It’s that time of year again to give our houses a good spring clean – but how often should we really be cleaning your home?
Spring cleaning is a tradition that encourages everyone to refresh their home after spending a long winter indoors (and 2020 was very long). However, very few items should be left a whole year without cleaning. Different parts of your home require various levels of attention, with some items needing a daily clean, whereas others can stretch up to a month or year without a wash. Knowing what needs cleaning each day, week, or month can help you set up a cleaning routine to ensure your home is kept in top condition. Here Improb shares their top tips for cleaning throughout the year, so you are on top of everything when it comes to spring cleaning this year.
What to Clean Every 12 Months
There are very few areas of your home that should be left a full year without a deep clean. As long as you are vacuuming your carpets regularly, a deep clean of carpets and upholstery can be left for up to a year at a time, although many homeowners opt to do this twice a year. If you have a fireplace in your home, this should be cleaned out and swept thoroughly once a year, and spring is the perfect time to do this. Your curtains and drapes should be washed once a year, and these are often neglected by homeowners. Finally, call a professional in to clear out your gutters once a year to avoid blockages.
What to Clean Every 6 Months
Twice a year, it’s time to deep clean your oven using a specialist spray or cream. It’s best to avoid scouring grime too much, as this can damage the lining of your oven. While your fridge should certainly be wiped down more often, a full deep clean twice a year is a good idea, where you remove everything first. However, many people opt to do this more often, which is understandable, considering how often we use our fridges. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to clean your patio furniture and deck surfaces, especially if they’ve been stored away during the winter months. Finally, take a look at your kitchen range hood and give it a wipe down during this time.
What to Clean Every 3 Months
Smaller decorative items, such as lampshades, should be cleaned at least every three months. These can often be cleaned with hot water, though you can also remove dust by using a lint roller. Your shower curtain liner should be washed or replaced every quarter to avoid a build-up of dirt and grime. Once every three months, give the areas behind and under your furniture a good clean over. Move the furniture out if needed to ensure you can get to all those hidden areas behind. Finally, once every three months, we recommend giving your mattresses a good vacuum if their care instructions allow for this.
Once a Month
Items that need cleaning once a month should be part of your regular cleaning routine by now. Cleaning your dishwasher, washing machine, and vacuum should be part of this routine, as they are crucial for your cleaning tasks throughout the year. For your dishwasher, remove the racks and give them a full scrub down to avoid grime and grease building up. You should dust your blinds and clean any light fixtures at least once a month. Finally, vacuuming woodwork or vents around your home can be attended to once a month
Weekly Cleaning
Every week, it’s time to clean or vacuum the majority of the floors in your home, including your carpets and bathroom floors. Vacuum your furniture, such as your sofas, at the same time. Once a week, set aside time to give your bathroom surfaces a full scrub down. This includes your shower, bath, and sink areas. Your fridge needs an inspection once a week and can be wiped down at the same time. Have a look for any expired food and dispose of this during your cleaning session. Bedding should be changed at least once a week, and most people find it easier to get into a routine of doing this at the weekend.
All of those kitchen appliances that you use every day should be wiped down weekly, including your kettle, toaster and sink handles. The inside of your microwave shouldn’t be left as long as your oven to clean, and instead, needs attention weekly. Dusting your furniture and cleaning your mirrors once a week can help to avoid a build-up of dirt and dust. Once your cleaning session is finished, ensure you sanitise sponges or clean the rags you’ve been using for cleaning, ready for next week’s clean.
Every Other Day
While most items fall into the weekly or daily categories, we believe a few items can be left to every other day. Most people like to clean their bathroom towels about every other day or a couple of times a week. These are often neglected for much longer but soon start to defeat their purpose if they are carrying a whole load of germs. Your kitchen and bathroom sinks and bathroom surfaces can be sanitised every other day, which will avoid having to give them a deep clean as regularly. Squeegee your shower walls every other day if this isn’t part of your daily routine.
Every Day
A few unavoidable tasks need doing every day, including making your bed, cleaning dirty dishes, and laundry when needed. Nowadays, many people use an intuitive approach to laundry, and opt to just do loads as required instead of having a set schedule. If you use a coffee maker, clean this out every day to keep it in top condition for your morning cup of coffee. Finally, after eating your dinner at night, wipe down your kitchen counters and tables to avoid dirt from building up. For this purpose, you may want to consider a homemade cleaning spray, which you can scent with natural essential oils.
By keeping on top of these tasks each day, you’ll make your monthly and annual cleans much easier.
