Spring is right around the corner, and many of us will be entering spring-cleaning mode any day now. But before you get started, have you considered how often experts say you should be doing these tasks? Because we hate to break it to you: Many of them are much more often than seasonally. Here is our home edition of “How Often Should I __ That?”
How Often Should I Clean That?
Some things need to be washed daily to keep bacteria at bay, while others only need to be cleaned seasonally. We’ve divided this section into daily, twice-weekly, weekly, monthly, and seasonally to help you keep everything in order.
Daily:
- Wash dishes and coffee pot
- Wipe down surfaces
- Open the windows to air out the house (around 5 minutes!)
- Change bathroom and kitchen towels
- Disinfect sinks, door handles, faucets, toilet handles, and toilet seats.
- Empty kitchen trash
- Wash pet bowls
- Wipe down shower walls
Twice-Weekly:
- Dust-mop hardwood floors
- Mop high-traffic areas
- Change bath towels
Weekly:
- Wipe down kitchen cupboards
- Purge expired food in the fridge
- Wipe down kitchen appliances
- Clean mirrors
- Dust furniture
- Wash sheets and pillowcases
- Vacuum or sweep floors
- Wipe down stair rails and banisters
- Sweep front porch, patio, and deck
- Clean makeup brushes and toothbrushes
Monthly:
- Clean baseboards
- Vacuum and wipe air vents
- Clean washing machine, dryer, fridge, and freezer
- Sweep garage floors
- Dust ceiling fans
- Clean computer monitors and keyboards
- Wash pet bedding
Seasonally:
- Clean oven
- Dust ceilings and walls
- Clean lampshades
- Vacuum under heavy furniture
- Deep-clean pantry
- Change furnace filters
- Rotate mattresses
- Clean shower heads
How Often Should I Replace That?
No matter how often you clean, after a certain period, things just need to be replaced. Here are the replacement guidelines for some of the most common home items.
- Replace kitchen sponges bi-weekly because a lot of dirt can get trapped in these little guys.
- Replace air filters monthly – especially if you have allergies. Dust and dirt builds up quickly, becoming bigger, pricier problems.
- Test smoke detector batteries monthly and change them yearly. Replace the detectors themselves every 10 years.
- Replace big appliances like your fridge and dishwasher every 10 years. Thankfully, not any sooner because they often come with big price tags.
- Replace mattresses every 10 years. Your bedroom should be the comfiest place in the house, but this can be hard if your mattress no longer has support. The timeline also depends on your mattress; innerspring and box springs have the shortest lifespans.