Every day
- Clean the kitchen. Get a load of dishes done every day so they don’t pile up and become overwhelming. Put away all clean dishes as soon as possible and avoid letting dirty dishes sit in the sink for more than 24 hours.
- Clean the bathroom. The shower, bathtub and toilet should be cleaned at least once a week to prevent hard water spots from building up or mildew from growing inside the toilet bowl. Use an all-purpose cleaner or baking soda to scrub down countertops and sinks daily, or after using them to help prevent bacteria from spreading. Wipe down the surface of your mirror daily with an antibacterial surface cleaner to remove toothpaste and other residue that can build up over time.
- Keep an eye on laundry basket and hamper in each bedroom. Check it every day or two and move clothes around to make sure nothing gets lost at the bottom of it, especially socks!
Weekends
To make the most of your cleaning time, you’ll want to get a schedule together. If you’re only able to spend time on basic cleaning tasks during weekends and weekday evenings, here’s one schedule that may work for you:
Friday night: Tidy up the kitchen. That means washing dishes and cleaning the floors.
Saturday morning: Clean the bathroom and do any laundry that needs to be done ASAP.
Saturday afternoon: Grab a roll of paper towels, some window cleaner and multipurpose bathroom cleaner and clean all surfaces and counters in your home. Make sure not to forget anything! This is also a good time to vacuum or mop any floors (including under rugs) in case crumbs have worked their way down there during the week. You’ll also want to clean windows, mirrors and glass doors at this point.
Dog hair removal
- Remove the hair before vacuuming. First, you must remove as much loose hair from your pet’s coat as possible. Use a brush or comb to go over them (the vacuuming will be more effective if they’re also clean). If they have long hair, use your fingers to separate the fur and then brush in the direction of their hair growth. For short-haired dogs, start with a pin brush, which has fine tines that can reach down to the skin and remove even stubborn mats.
After brushing, vacuum up all that doggie fur! Even if you’ve brushed your dog well beforehand, you may want to give them another going over with a rubber curry comb or a lint roller after vacuuming. Lint rollers are perfect for this because they are sticky and can pick up any remaining fur in just one swipe. If you don’t have a lint roller handy or it is out of adhesive tape, use a broom by sweeping it across your dog’s body following the direction of their hair growth until no more extra hairs come off on the broom.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming is a great tool for keeping your home clean. This chore may seem like a daunting task, but if you remember to vacuum once a week and take it room-by-room, it will be much easier. You can vacuum floors, carpets, upholstery, throw rugs—everything!
If you have pets or allergies, make sure you choose a vacuum that uses a HEPA filter to help keep the air in your house clean. You should also consider purchasing an air purifier for extra protection against allergens.
Dusting, sweeping, mopping and dusted
Dusting, sweeping and mopping are all good ways to clean your house. Dusting is the best time to get rid of any dust, dirt or debris that has accumulated on your walls and floors. For vacuuming and mopping, use a broom or vacuum cleaner to clean the floors.
Kitchen floor cleaning
Your kitchen floors can get dirty from all the different things you do in there. Imagine all of the grease, grime and food particles that can fall on your floor! It’s a good idea to use a steam mop on your floors. Steam mops are better than sponges because they’re easier to clean with. Your floors will be clean in no time!
Windows, mirrors and framing
Start with the windows. You may need a step stool for this part. Look for dust and spots on the inside of the window, and use glass cleaner (and a microfiber cloth) for both the inside and outside of the window. Use a toothbrush to get into tight corners. For screens, you can either spray them down with a hose or wash them with soap in your bathtub or shower.
Next, do the mirrors and frames—wherever you have dust buildup! Brush dust off frames with a duster or cloth before cleaning them (just like you did the furniture). A damp paper towel is perfect for cleaning window frames and baseboards, but if you see any marks that won’t come off easily, try using an all-purpose cleaner like 409 on tough spots instead.
Bathroom cleaning
- Clean the floor first. Starting from the opposite end of the room from the door, vacuum or sweep the floor to remove any hair, dust, and dirt. Sweep all sides of baseboards and don’t forget to wipe down baseboard heaters with a damp cloth.
- Clean shower or tub next. Remove all bath mats and towels and clean them according to their washing instructions, then continue by cleaning your bathtub or shower stall with a non-abrasive cleaner suitable for its surface. Rinse and dry when finished.
- Clean sink(s) and toilet(s). Spray your cleaner around sinks, faucets, handles and spouts before wiping everything down with a sponge or microfiber cloth (use separate sponges/cloths for bathrooms that are used by more than one person). Move on to toilets; scrub inside bowl using a toilet brush before flushing water in bowl clean (and closing lid). Wipe outside seat, tank top and base of toilet with a disinfectant spray or solution before leaving the bathroom for 10 minutes so that chemicals can do their job (be sure to open windows for ventilation during this time if possible).
- Clean mirrors next. Spray cleaner directly onto mirror; use circular motions when cleaning large mirrors; vertical lines for long mirrors; horizontal lines for short mirrors. Finish by wiping edges of mirror with a microfiber cloth; use glass cleaner on frames if applicable (avoid spraying glass cleaners directly onto surfaces as they could streak).
- Don’t forget windows! When you’re done in the bathroom, check out my tips on how to clean windows here—after all, they’re usually some of the most neglected areas in homes! For best results while cleaning window sills follow these steps: remove light curtains or blinds before vacuuming window tracks thoroughly (this will remove dust buildup); wash window sills using mixture consisting of one part white vinegar to three parts warm water; rinse well
- To clean a house, you’ll need a bucket of water and some dishwashing liquid.
- First, sweep up any dust that has fallen on your floor.
- Next, get some dishwashing liquid and put it in the water.
- Wash your floors with the soapy water.
- Finally, rinse your floors with clean water to remove the soap residue.
