Never Miss a Spot Again: The Complete Cleaning Checklist

Everyone loves a clean home but remembering what to clean and when is a rather daunting task. To keep your house spotless, many tasks must be done with a certain frequency so they don’t become extra dirty and, therefore, difficult.

Keeping track of what to clean and when is yet another task to do. That’s when a cleaning checklist comes into play.

With our house cleaning checklist and schedule, there is no need to worry about forgetting anything while cleaning your house.

There are several cleaning checklists in this guide. We’ve organized the guide by:

1. How often each cleaning task should be done
2. Room
3. Season

Also, everyone’s situation will be different. Our goal is to give directional guidance that you can tweak depending on your lifestyle.

Daily Cleaning List

• Tidy up the bedroom
• Bathroom countertops should be wiped clean every morning and night after use
• Use the dishwasher by emptying and refilling it
• Put away toys, papers, and other clutter by giving the house a once-over at night
• Clean the table, sink, and countertops

Weekly Cleaning Checklist

• Dust
• Clean the floors by vacuuming and mopping as necessary
• Disinfect the home electronics
• Collect and empty the garbage
• Clean and disinfect the kitchen counters
• Scrub the mirrors
• Kill germs by disinfecting the kitchen sink
• Clean and sanitize the bathroom sinks
• Remove soap scum from bathtubs and showers
• Refresh the bedding and bath towels
• Throw out any food that has gone bad

Monthly Cleaning Schedule

• Upholstery should be vacuumed once a month
• Remove trash and disinfect trash cans
• Disinfect frequently used items such as switches, remote controls, and door handles
• Clean the ducts and fans
• Ensure that the burner grates and the rest of the cooktop are spotless
• Clean the kitchen cabinets
• Remove any unpleasant smells from the microwave and clean it

Approximately Every 3-6 Months

• Curtains should be washed either in the washing machine or by hand.
• The mattress should be flipped or rotated 180 degrees every three months and cleaned every six months
• Take special care of leather and wooden furnishings by maintaining their natural oils
• Vacuum curtains and shades 
• Clean the blinds
• Clean the lampshades
• Scrub the baseboards
• Remove dust and debris from carpets by shaking them
• Use a brush to clean the tile grout
• Wash the windows inside and outside.
• Scrub the oil and grime from the stove hood
• Polish the stainless steel appliances
• Remove any crumbs and grime from the inside of the fridge and freezer
• Coffee machine descaling and cleaning

Every Six to Twelve Months

• Cleaning the oven
• Wash and disinfect the slipcover
• Throw pillows may be cleaned in the washing machine or the dryer
• Clean comforters by machine or in the dryer
• Empty the cupboards and cabinets, and clean everything
• Clean the condenser coil of the fridge by vacuuming it
• Clean the filter in the range hood

Every Year or So

• Rugs should be properly cleaned once a year
• To clean behind and below heavy furniture and appliances, you must move them
• Clean between the oven doors
• Clean the partitions with a damp cloth
• Clean the windows screens
• Remove dust from the dryer vent
• Invest in expert cleaning of your upholstered furniture and draperies (every two years)
• Clean up your gutters (this may need to be more often depending on how many leaves fall in your gutters)

A Room by Room Cleaning Checklist

Entryway

• Sweep the floors
• Clean and mop the floors
• Wet-wipe the walls
• Scrub the baseboards
• Inspect and clean the door
• Vacuum the doormat
• Put shoes in order
• Order the coats

Kitchen

• Clean the stovetop
• Clean the stove
• Clean the microwave
• Disinfect the dishwasher
• Deodorize the fridge
• Wipe down the refrigerator and freezer drawers and shelves with a disinfectant
• Put freezer in defrost
• Get rid of stale food from the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer.
• Clean the counters
• Disinfect the cabinet frames and the backsplash
• Take everything out of the cupboards to give the interior a good scrub
• Refresh the seal of your refrigerator and freezer by cleaning them
• Remove grease and stink from the kitchen drain
• Disinfect the sponges and dish towels
• Wet-wipe the walls
• Scrub the baseboards
• Clean and vacuum the floors
• Vacuum and clean the floor mats to remove dirt and dust

Related: How Often Should You Clean Your Kitchen Appliances? – Experts Weigh In

The Dining Room

• Wipe down the china cabinet
• Get the tablecloths washed and ironed 
• Polish your silver utensils
• Sweep the floor and shine the furnishings
• Remove and vacuum or spot-clean couch pillows
• Wet-wipe the walls
• Scrub the baseboards
• Clean the lamps
• Clean the blinds
• Curtain rods should be dusted
• Scrub the window sills
• Clean the windows
• Vacuum and wash the curtains 
• Clean the floor with a mop or vacuum
• Clean carpets and rugs using a carpet vacuum cleaner

Bathroom

• Start by throwing away old makeup and expired products.
• Clean your makeup brushes
• Wipe and clean the mirror 
• Start with cleaning the shower and the tub.
• Clean the shower head
• Change the lining of the shower curtain
• Grout cleaning to get rid of any smells
• Clean the toilet
• Wet-wipe the walls
• Sweep the floors
• Clean the floors with a mop
• Scrub the baseboards
• Reorganize the towels

Laundry Room

• Use white vinegar and baking soda to clean the washing machine.
• Clear the lint trap from your dryer
• Organize your cleaning supplies
• Wet-wipe the walls
• Scrub the baseboards
• Clean the floors with a mop

Bedrooms

• Scrub the baseboards
• Polish and dust furniture.
• Donate your old clothes.
• Cclean your bed by washing the sheets, pillowcases, duvet cover, and bed skirt to get rid of dead skin cells.
• Carpets should be vacuumed. 
• Turn the mattress
• Curtain rods should be dusted
• Scrubbing window ledges and cleaning the windows
• Remove the curtains and clean them
• Keep the floors clean by mopping or vacuuming.
• Clean carpets and rugs

Living Area

• Polish and dust the furniture.
• Wash the slipcovers, throw pillows, and curtains, and vacuum the rugs
• Dust the whole room
• Clean the windows
• Keep your ceiling fans dust-free
• Lightshade dusting and cleaning
• Dust the electronic gadgets
• Purify the furnishings and eliminate dust
• Disinfecting TV-controllers
• Keep the floors clean by mopping or vacuuming.

