Once you’ve deep cleaned your home, it’s time to maintain it by carrying out daily housekeeping duties. Maintaining a clean home can create a peaceful and tranquil environment. For those who don’t want to spend hours cleaning each day they’re in luck. Basic housekeeping duties takes a few minutes at the end of each activity before transitioning to the next.
Making it a habit to clean as you go is the most important factor in maintaining a clean home . Putting away items in their proper places when you are done with them, wiping down bathroom surfaces after use and wiping up spills as soon as they occur make maintaining a clean environment easier.
Having easy access storage is also essential for keeping a home clean. Draw organizers, shelving, bins and baskets can help make putting things away in a neat and orderly fashion.
When others share the environment, such as children and coworkers, getting them on board with general housekeeping tasks and cleaning up after themselves can also minimize the time it takes to maintain a clean and tidy environment.
For some people, having a designated Housekeeping time frame one or two times per week helps them to keep up with other general cleaning tasks. Establishing a set time of day or day of the week to do the vacuuming, floors and other housekeeping tasks can help assure that they get done.
For those who share their environment with pets, using a lint brush to pick up stray hairs and vacuuming rugs and furniture daily can help to keep pet hair under control.
When considering your home’s housekeeping schedule it’s important to remember that everyone doesn’t have the same cleanliness standards. Consider your level of cleanliness comfort and make your weekly cleaning schedule accordingly.
Kitchen Housekeeping Tasks
Equipment
• Kitchen Surface cleaner or disinfectant spray
• Anti-bacterial cleaner for fridge and all food cupboards
• Oven cleaner
• Floor cleaner
• Limescale remover
• Wood or metal polish
• Step Ladders
• Washing Up Bowl
• Dishwashing Liquid
• Oven Cleaner
• Rubber Gloves
• 8 Micro fibre cloths
• De cobwebber
• Vileda Mop
• Bucket
• Vacuum
Duration
Apprx 3 hours
• Wash up any pots and pans first, so you can get to grips with a clutter-free kitchen.
• Wash down cabinet fronts, a bowl of warm, soapy water and a cloth is usually best, though solid wood doors may need a specialist cleaner.
• If your cupboard handles are looking particularly greasy, remove them and soak in a bowl before wiping. You may want to polish wooden and metal handles once dry to get them shining like new!
• Apply cleaner to the oven. First, unplug it. Take out the shelves, and spray oven cleaner inside the cooker and on the door, taking care that you wear gloves and keep the kitchen well-ventilated.
• Scrub the hob. Remove any hob plates and place them inside the oven, coating them with cleaner, too. Leave for at least 30 minutes.
• Sort the fridge and freezer. Unplug it and remove the contents of the fridge and any freezer compartment. Throw away any unwanted or mouldy food and keep perishable items, like meat and fish, in a cooler while you clean inside the appliance – they shouldn’t be outside of the fridge for more than 20-30 minutes.
• Soak fridge shelves. Take out any shelving and leave it to soak in soapy water in the sink.
• Clean fridge walls. Inside the fridge, wipe down the walls with a mild anti-bacterial spray and a microfibre cloth.
• Clean the fridge shelves. Wipe down the shelves that have been soaking, dry them, and put them back in the fridge. Reconnect the power and refill the fridge
• Soak oven parts.Return to the oven, putting the shelves and hob plates into the sink to soak.
• Scrub the oven. Scrub the top and insides of the cooker with a sponge. Crusted-on food marks may need a second application of cleaner.
• Remove soap. Rinse the sponge and wipe down the oven with clean water, making sure not to leave behind any cleaning residue.
• Scrub and rinse the hob plates and shelves in the sink and replace. Leave the door open to let the cooker dry. Reconnect the power source.
• When carrying out Housekeeping duties to clean smaller appliances, like the microwave, you should remove any detachable components and wash them separately in the sink. Microwaves can then be scrubbed inside and out to get rid of grease stains. The kettle and toaster can also be wiped down with surface spray, a warm cloth and a dry cloth to buff. You might want to consider using a de-scaling agent to clean inside the kettle.
