How Often Should Your House Be Cleaned in Southern California?

The cleanliness of your house is important both for welcoming guests and the health and safety of your family. Of course, cleaning your house becomes a never-ending task. Dust is always getting into the house to grind into the carpet fibers and hide in the corners. Crud builds up on the stove, and grime gathers on damp surfaces in the bathrooms. Even spaces that don't seem like they should get dirty still need to be wiped down on a regular basis to get rid of dust and allergens hiding in your home.

But finding the time to clean it all? The buildup of half-seen dust and an increasing list of chores can make your home feel less inviting and calming, even becoming a source of stress instead of relaxation. Often, we don't realize just how much cleaning there is left to do until the mad dash to clean up before the company comes over.

Fortunately, there's a better way.

How Often Should Each Area Of Your Home Be Cleaned?

Cleaning Rooms and Spaces

Every room in your home has a unique cleaning requirement. While cleaning weekly will help you keep up with the grit (if you have the time), many rooms like the kitchen and bathrooms need daily attention because they are used so frequently and with the potential for moisture and mess. Let's know how often to clean the rooms in your house.

The Kitchen

• Once to Three Times a Day, and Weekly

Your countertops, cooking surfaces, and sink should be wiped down daily after each time you cook. The entirety of the kitchen, however, should be cleaned to the corners and the back of shelves every week. This clears out the dust bunnies and stops kitchen grime so that it never has a chance to build up. Monthly, you may want to pull your dishes and wipe out the cabinets as well.

Living Room and Living Areas

• Twice a week

Most living spaces are tidied daily and should be cleaned approximately on a weekly basis. A living from collects dust, pet dander, craft supplies, and outdoor mud on a regular basis. By cleaning regularly, you can ensure your living room is never really that dirty. Be sure to clean under the entertainment center, couch, and low-hanging curtains where dust bunnies most like to hide.

Bedrooms and Master Suite

• Once a Week plus Tidying

Bedrooms need to be cleaned even if it doesn't feel like they get dirty. Once a week, it's important to change your sheets, vacuum to the corners (and edge), and wipe down any surfaces like a desk or vanity. Not to mention daily tidying of any clothes or hair brushes that wind up on the floor.

Bathrooms

• Daily and Weekly

The bathrooms in your home are among the most important and demanding to clean regularly. Sinks and showers should be wiped down daily with a clean sponge and/or surface cleaner. Every week, be sure to sweep and mop, including the space behind/between the sink and toilet.  Wipe down shelves, and even the walls, as steam can carry grime onto the tile around you. Clean the mirrors, polish the sink fixtures, and scrub any grout that looks discolored.

Outdoor Patio and Exterior

• Weekly

How often should you clean your patio and exterior? Once a week is a good rule of thumb for sweeping your patio or deck and chasing away any over-eager young spiders. However, if your patio is a living space, you may need to clean twice a week or more. Outdoor kitchens should be cleaned as often or more than your indoor kitchen with a special mind for keeping dust and insects at bay. Your exterior lamps and siding can also be washed twice a year to keep them looking clean and inviting.

Garage 

• Twice a Month

Most people clean their garage twice a year - and find a few unpleasant surprises when they do. If you want to keep your garage pristine and welcoming for children and guests, clean twice a month instead. Give it a good sweep and move the boxes from time to time to ensure no grime remains hidden. This will ensure your children are safe to find their toys and even play in the garage without worry, and your garage looks nicely neat should company come by.

Cleaning Furniture and Fixtures

After cleaning the room, you may still have specific trouble spots in your home that need attention. The upholstery in your living and bedroom spaces, the vents in the wall, and your dusty drapes - among others - are also worthy of your weekly, monthly, or annual attention. Each can become a trap for dust in your home if left undisturbed.

Upholstery

• Weekly and Monthly

All soft furniture in your house needs to be vacuumed at least once a month and, in many seasons, on a weekly basis. This can be done with the upholstery attachment on your vacuum hose. Carefully run the hose attachment over every inch of your exposed and hidden cushion surfaces. Don't forget to get under the cushions and in the cracks. This is where grit, crushed skittles, and lost treasures are legendarily found. 

Windows

• Monthly

You never realize how much dust sticks to the windows until you clean them for the first time in a long while. Wipe your interior windows clean every week when you make the rounds with glass/surface cleaner. In addition, be sure to have your exterior windows cleaned when you clean the patio or siding.

Gutters

• Quarterly (4 Times a Year)

Your gutters need to be cleaned about four times a year, often more in the Fall when leaves tend to cause gutter clogs.  One's gutters should always be cleaned as the weather turns cold to prevent ice dams and roof damage during the winter. If you're not stable on a ladder, you may need assistance cleaning the gutters.

Drapes and Curtains

• Monthly and Annually

Drapes can collect a lot of dust over time, especially if you have the same drapes all year (instead of changing seasonally). Run the vacuum over your drapes once a month to reduce the dust buildup. This also conveniently prevents any clouds of dust from getting back into the air every time the curtains are bumped or moved. If you have lightweight curtains and are spry on a ladder, you may be able to machine-wash them. Once a year, have your curtains steamed for better appearance and long-term clean.

Vents

• Monthly

Look up near your ceiling and spot your air vents. These vents collect dust, then blow that dust back out into the house when the AC or heater kicks on. Cleaning your vent registers monthly is a great way to improve your air quality and the clean vents will subtly improve the look and feel of your home interior as well.

Fireplace and Chimney

• Twice a Year or Weekly

Last but not least, if you have a fireplace, be sure to have the chimney cleaned once a year and the fireplace cleaned and inspected twice a year. If you are burning fires regularly during the winter months, clean out the fireplace every few days when the ash builds up. This will make room for new fires and help improve your home's air quality.

When You Need the Best in House Cleaning

Whether you have a child in the home or company coming over, having a spotlessly clean house is good for your health and your state of mind. The right way to clean a house properly takes hours out of every week and month. While you don't always have time to keep the house spotless, you still need the best. Hunter Best Cleaning is more than a maid service, our team is dedicated to thorough, deep cleaning every visit and when you need it most.  With a team of 2-10 assigned to your home, our team will never leave dust in your corners or leave a single potted plant out of place. 

Want to make sure your house is cleaned properly and regularly? Book a cleaning with Hunter Best Cleaning.