Please tell me about your housecleaning routine

Parent Cafe
1

I know many folks on CC have housekeepers, and I used to before we downsized. I certainly miss having one, but now I’m used to doing it myself and can’t justify the cost.

Because we had a housekeeper for so long, I was used to my house being cleaned in its entirety in one day. When we downsized, I kept that up - just cleaned everything once a week. With only 935 sq ft, it didn’t take that long. We have now upsized a bit to 1,600 square feet, and I don’t think I want to do my cleaning all at once unless we have overnight company coming (and who knows when that will happen again). I think I’d like to sort of do it by tasks. Floors are going to be the most involved for me, so I know I want to do my vacuuming and mopping one day and thing else on that day. Would you do bathrooms one day (we have two), dusting one day, and the kitchen one day? I’m not counting laundry since it’s just two of us and mostly hands-off. Maybe I should dust and do the kitchen on the same day? And then have a fourth day for something that is more deep-cleaning and rotate that? I don’t want to clean EVERY day.

If you have a cleaning schedule/routine that is more task-oriented than room oriented, would you please share it with me?

I am just so off on all kinds of routines with the Covid situation. I never have to be anywhere, do anything in particular, and it’s wearing me down. I need some structure.

2

A long time ago I followed a plan that was popular from this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Sink-Reflections-Overwhelmed-Disorganized-Discover/dp/0553382179/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=flylady&qid=1595279499&s=books&sr=1-2

She was into doing a little each day and staying on top of things rather than doing a complete clean once a week.

3

I have a fairly regimented routine that I started when my daughter was little and have stuck to it. During this whole Covid thing it helps the family know what day it is!

I do my floors on Monday, vacuum downstairs first then steam mop the kitchen then vacuum upstairs and steam mop the upstairs bathrooms. By the time I finish upstairs the downstairs floors are dry.

Bathrooms are Tuesday. I have all the bathroom cleaning supplies in a bucket that I carry from one bathroom to the other.

Wednesday is usually a project/organize day so I can get things out for trash pickup.

Thursday I dust and Friday I usually have a “me” day. The kitchen gets cleaned and wiped down daily since I cook a lot and everything needs to be clean all the time.

4

What I like about a complete clean in one day is that wonderful feeling of having a clean house. I don’t think you get that when you clean a little each day.
I have a large house and until early March had a cleaning person come each week. She did everything but the laundry. I’ve tried to keep on the same schedule. I do clothing laundry on Monday. Tuesday I change my sheets, clean the bathrooms, vacuum my bedroom and the main living areas. Most weeks I also clean my kitchen on that day or sometimes I leave it till Thursday. I also wash my bath towels on Tuesday. That way I get the nice clean feeling of a completely clean master bedroom and bath. Some weeks I don’t get to the vacuuming and it just doesn’t feel as clean. Granted I have a big dog who loves to roll and scratch his back on my bedroom carpet.
What has fallen by the wayside is dusting and cleaning the kitchen floor. I vacuum or sweep the kitchen hardwood floors Each week but I’ve slacked at using floor cleaner. I’ve also slacked off on cleaning the bedrooms we don’t use.

5

I have never had a housekeeper and never would unless I physically could not do the work.

I say that to show that housekeeping has always been something I needed to do. Never something I love doing! I think my house is 8/10 on the clean scale.

My method? All hardwood floors but once a week vacuum area rugs and dry swiffer wood floors. Once a week (give or take) clean bathrooms. Laundry as needed. Sweep kitchen floor nearly daily.

In fact, other things “as needed”. No schedule. No prescribed time. No assignment of days for anything other than I water my indoor plants on Sunday. The day I start worrying too much about cleaning is the day I want to find another activity to fill my time!

I would say I’m more about picking up clutter. This I do all the time. Pick up the kitchen when I get home from work. Pick up the bathroom when I go in and things are out of place. Pick up the coffee table after guests leave. ALWAYS put dishes in the dishwasher. I think less clutter can bump up your _/10 score a couple points. :slight_smile:

6

@abasket - I have always been a neat freak but not really a clean freak. I can’t stand clutter, so everything is always picked up.