• Scrub the sink. Try to leave this job until after you’ve completed the rest of the kitchen. Fill the sink with warm water and a measure of bleach or limescale remover – remember to consult the manufacturer’s instructions. Leave for a few minutes, before draining and wiping the surface all over. Remember to use non-scratch scourers if you need to really scrub at stains.
• Clean down all lights,plug sockets and light switches including removing all cobwebs.
• Dust down all walls
• Wash all worktops and buff dry to avoid streaking.
• Using a damp microfibre cloth and washing up liquid, wash down all skirting boards, kickboards, doors and if need be the dirty spots on the walls.
• Vacuum the floor.
• Finally Mop the floor thoroughly and leave to dry. Your kitchen Housekeeping is now done!
Living Room Housekeeping
Equipment
• Cobwebber
• Feather duster
• Washing Up Bowl
• Warm Water
• Window Cleaner
• 5 Microfibre cloths
• Polish
• Multi Surface Cleaner
• Floor cleaner
• Vileda Mop ( for hard flooring)
• Vileda Bucket ( for hard flooring)
• Vacuum
Duration
Apprx 45 minutes
• Cover sofas and chairs to make sure no dust or cobwebs fall onto the upholstery
• Dust down the living room ceiling and walls to remove any surface dust and cobwebs.
• Remove any dirty marks from walls & doors using a dampsponge and washing up liquid.
• Dust and clean air vents, doorknobs and light switches.
• Clean any photographs and wall art along the walls.
• Dust any lampshades in the living room. You can do this various ways by using a damp microfibre cloth, a feather duster or a vacuum on the lowest setting
• Take down all curtains, and blinds to wash or have cleaned professionally
• Clean the windows including the insides once opened.
• Polish all ledges and living room furniture ensure not to leave streaky
• Wash down all skirting boards and doors using a wet cloth and multi surface cleaner.
• Remove all covers on sofas and chairs and plump cushions, refold blankets etc.
• Vacuum the entire floor making sure different attachments are used to get into the harder to reach places.
• Using a mop & bucket mop the floor if hard flooring.
Bathroom Housekeeping
Equipment
• 5 microfibre cloths
• Bathroom Cleaner
• toothbrush
• Limescale remover
• Toilet Cleaner
• Window Cleaner
• Vacuum
• Vileda Mop
• Bucket
• Vinegar
• De cobwebber
• Steam Cleaner
• Scrubbing Brush
• Floor cleaner
• Harpic Toilet Cleaner
Duration
Apprx 1 hour
• When carrying out Housekeeping in the bathroom Place all dirty towels, shower curtains, window curtains, and any bath mats into the wash.
• Add about 1 cup of vinegar to the wash cycle to help get rid of any musty smells and help fluff up the towels. (Make sure you run your washing machine on a warm setting instead of hot, if you are washing a plastic shower curtain and remove it immediately to hang to dry.)
• Place items out of the way just outside of the bathroom. It may seem like a pain but it will save you time in the long run and give you a more thorough clean.
• Dust and wipe down light fixtures.
Use a microfiber cloth to wipe off any loose debris. If there is still grime, spray with the 50:50 water/vinegar spray and wipe dry. Polish any shining surfaces with a clean cloth. If you have any cobwebs in the corners, use a vacuum hose or de cobwebber to remove.
• Using a feather duster, dust down all walls.
• If you have blinds, spray lightly with the water/vinegar spray and wipe down with a microfiber cloth. Open the windows clean, and wipe down the inside of the window sills and tracks.
• Clean all inside of windows and mirrors by
Spraying the windows with window & glass cleaner making sure they are smear free with a microfibre cloth.
• Clean countertops and shelving.
You can easily clean the countertop with your steam cleaner – just attach the little scrub brush, steam, and dry with a microfiber cloth. If you don’t have a steamer, spray with a 1:1 mixture of water and vinegar and wipe with a microfiber cloth paying extra attention to the corners. Once you have cleaned the counters, wipe down and replace all items that you have removed.
• Clean the shower and bathtub.
