-surface floors, such as stone, marble and slate, using a proprietary floor cleaner.
- Dust all surfaces and objects that can be dusted, including pictures (don’t forget the tops), mirrors, light fixtures and light bulbs.
- Wipe all fingerprints or smears from doorknobs, woodwork, telephones and holders and all fixtures and cabinets.
- Clean the entire kitchen: clean the refrigerator; wipe off the cooker (oven and hob) and other appliances inside and out; clean sinks, tables and worktops; wash splash backs; scrub the floor.
- Clean the oven linings if they are washable - catalytic linings shouldn’t be scrubbed. You may need to clean the interior more often, depending on usage.
- Do grocery and household shopping once a week. If you keep a rolling shopping list of what you need for the nest meals and what household items you have run out of, this should be easy. Attach your list to a pin board in the kitchen and write down what you need to buy when you think of it. Pick up fresh fruit and vegetables as you need them during the week.
- Miscellaneous jobs: for example, cleaning out a kitchen drawer, going through and discarding old cosmetics, throwing out medicines that have expired and so on.
Monthly Cleaning Tasks
Some of these jobs will need to be tackled once a month, others slightly less frequently.
- Wash mirrors and glass panels once a month.
- Launder all bed linens including mattress covers, blankets, pillow covers, quilts and duvets at least once every three months.
- Turn most frequently used mattresses every four to six months - flip from bottom to top as well as from side to side. You will need help with this.
- Vacuum the mattresses when you flip them.
- Launder pillows according to the instructions on the label.
- Clean the cooker hood every two to four months.
- Wax or condition floors every three to six months, depending on use.
- Go through drawers, cupboards and wardrobes frequently to throw out what you no longer use and to clean anything that’s become sticky. Hang month-repellent strips in wardrobes and put cedar balls in drawers. Get into the habit of tackling one drawer or cupboard a week in rotation, particularly in the bathroom and kitchen, until they are all done.
- Clean and polish metal household items at least every three to six months. Make sure you use the appropriate product for the metal: silver polish should not be used on brass or pewter.
Annual Cleaning Tasks
These tasks will need to be dealt with once every every six to twelve months, depending on usage.
- Clean lamps, chandeliers and other light fittings once a year or more often if they are unusually dusty.
- Clean all wall surfaces, such as panelling and plaster, at least twice a year. You will probably need to remove finger marks from walls more frequently than this. This can be done using a cloth moistened with a detergent solution.
- Clean your storage areas once a year. Invest in a good metal filing cabinet or plastic stacking baskets to store archival files and mementos. Get out of the habit of keeping old boxes that won’t be used.
- Move all large appliances, such as the cooker and refrigerator, and vacuum and damp mop beneath and behind them al least once a year.
- Shampoo upholstery and carpeting (or call in professional service) every one to two years, depending on the area’s usage. A carpeted bathroom or dining room will need shampooing at least once a year.
- Oil or condition skirting boards once every six to twelve months.
- Wash windows at least twice a year.
- Dry-clean or wash window treatments, such as curtains and fabric blinds, every year.
- Go through your collection of books, CDs, videos and DVDs and dispose of what you no longer want. Charity shops and jumble sales will be happy to take them off your hands. Keep ahead of this tasks by doing it once a year.
- Go through your clothes; if you haven’t worn an item in the last two years, it’s time for it to go. If you don’t make room for new, nothing new will come into your life. And if it does, you won’t have a place for it.
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