How To Keep Your House Clean When You Don't Have The Time

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The two things I know from the years of professionally house cleaning and writing this blog is people want a clean home and people have a limited amount of time to get it done.

So what if I could share with you what absolutely needs to get done and the frequency with which to do it to ensure you home is clean?

A few years ago one of my long-time clients was heading to away for the winter and didn’t want to hire someone to clean their home in FLA. She said she’d have a lot of time on her hands and wanted to know what was the bare minimum she should do to keep the house tidy?

At first, I was a little shocked since I knew she really loved a clean home, but I obliged her and told her what to do and how often.

Here’s what I told here…

Table of Contents

How To Keep Your House Clean When You Don’t Have The Time

Entry/MudRoom

Doormats and Floors – The best way to keep your home clean is to pay particular attention to the most used entry way. To avoid tracking mud, dust, leaves, and other debris into your home and throughout the house, sweep the exterior entryways and porches monthly.

Set two doormats at every entrance, one inside, and one outside.

Establish a no-shoe indoors routine and ask all family and guests to abide by this rule. Keep slippers by the entry way to encourage removal of shoes.

Wool rugs grab and disguise dirt the best.

Steam clean your linoleum, sealed or ceramic floors monthly.

Switch Plates and Doorknobs – Wipe with a disinfectant wipe weekly to cut down on germs and bacteria.

If you can hide a canister somewhere in the area, it will help you remember to do it regularly.

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Living Room

Rugs – Carpets need vacuuming every week. I know, not what you wanted to hear.

But by vacuuming regularly (at least weekly), you cut down on allergens, dirt, and grime that can float in the air and get your house dusty.

If you want to ensure you don’t ruin your rugs use an attachment with an air-driven brush or canister vacuum with suction only to avoid damaging the fibers of the carpet.

Homes with carpets should invest in having rugs professionally cleaned every 12- 16 months and wool area rugs sent out for washing (DO NOT STEAM) every 18 – 24 months.

Hard Floors – A microfiber floor sweeper like the Swiffer will pick up grime on hard surfaces.

However, spills should be dealt with immediately. Floors should be washed weekly in hot water or an appropriate floor cleaner.

Baseboards – Did you know a dirty baseboard can lead to allergy problems? All that dust sitting on the electric baseboards and wooden baseboards create a real issue if ignored.

Run a damp cloth over moldings monthly if you have pets and at least seasonally if you don’t.

Furniture and Dusting – Once a week take out your Swiffer and give all the furniture a light dusting.

Once a month, tackle the entire room, top to bottom including light fixtures and fans.

Dust the entire piece of furniture at this time all the way to the base.

Upholstered Furniture – Use an upholstery brush attachment to remove pet hair from furniture and draperies weekly.

Vacuum beneath cushions and on the underside of your sofa and chairs monthly.

Throw pillow covers in the washer once a month. Furniture should be professionally cleaned every 18-24 months.

Kitchen

Refrigerator – Door handles should get wiped down daily with hot soapy water. They are germy – really they are.

Toss leftover food weekly and at a minimum should get a deep clean each season.

Sink – After meals rinse the basin with dishwashing liquid, then disinfect using a 50-50 solution of rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle.

When you’re hand meat, a more thorough sanitizing is needed. For stainless steel use vinegar, diluted bleach for cast iron and ceramic. Flush with hot water to remove the residue.

To kill odors put a few citrus slices in the disposal or run hot water and 1/2 cup of baking soda into the disposal.

Countertops – Give countertops a once over every night with a cleaner formulated for your particular countertop. Pay extra attention to dirt and mildew traps like around dish drainer, coffee pot, and baby bottle trays.

Garbage Can – When you take out the trash, clean the top and inside of the lid with a disinfecting wipe. Once a month, give it a good cleaning out. Dry completely before putting in a new garbage bag.

Bathroom

Shower/Tub – Before you step into the shower put on the exhaust fan and leave running for 10-15 minutes post shower.

Clean glass doors by squeegeeing them immediately after you shower. This cuts down on the amount of soap scum that builds up over time.

Scrub your tub and shower with disinfectant weekly or as often as you can. The longer you wait to do this the harder it will be to get clean.

Countertops and Fixtures – Once a week spritz with appropriate bathroom cleaner and wipe down surfaces and shine faucets.

Toilet – Your toilets need weekly attention! Let products sit and do the job according to package directions. Time is necessary for the product to work and thoroughly disinfect your toilet.

Spray the outside with a disinfectant too and clean thoroughly to the bottom of the bowl. Don’t forget behind the bowl too.

Floors – Vacuum or sweep with a microfiber cloth to pick up dust, hair, and debris. Damp mop or steam clean your floor monthly.

Bathroom Rugs – Clean monthly.

Bedroom

Bed – Sheets, duvets, comforters and blankets should be washed weekly and more frequently if pets share your bed. Wash everything in hot water and consider vacuuming your bed before remaking the bed.

Dust under your bed frame and behind the headboard with a long handled dusting tool once a week.

Furniture – Once a week take out your Swiffer and give all the furniture a light dusting.

Once a month, tackle the entire room, top to bottom including light fixtures and fans. Dust the whole piece of furniture at this time all the way to the base.

You don’t have to turn into a neat freak to have a clean and healthy home. Just do these things as outlined and you’ll be clean living!

Maureen Campaiola

I’m a professional cleaner with over 13 years of hands-on experience cleaning homes, a published writer, certified money specialist, and the founder of A Mess Free Life. After paying off over $50,000 in debt, I dedicated myself to helping others master their homes and their money — proving that a clean, organized, stress-free life is possible no matter where you’re starting from. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me cooking, playing bocce, sipping an extra dirty martini, or enjoying the ocean with my cats nearby. I’m also a proud mom and grandma who cares deeply for my mother at home.