The steam cleaner works amazing for getting rid of all of that soap scum on shower doors and around the sides of the tub/shower tray and will clean tile and grout with virtually no scrubbing! You can use the squeegee attachment if you have a glass door or use the scrub brush attachment if you have tile and grout. Just steam from top to bottom and follow with a dry microfiber cloth to wipe away any loose grime
• Clean the toilet. For the outside areas of the toilet (and all of the areas around the toilet) use the steam cleaner with either the little attachment (for the areas right around the base of the toilet) or the scrub brush (for the toilet itself). If you want to add extra cleaning power, you can spray first with the vinegar. It is all you need to get rid of all of the grime and “little boy” smells For those of you that don’t have a steam cleaner, use a toothbrush with the water/vinegar mixture to get into all of those little areas. If you have “little boy spray” around your toilet, make a paste of baking soda and water and spread it around the bottom of the toilet seat and any other “spray zones”. Let it dry and then spray with the vinegar and wipe down. Don’t forget the walls too! Wipe down the toilet and toilet seat with a microfiber cloth and the bathroom cleaner.
• Place Harpic toilet cleaner around the rim of the inside of the toilet, scrub and flush away.
• Clean the sink.
Using your steam cleaner, use the scrub brush attachment to clean all over the sink and facets
• Now clean the sink with bathroom cleaner by using a wet cloth, and then a dry cloth to buff dry.
• Re-hang shower curtain and curtains.
Once you have finished the laundry, hang the shower curtain and window curtains back up
• Clean the floor and skirting boards with a damp microfibre cloth and a cleaning product
The Steam cleaner easily gets into all of those hard to reach places and corners. But do also wet down a microfiber cloth with water and bathroom cleaner and wipe all along skirting boards.
• Using a vileda mop & bucket mop the floor, making sure to get into all corners and crevicies
Bedroom Housekeeping Tasks
Equipment
• Cobwebber
• Feather duster
• Washing Up Bowl
• Warm Water
• Window Cleaner
• 5 Microfibre cloths
• Polish
• Multi Surface Cleaner
• Floor cleaner
• Vileda Mop ( for hard flooring)
• Vileda Bucket ( for hard flooring)
• Vacuum
Duration
Apprx 45 minutes
• Cover all bedding to ensure that no dust or cobwebs are transferred.
• Dust down the bedroom ceiling and corners of walls remembering to remove all cobwebbs.
• Determine if the walls need to be washed in dirty spots. Remembering air vents, doorknobs, doors, and light switches.
• Dust and clean any art and photographs along the walls in the bedroom. Be careful when cleaning framed art and photographs. Never spray cleaner or water onto the frame. The liquid can seep behind the glass and damage the pictures. Instead lightly wet a clean cloth to wipe the frame and glass, checking for any smears afterwards.
• Dust and clean the ceiling fans/lampshades in the bedroom. This can be done buy using a vacuum on a low setting and soft attachment or a feather duster
• Take down draperies, curtains, and blinds to wash or have cleaned according to the manufacturer’s directions.Vacuum and clean windowsills and corners using either polish or a multi surface cleaner.
• Open and clean the windows including the insides.
• Polish all bedroom furniture checking that no residue is left behind.
• Wash down all skirting boards and doors using a wet cloth and multi surface cleaner.
• Re make the bed ensuring all pillows and cushions are plumped.
• Vacuum all floor areas making sure different attachments are used to get into all corners and crevices.
• Using a mop & bucket mop the floor if hard flooring
Laundry Housekeeping Tasks
Equipment
• Washing Detergent
• Fabric Softner
Select preferred wash cycle, also reading the labels instructions
Learning how to do laundry is not difficult. Today’s fabrics, detergents, and machines take most of the mystery and mistakes out of the process. Follow these ten basic steps for washable clothes and you’ll have clean laundry to wear and use tomorrow. But, first determine if your clothes really need to be washed.
• Read the Labels. They will tell you whether an item can be machine washed. Every type of fabric has properties that determine how it reacts to heat, water and cleaning solvents.
