House Cleaning Checklist

If you think Mr. Clean just pulled out his bottle of cleaning spray, white washcloth, running shoes, and just started running through his house like the cleaning white tornado, you’re crazy. Why do you think he has no hair now? Originally he didn’t have or follow a house cleaning checklist and he pulled all his hair out. Okay, so really he didn’t, but that is what you’re going to be like if you do not follow some simple rules and have a house cleaning checklist to accomplish your home cleaning in a reasonable amount of time.

Daily House Cleaning Checklist:
So, now we’re on to our daily cleaning and you know that not everything needs to be cleaned on a daily basis, but some of the simple stuff, like laundry, dishes, general straightening up, clearing generalized clutter and just overall picking up after yourself is really what it’s all about. Be sure to file papers and take care of the mail on a daily basis so it doesn’t build up on your desk. Be sure to get all of the household members to help with the daily pickup, even the kids.

Weekly House Cleaning Checklist:
On to our weekly chores and as far as laundry items are concerned, we certainly want to do our bed sheets, and if you can hold out with washing towels once a week, that would also be our recommended way of handling the heavy laundry like that. Be sure to do general dusting of countertops and those items that are easily in reach of an feather duster or even the newer electromagnetic dusters which do a great job. Cleaning bathrooms is generally appropriate once a week to help prevent excess odors, especially around the toilet bowl and the floors If you have pets, then weekly vacuuming is definitely on your list, as well as sweeping and moping of hard floors. Be sure to wipe down the faces of your kitchen appliances and kitchen cabinets on a weekly basis to help control excess grime buildup. Boy, if your family is like mine, although I have taking out garbage on a weekly basis, in my family it is on a weekly basis because I am fortunate enough to have a trash compactor. That is the greatest thing as far as I am concerned, as far as an extra appliance in the kitchen. Otherwise, you are taking out the garbage as needed, or the kids are anyway. That should be their job. Be sure to check your refrigerator at least weekly for spoiled food and spilt items on the shelves that can get awful smelly & sticky. Don’t forget to water your houseplants once a week, especially in the warmer weather.

Monthly House Cleaning Checklist:
There really is not a whole lot to look at on our monthly cleaning checklist. Have the kids walk through the house and wipe down the doorknobs with those new handy antibacterial wipes. Just lightly cleaning the walls and light fixtures is a great idea as well as cleaning the wall corners of cobwebs. Be sure to vacuum under furniture and dust furniture or couch cushions, outdoors preferably. Cleaning the inside of windows and sills on a monthly basis is a great idea. Be sure to vacuum and/or wash your throw rugs, especially those you keep in the bathroom. An easy monthly chore for cleaning the inside of the microwave is to put a bowl of water inside the microwave, let it boil for 30 second or so, which provides a nice moist environment for easy cleaning of the interior of the microwave

Seasonal House Cleaning Checklist:
This might include some things that you would not necessarily think about, such as touch-up painting on walls, doorjambs or baseboards as well as cleaning the outside of the windows and the window screens. Be sure to clean rain gutters or preferably cover them so they don’t accumulate leaves and other drain-clogging items. Check your barbeque grill frequently to make sure there is adequate ventilation below the burners. Also, be sure to wash your patio furniture and rinse well with an environmentally friendly cleaner. Even spraying down your air-conditioner compressor is a great idea with a high-pressure hose once or twice a year. This is one item that you cannot afford to neglect nor afford to have it go out just due to not being cleaned. On the inside of your house be sure to clean underneath your refrigerator as well as cleaning the coils and vents behind it. Most refrigerators are on rollers and cleaning is very easy to accomplish. Be sure to clean and organize your closets and drawers; although, I try to do it seasonally, we certainly want to roll through that area as needed. Annually check your smoke detectors and replace batteries once a year (daylight savings time). Be sure to check your dryer vent system also for cleaning and excess lint buildup.

Of course this house cleaning checklist is not all inclusive, but it gives a general idea of the more important items needing attention. Be sure to add your own items as needed.