@mom60 - I like that feeling, too, but I am just not up for it with our larger space. I procrastinate because I hate doing it so much. I take too many breaks, and it winds up taking the whole dang day. If I could dedicate 45 minutes to an hour four days a week, I think it would make me less grumpy. Your post brings up another question - how often do y’all clean rooms that you don’t use? We now have a dedicated guest bedroom (which makes me sooooo happy), but we really have no reason to even walk into it.

@PrdMomto1 - I’m familiar with FlyLady! But, she is too detailed for me. I remember her method being good for clutter (I loved the 27-fling-boogie), but I have so much less now than I did years ago when I discovered her. She did have zones for deeper cleaning which I liked. But, I couldn’t bless my house enough to my liking in her an-hour-a-week which is what she advocates. Ten minutes on 7 different tasks.

7

I dust top to bottom, vacuum, and mop on the same day.

I tend to vacuum a couple of times a week.
All bathrooms are on the same day.
Changing the sheets can be on a different day.
Seems like the kitchen is all the time. :frowning:

8

A guest room that I never walk in? I’d only clean it when I’m expecting a guest or afterwards - unless you have some unusual dust problem!

I’m wondering if this is also one of those questions that you’ll get totally different answers or perspectives from those that are working a job and those that are not.

9

Crap, I’m supposed to have a routine? ?

I have to think about this, I’ll have to get back to you

10

No housekeeper, 1800 square ft, only husband and me, no pets, no clutter, very neat… Maybe we are twins?

At the beginning of the pandemic, I cleaned top to bottom, mainly for something to do. Then I was just cleaning the clean, which started to feel rather unnecessary.

Really, I find we just aren’t that messy. I load the dishwasher, empty the sink, wipe the kitchen counters before bed. Wipe up the bathrooms when I’m in them. Dust the surfaces every couple of days. Wipe up spills.

We have wood floors, covered with rugs in most rooms. This time of year, it really doesn’t seem necessary to vacuum once a week, so I stopped doing that. We live in the country, and other times of the year, when we have lady bug and stink bug invasions, I vacuum daily. I do vacuum and mop bathrooms once a week or so.

Basically, after I have coffee in the morning, I walk through my house and see if anything bothers me. If it does, I clean it. one day I’ll dust/polish the staircase banister/balusters. Another day I walk around with a Windex wipe and clean spots off mirrors or windows. It takes less than an hour most days, but feels like an accomplishment.

The house feels neat and clean to me, so I’m satisfied.

Rooms we don’t use:
We have a small guest house. I only vacuum and dust out there once a month, then mainly because of the spiders and webs, and just wipe up the bathroom at the same time.

11

I live alone with a huge, indoor, hairy dog. 2300 square feet. No clutter. I work full time so my cleaning is done on the weekend. I love for my whole house to be clean at the same time; however, I resent the heck out of using nearly a full weekend day to clean it all. Therefore, I tend to only clean with cleaners and stuff every 3 or 4 weeks. I clean the kitchen as I go and run the cordless vac over the floors once or twice a week.

I might add that cleaning the house requires bathing the dog since there’s no sense having a clean house with a stinking dog in it. Bathing him wears me out.

On the plus side, I don’t do yardwork of any kind except water potted plants weekly. I gladly pay someone to mow and trim.

12

I’m like Hoggirl. I hate clatter but I’m not a clean freak. I pick up the clatter all the time so the rooms are always neat.

I clean kitchen after every use, so it’s relatively clean.

I vacuum on Sundays.

Other than that, I clean whenever I feel EWWWW. But once I start, I don’t stop halfway!

13

My housekeeping routine- I have none. But, I step into high gear when guests are coming!

14

3500 sq ft home, 1200 sq ft. basement that gets used. I’ve never had a housekeeper, even when I worked FT. I just kept thinking of the things I could buy for myself…haha. Actually, I never really minded cleaning…now if I could have afforded a cook, that’s a different story.

I also hate clutter and 95% of the time, anyone could walk in. As far as cleaning, I have no set routine. Depends on my energy level and what I perceive needs being done.

I will do all 3 bathrooms on the same day. I will typically go ahead and dust the upstairs too.