• Place all clothes that are labeled “wash separately” or “hand wash” into separate piles. As a novice launderer, if it says, “dry clean only,” believe the label and place in a bag to take to the dry cleaners.
• Sort each pile one more time by type of fabric. For instance, in the whites pile separate towels and sheets from apparel. In the dark colors, separate t-shirts and jeans from lighter weight items like blouses and dress shirts.
• Select an all-purpose laundry detergent and read the directions to determine how much to use. If clothes have stains, pre-treat them before washing by using a stain remover or a bit of the laundry detergent. Add the detergent to the washer drum or dispenser before loading to prevent residue on clothing.
• Pick a Washer Water Temperature & Cycle Unless your clothing is caked with dirt and heavily stained, washing in cold water will serve your needs and prevent most laundry disasters. The exception is cotton underwear and bed sheets that need hot water to remove body oil. Bed linens and towels need to be washed at the highest recommended temperature at least every other wash to sanitize. Always rinse in cold water. Choose the best washer cycle for the fabrics in the load.
• Check that all pockets are empty – no tissues or paper – to prevent disasters!
• Remove any accessories such as belts and jewellery. Close all zippers and buttons.
• Load items into the washer one at a time, making sure they are not in a wad. Do not cram the washer too full. The clothes need room to move about in the water. To protect fabric finishes and reduce the “washed out” look, turn knitted items, corduroy, textured fabric and dark colours inside out.
• Unload the Washer Promptly remove wet laundry from washer to lessen wrinkles and prevent mildew. Hang items to air dry, lay flat to dry or place in dryer.
• Load the Dryer. If you did not separate loads by fabric type when washing, do it now before placing items in the dryer and dry all lightweight items together and then all heavy fabric items at the temperature. This will help prevent shrinking and protect your clothing.
• Hang or fold each piece as it comes out of the dryer to prevent wrinkling.
ironing Housekeeping Tasks
One of the essential housekeeping rules that you must learn before ironing clothes is the correct temperature setting for the type of fabric. Selecting the correct temperature on an iron can make the difference between ease and disaster. The right temperature selection will make ironing easier, quicker and give more professional results. The wrong temperature can mean more work or, at worst, a burn hole that
can not be repaired!!.
Equipment
• Ironing Board
• Iron
• Scented ironing water
• Setting Up to Iron. What type of ironing board do you have? Whether it is full-sized or a table top model, be careful about where you place it. Be sure that the cord of the iron is not strung across a walkway where a pet or child could pull the iron down
• Check the iron to be sure the base plate is clean. Scorched build-up of starch or sizing can be transferred to clean fabrics.Take a look at your ironing board cover as well. It should be clean. Most covers can be washed or easily replaced.
• Fill up the ironing tank with ironing water to the level indicated.
• Before you begin, read the garment or linen care label. There will be ironing guidelines written or shown with symbols. If the label is missing, refer to an ironing temperature setting chart for different fabrics. It is always best to start with the coolest temperature recommended for the fabric. You can always increase the heat but cooling an iron takes longer.
• If you have several things to iron, start with the fabric type that needs the coolest temperature setting and work up to the one that needs the hottest iron. This will save you time and prevent accidental melting or scorching.
• When ironing most fabrics, iron on the wrong side of the garment. This will prevent shining of the fabric. This is particularly important for dark colors, silk, rayon, linen fabric and acetates. For fabrics like velvet, corduroy and textured fabrics, ironing on the wrong side will prevent crushing and even removing the texture. It is usually best to iron clothes while they are still slightly damp.
• The exception is when you need a completely dry iron on fabrics that water-stain. To add dampness, sprinkle the clothes lightly with water or use an ironing spray like starch or sizing to add moisture.
• When ironing shirt collars, cuffs, pockets or hems that are double thickness of fabric, iron on the inside first and then on the outside to smooth any final wrinkles. These areas will definitely benefit from steam during ironing or pre-wetting before ironing. Do not iron over zippers, buttons or any decorations.
• You should iron fabric lengthwise to prevent stretching. Clothes should be hung immediately after ironing to help them keep a just-pressed look.
Remember to leave the iron out to cool before putting away.