The Play Room

• Washing plastic toys with soap and water can kill any bacteria they may have.
• Get those soft toys and cuddly animals clean
• Recycle your old playthings.
• Clear clutter from playrooms and toy storage
• Keep the floors clean by mopping or vacuuming
• Clean carpets and rugs

Office

• Get rid of documentation that isn’t required and recycle it
• Sweep the floor and shine the furnishings
• Clean the dust from the bookcase
• Gather dust on the electronics
• Clean and disinfect the computer mouse and keyboard

Garage

• Sort through your collection of tools, gadgets, and toys
• Get some fresh air and clean the walls by cracking the garage door
• Scrub the garage floor and wash the door
• Scrub the garage door’s frame
• Changing the batteries in automatic garage door openers.
• Clean the window and the door.

Seasonal Cleaning Checklist

Spring Cleaning Checklist

As you trade in your puffy winter coat for a more comfortable cotton shirt and your furry friends lose their thick winter coats, you may notice an unpleasant springtime precursor: pollen.

In other words, it’s time for allergies and all they involve.

We wrote an entire guide on Spring Cleaning: Stop Stressing! Complete Guide For Quick and Easy Spring Cleaning

Although you can’t stop Mother Nature, you can lessen the blow by taking these precautions. With so much time spent inside this winter, you’ll want to blow off some steam.

• Lighter items of clothing should be stored in front of closets
• Change the filter in your heater
• Scatter the fireplace’s ashes outside the house
• Clean the moldings and baseboards
• Clear dust from fan blades
• Lampshade dust
• Scrub the grill well
• Use an allergy vacuum cleaner on your furniture and floor mats

Summer Cleaning Checklist

Summer is the perfect time for outdoor activities like visiting the beach, riding bikes, trekking, or having a picnic. As a result, sunscreen, insect repellent, and other skin and body protection goods are in high demand due to the increased time spent outside.

In addition, because of the increased use of natural components such as sweat, sand, and water, the bathroom has become a focal point of increased attention.

• First, get rid of clutter and reorganize the medication cabinet and drawers
• Clean the whole room of dust
• Stock up on the items you use most often, like shower and bath scrub.
• Clean up the bathroom using a mop and bucket
• Clean and sterilize the toothbrush holder
• Clean the faucets by wiping them down
• Clean the panes of glass.
• Alter the filters in the air conditioner
• Steam clean the drapes: Use a vacuum cleaner to eliminate the dust on fragile furniture and drapes.
• Cut back the bushes.

Fall Cleaning Checklist

Mud and grime are abundant in the fall, and if you leave your windows open on warm summer evenings, you may find a startling quantity of dust inside.

This is all the more reason to invest in a HEPA-filtered allergen vacuum. Before you know it, the holidays will be here, so it’s best to be ready early rather than scrambling at the last minute.

• Eliminate unnecessary items from the refrigerator and freezer. Don’t waste precious storage space on perishables you won’t use; save space for forthcoming celebrations by discarding outdated items.
• Put order into the kitchen’s drawers and cupboards.
• Clean your oven’s inside for better results while baking and cooking
• It’s time to dust up your home’s furniture, pictures, and fans
• Upgrade to some warmer bedding.
• Mattress sanitation 
• Clean the air of allergens by using a vacuum cleaner.

Winter Cleaning Checklist

Keeping up with the winter requires more than just cleaning.

• Put winter outerwear like coats, hats, gloves, and scarves in front of closets
• Keep snow shovels and rakes in a convenient location
• Waterproof mats should be placed in front doors and other entryways to catch muddy footwear
• Keep dryer vents clean
• Clean the doorknobs, light switches, remote controls, and other controls on your TV, video games, and other gadgets.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

1. How about a general rule of thumb for tidying up?

All cleaning works on two fundamental principles: pH balance and mechanical waste elimination. Removing microbes physically is a very effective method of sterilization. It reduces the number of germs on all surfaces and gets rid of the nutrients that fuel their proliferation.

2. How does one clean using the 20-10 rule?

Rachel Hoffman proposed the “20/10 method” of cleaning, in which you work hard for 20 minutes before taking a 10-minute rest. It’s as easy as that. Twenty minutes may not seem like much time, but you’d be astonished at how much you can get done in that time.

Conclusion 

To be honest, most of us just don’t have the time to devote to a comprehensive daily deep cleaning program. After a long day of work, child care, dinner preparation, and other chores, there often isn’t much energy left for cleaning the home from top to bottom.

The good news is that you can put off doing most of these time-consuming tasks until your monthly deep clean or your weekly quick check.

To keep the home in order and the cleaning under control, pay attention to a few problem areas daily, such as the overflowing sink or the cluttered coffee table.

Create a daily cleaning schedule with brief activities for each area. You can do daily cleaning in as little as 20 minutes if you focus on certain areas for as little as a few minutes.

Involving the rest of the household will speed up the process. If you want to clean your home every day but don’t have the time, you may modify the tasks on this list to better suit your needs.

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