One day I’ll clean the tiles in the kitchen, entry way and hallway on my hands and knees. The next day I’ll clean the kitchen and dust the rooms adjacent. I’ll vacuum the next day.

There is no day routine, or even a typical time span. When I was younger I could get lots done in 2 days, not now.

15

We got a Roomba. Saves a lot of time vacuuming.

16

Pre-pandemic: I cared and did it myself.

Pandemic: I don’t care. And I’m more willing to wait to see if teen boys and hubby care. They don’t! Haha.

But seriously, I used to use a lot of Clorox wipes, and paper towels, etc to keep up the house…:but now with rationing of those precious things, I’ve given myself more leeway.

And anyways, who can steam floors when teen boys are always home?!

(My current dilemma is whether to have the annual termite inspection be scheduled. I don’t think I will bc I just don’t want anyone in my house during this pandemic.)

17

@123Mom123 We have an annual termite contract but the guy doesn’t need to come inside the house to keep it in force. He does go into the crawlspace and detached garage and was at our house in April. . If you don’t allow the termite guy to do an inspection, would it void any contract? We have had to have two workmen inside since this began- an AC guy who had to briefly come in and did not wear a mask. My H dealt with him and wore a mask but in hindsight wish we had clarified mask wearing issues for their technicians beforehand. Cable guy had to come inside briefly a couple of months ago to fix something but he wore a mask so no issue with that.

18

@sevmom - Exactly my concern: whether I’ll void our contact if I don’t allow them indoors. I need to call them this week and find out specifics. They’ve come annually indoors and out every year for last 21 years.

They would wear a mask if I asked I’m sure but it still makes me a bit anxious.

Our A/C needed a repair last month so I begrudgingly called and the service person wore a (very dirty) mask.

I guess I can spray the house down with Lysol afterwards!

Thanks for the f/b. ??

19

I’ve always been our house cleaner and always worked FT. I’ve tried many things over the years. For me, I like (or need) to have everything neat, organized and ready to go Sunday night before the next work week starts.

Like others, I prefer neat vs sanitized. That being said, I hate funky bathrooms and I find it much easier to clean them every week vs let the funk build up. I also am allergic to our 3-5 cats (and dog when we had one).

My usual weekend must dos - vacuum entire ~4000 SF house. I vacuumed hardwoods and tile areas too. It takes 1:30. I also “chom chom” (amazing lint roller contraption) all upholstery. All bathrooms are cleaned. We have 2.5 but we only have 1 working shower. I can do all 3 in about 30 min. All laundry is done, folded, and put away by Sunday night. I do 1-2 loads midweek, but they sit folded in baskets in the laundry area until Sunday night. We also do the grocery shopping for the week on Sundays.

That’s the minimum. Because I vacuum so much, there isn’t much dusting to be done. I HATE dusting. That gets done every 6-8 weeks. The kitchen counters get wiped down on days that I cook, especially with meat. H has taken over deep cleaning the kitchen. It happens every 6 weeks. Same with mopping. Since I vacuum and we are relatively neat, mopping isn’t that important. It gets done roughly once/month.

Each week I also try to hit something a little better - move some furniture. Wipe some wood work. Nothing major, and if I’m having a bad week, no biggie if it’s just the minimum.

The kids have also helped a lot since they were little. When they were in pre-school they hand scrubbed my kitchen floors for $0.50! They don’t get paid anymore, and I still do the bulk of it. They learned quickly that I was happy to do most if it if they got along. If they would bicker and fight and whine while I was trying to clean… look out.
There were a few times I made them do it all while I watched TV. But that wasn’t often. Usually I would just give them some of the chom choming or a bathroom. And when it’s back to the empty nest soon, it’ll all be back to me. Sigh…

20

I also hate clutter and everything has to be in it’s place but cleaning cleaning is another story. We have a big house. It’s been much worse since I started working. Bathrooms I do weekly and the kitchen gets cleaned nearly daily (counter, sink, stove). I try to vacuum the whole house twice/month. Probably should be done more often but it’s just not happening. I despise dusting. It’s a once/month other than the master bedroom which is done weekly.

We are buying a roomba to help and H has agreed to hire a company to do a deep clean once/quarter once it’s safe to do so.