Is it better to clean your home a little every day, or save the chores for a big blitz at the weekend?
When we’re busy, a regular clean can be difficult to fit into our schedule. But no-one wants to give up a chunk of their weekend to spend cleaning. So what’s the solution?
First, let’s look at which parts of our space need a more regular clean.
Carpets
Up until very recently, I lived on my own. I’ll be honest – my space never got that messy, and that included my carpets. A weekly vacuum was all I needed to keep them looking fresh.
However, I’m now living in a shared home with a small group of fellow Christians. So, four people in the house will mean more vacuuming in the shared areas, as part of our regular clean routine.
Leave it too long between vacuuming and you might find your carpets become discoloured and flattened, and need replacing more often.
As a rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to vacuum your carpets once a week for each adult, child or pet living in the house. I mean cats or dogs – you don’t need to count goldfish or hamsters! So, in a home with 2 adults, 2 children and a dog, 5 trips around with the vacuum each week will keep your carpets clean and hygienic.
High traffic areas such as the hall, stairs or living room will need more regular cleaning than bedrooms.
If this feels unmanageable, it might be worth investing in a robot vacuum to keep on top of dust, dirt and allergens in between your regular cleaning.
Top tip – Introduce a “shoes off” policy to keep the dirt on the doormat, and clean your dog’s paws after a walk.
Hard floors
Wooden or tiled floors don’t collect dust and dirt in the same way as carpets. However, if you have hard floors, you’ll know those dust bunnies start gathering pretty quickly. A weekly vacuum will keep them from getting out of control, along with a weekly mop in high traffic areas, the kitchen and the bathroom.
Bathrooms
Of course, in a home with four people, the bathroom will need cleaning more often than a home with just one person. If it’s just you, cleaning your bathroom every 1 or 2 weeks will do the job, with a quick wipe around if you’re expecting guests.
Busier households mean more bathroom visits – and potentially more germs. A weekly clean will keep your bathroom hygienic and fresh. It’s a great idea to add a quick bathroom check into your morning or bedtime routine, to hang towels to dry properly, wipe round the sink and give the loo the once-over.
Less frequent bathroom cleaning can spread germs, but it can also lead to a build-up of limescale, mould and soap residue which is time-consuming to shift.
Kitchen
If you’re a “ready-meal and go” kind of household, chances are your kitchen doesn’t see that much action. But if you’re an enthusiastic, messy cook (*raises hand*) then your kitchen will need a lot more attention.
I clean down the surfaces, hob and sink area every day, but I can get away with mopping the floor once a week. If your home includes little ones with sticky fingers, or pets with muddy paws, you’ll need a regular clean of cupboard fronts as well as more frequent mopping.
Once your surfaces, hob or floor get sticky, they attract dust and particles – and that means your big blitz clean takes twice as long.
Living Room
Even in the tidiest homes, it’s surprising how dust and clutter can gather in the living room. Add sofa-hogging pets, and kids with a love of crumbly snacks, and you’ll find you need a regular clean of your living space at least once a week.
Like your carpets, your upholstery will look fresher for longer if you give it a vacuum to shift pet hair, dust and crumbs.
Bedrooms
Vacuuming every 1-2 weeks is enough for most bedrooms. If you have allergies, a more regular vacuum will help to keep dust mites at bay – a common cause of running noses and night time wheezing.
Call in the professionals
If you’re thinking of booking a professional cleaning service, you might be wondering whether you should book a longer visit every fortnight, or a shorter weekly visit.
We always recommend regular cleans each week to our clients. With regular cleaning, it’s much easier and quicker to keep on top of every area of your home. We can be in and out in a flash – and you get that lovely “just cleaned” feeling every single week.
And, of course, you can spend your whole chore-free weekend doing the things you love.
