The Essential House Cleaning Checklist

Our friends at Luxoclean wrote an awesome article on “The Essential House Cleaning Checklist”. You can find the full article HERE.

The Essential House Cleaning Checklist

A clean home is a happy home, but many homeowners find it very daunting to complete daily housework chores like dusting, vacuuming and scrubbing toilets. Regular cleaning contributes to maintaining a healthy home, not to mention, consistent cleaning can make your home feel cozy, organized and comfortable. Many people feel that their home is an extension of their mental health, and a clean space can go a long way in regards to decreasing stress and anxiety. Let’s take a look at our essential house cleaning checklist that will keep you home spotless and clean:

Daily Cleaning Tasks

It’s not necessary to clean your entire home each and every day, but there are some housework chores that you should focus on regularly. This will make it much easier to maintain a cleaner home and when you do decide to do a deep clean, the process will be much simpler.

You may feel like your home looks very clean and tidy some days, allowing you to skip some of your daily household maintenance, on days that your home doesn’t feel organized and comfortable, here are some quick tasks you can do:

• Make the beds each morning.
• Wiping down surfaces such as kitchen counters and tables.
• Wipe down door knobs and handles to decrease the spread of germs.
• Put away toys, clothing and other items that are out of place.
• Straighten shoes, coats and bags so they aren’t just thrown into a foyer or hallway.

While it might seem more effective to put off all household chores until everything needs to be cleaned, this can result in hours worth of work that feel like a never-ending chore. By preventing messes from backing up, you’ll have a home with a tidy appearance most of the time. This sense of order is ideal that allows everyone that lives under your roof to feel like their home is their safe space where they can unwind and relax.

With so many people now working from home, a clean and tidy space can promote productivity. If you look around each day and notice various chores that need to be done, this can take attention away from your work. If your home feels organized and clean, you’ll be able to increase your work output and stay focused.

Kitchen Cleaning

A home kitchen is one of the first places to become a mess each day. This is where meals are prepared and shared, but a kitchen is also a place where people stop when they come in and out of the door; homework is often done at the kitchen table and random items like mail, laundry and technological devices often get dropped here. It doesn’t take very long to de-clutter your kitchen, and it’s something you may want to get in the habit of doing every evening. Additionally, go through your pantry to discard any expired items and straighten the objects on the shelves so you can see everything that you have available.

In regard to food preparation, regularly cleaning your kitchen can reduce the spread of germs and bacteria. When your counter is contaminated with things like raw chicken, beef and fish, you don’t want to bring other foods into that area. This can cause a food-borne illness that make your entire household sick, so regularly wipe down countertops after each meal that you prepare. You should also clean inside and around your kitchen sink at the end of the day when you’re done cooking and washing dishes and consider regularly cleaning the fronts of your cupboards, pantry doors and kitchen table.

Bathroom Cleaning

Bathrooms are exposed to high levels of moisture and humidity, making them the perfect place for the growth of mold, mildew and germs. You can promote a healthier bathroom by regularly cleaning your toilet bowls, sinks, showers and mirrors. There are a lot of different cleaning tools and gadgets that can make this process much easier. For example, having a toilet brush next to your toilet allows you to quickly address a mess when you notice it, and it doesn’t get forgotten about.

Bathrooms can be tricky because you can’t always see the areas that are germy and dirty. Toilets can spray germs on the floor and nearby surfaces when they are flushed. People brushing their teeth can contaminate the sink, countertop and mirrors. By exposing your fixtures to water each day, you may notice a fast mineral buildup that should be cleaned not only for aesthetic purposes but also to protect your plumbing.

Vacuuming and Sweeping

You don’t have to vacuum or sweep your floors on a daily basis but address these spaces every few days or as needed. The accumulation of dust, dirt, pet dander, pollen and other allergens in your carpet and on hard floor surfaces can decrease indoor air quality, causing allergy symptoms for those who are susceptible. It’s likely that your high-traffic areas see the biggest messes, so try to tackle those areas more frequently. You can clean under furniture and hard-to-reach areas using different dry sweepers, vacuums, mops or even robotic equipment.

Dusting

It doesn’t take more than a few days for your surfaces to look dusty and dirty. The more clutter you have, the more time it will take to dust. That’s why it’s a good idea to de-clutter your home by making sure that every item has a place where it can be put away. You can improve your indoor air quality and reduce your exposure to allergens by dusting on a regular basis.

While dusting can make your home look nice, it can also protect the integrity of your electronics and appliances. When dust gets sucked into the various intakes and vents of these items, it can shorten their lifespan and impact their performance. You can save a lot of money on repairs and equipment replacement when you keep your home clean by doing regular dustings.

Changing Linens

Regularly remove bedding and linens, washing them in hot water to kill any germs that are present. You should also wash your kitchen towels, hand towels and bathroom towels on a regular basis to prevent cross contamination and the spread of germs. If you can’t complete a full load of laundry because of time constraints, make it a point to wash and replace your pillowcases every few days to prevent the buildup of oils and dirt that can impact your skin and hair.

Window Cleaning

Window cleaning is one of the items on our house cleaning checklist that only needs to be done every few weeks. Wiping out windowsills and glass panes can help you maintain adequate natural light and a clear view of the outside world. Removing dust, debris and pollen can also protect your windows from scratches, stains, or even corrosion. This chore doesn’t take long, but it can increase the curb appeal of your home.

Deep Cleaning Tasks

Every now and again, you’ll feel it’s necessary to deep clean your home. This process includes housework chores such as carpet shampooing, cleaning your oven, removing items from your refrigerator and wiping shelves down. These are essentially hard-to-reach areas that you don’t think of often. Your mattress is another area that should be part of a deep cleaning. Removing all linens and vacuuming the surface and under your mattress can reduce the risk of dust mite exposure. It can also reduce allergens, so you experience better sleep.

By following our essential house cleaning checklist, you’ll find that your home will be cleaner, happier and healthier. Through cleaning your home on a regular basis, you won’t feel so overwhelmed with all of the different household chores that often accumulate and demand your attention. If you do need assistance with cleaning and maintaining your home, you can turn to a professional cleaning company like CleanStart to help you with all of the above points, alleviating the tasks that may be causing you stress and time. Book with CleanStart today and take the first step toward a cleaner, happier, and healthier home.