...to ask how often you clean your house?!

[NoTeaForMe]

Hi all,

When both my husband and I were working we used to just clean the house when it needed doing. We didn't have a rota or a schedule (bleurgh!!) or anything like that. However, now I am a SAHM I'm wondering how often other people do things? Do you always change your beds on a certain day for example? What things need doing once a week, once a day and ad hoc?!

I think there's a lot of truth to the saying 'if you want something done ask a busy person!'

I need help working out how often I should clean my house.....hmm that'd sounds pathetic!!

Thanks

[AnotherJaffaCake]

No good asking me :). Sometimes you can write your name in the dust in our house. I'm a SAHM too, with two young children, the eldest of whom I home educate. HE'ing comes first, along with the washing and ironing, and cooking, but dusting is bottom of the list until they invent an 8th and 9th day to the week!

[AuntieMonica]

I'm also a SAHM, but don't have a cleaning regime as such.

i'm definitely an 'as and when' cleaner. for me it's important to keep OUT of a routine as it smacks of duty and expectation. with me, DH and adult DS2 in the house there are 3 capable adults to keep our home clean, it's not my job.

i change mine and DH's bed once a week mostly, DDs weekly but it's largely ruled by whatever else needs to go in the washing machine.

vacuuming is done 3/4 times a week atm, but am expecting this to drop to once/twice once DD is at full time school (4 weeks to go)

i don't mention the kitchen as that is my domain, no-one else is allowed to touch MY kitchen

[Claw3]

I clean every day, but i have cats and dogs and 3 kids.

I dont have set days for changing beds, but about once every 1-2 weeks.

[RubberDuck]

I do certain day for certain things - mainly cos it spreads it out a bit, doesn't take up too much time each day and then doesn't feel like one great big slog to get through.

Monday = bathrooms
Tuesday = dusting and mopping
Wednesday = change beds
Thursday = hoovering
Friday = kitchen and mopping
Saturday = menu planning/order food

Keeps everything just about sanitary without me having to think about it much

[troisgarcons]

Kitchen and bathroom daily.
Hoover twice a day.
Pull all the furniture out and hoover behind it, once a week.
Clean the fridge, once a week
Dusting? don't have surfaces or clutter to dust.

Sheets, every 10 days or so

kids bedrooms - avoid entering at all costs - but when I do it's usually with a bin bags and a shovel

[ladywithnomanors]

I feel like I clean/tidy constantly.
My house isn't very clean or tidy though because I tend to get sidetracked. I also multitask and clean and tidy the kitchen whilst M'netting so it takes twice as long as it should.

[Collision]

My mother used to have Monday as her cleaning day and-she-still-does

and my brothers and I used to HATE it! Cleaning gear on and Waggoners Walk on the radio. Bleurgh!

Therefore I REFUSE to have a cleaning day and do things as they need it. I change the bed about every 10 days and the boys less so.

The house is clean and tidy though and I put things on the stairs to go up which-no-one-picksup-but-me and it seems to work for us.

[Iteotwawki]

Beds stripped and changed at the weekends.
Thorough bathrooms clean at the weekend with mini top up cleans Weds am. Toilets get cleaned every time they get dirty, shower enclosures squeegeed down after every shower.
Kitchen sink & surfaces & hob cleaned after dinner every evening.
Vacuuming and dusting at the weekend while boys are washing cars.

I don't do any laundry :)

[ripstheirthroatoutliveupstairs]

I don't do enough. Today I will be hoovering, mopping and generally cleaning in preperation for my parents coming tomorrow.
DD will be helping if she ever gets out of bed. Which reminds me, I need t wash and dry the only double sheet so my parents can have a clean bed.

[FriggFRIGG]

hoover twice a day (small DC +cat)
beds 1-2 weeks,
bathrooms 1-2 weeks,
kitchen daily
my laundry pile is taller than me


i am a slattern...i want to do more cleaning,but there are so many other things to do like MN


i need a list....

[Annpan88]

Haha I'm sort of glad you asked this as I have no idea what's right! I polish tables and hoover every day, I was mopping every day but realised that was maddness...probably do the sheets every 10 days (or sooner, sometimes DH does get a nappy on quick enough). A load of washing every day. Other things when needed. Gone a bit mad being in the house and feel like there's always something! Will all change when back at work [loser]

[Bert2e]

Hoovering - 3 times a week and hard floors swept every day (half of downstairs)

Bathrooms once a week

Kitchen every day as it gets used

Beds once a week

Dusting should be once a week but isn't if I can find something more exciting to do!

[NoTeaForMe]

Thanks for all your replies!

I feel like there's always cleaning to do and it's hard to get the motivation to do it...! I've wondered about making a sort of schedule to get me into the swing of it and then I don't have to stick horrendously to it after that. I guess I do like lists though and being able to tick a job off, so maybe it would be a good idea for me...I just don't want to be one of those 'oh no I can't do that fun thing today, it's Wednesday it's washing day' iykwim?!

I know I need to do more around the house, it's clean enough but considering I'm home all day it should be cleaner! There's just always something else if rather do when my baby is asleep!!

Hmm, maybe I do need that schedule then...

[StopRainingPlease]

About once every two weeks . Unless it looks minging, then I might get the hoover out

[RebelFromTheWaistDown]

When I was unemployed (SAHM) I was like a domestic goddess I cleaned every room in the house every day. It only took me about 3 hours each morning with a break.

Now I am working full time I rarely do the full house clean (nor does anyone else for that matter) and I live in a shit hole.

I don't like it.

[DooinMeCleanin]

Not often enough.

[Red2011]

As & when time permits. If I have people coming over I will give the bathroom a thorough clean and run the hoover round. If the cat is sick on the floor/sofa etc. then that gets cleaned up immediately, as does any baby sick/wee that 'spreads'. Other than that, it's what can be done, whenever.

You could write your name in the dust here too, if you can find it under the dust bunnies.

[mummakaz]

Not as much as I should

[Birdsgottafly]

'oh no I can't do that fun thing today, it's Wednesday it's washing day' iykwim?!

OP i have always found that the more organised you are, the more you can fit in and you never have to cancel an offer to get out of the house. Cleaning only becomes a chore when you think of it as a negative pastime. I am a LP who works full time, i have been a carer and have had to do hospital runs etc. I have to clean every day because i have dogs, just like i enjoy walking them, i try to view all aspects of their care in the same way, including cleaning up after them (same with the kids). It doesn't take that long if you do it as you go.

I have worked hard to get the home i have, even though it probably doesn't compare to other people's homes on here, and i enjoy the feeling of being in it, once it is clean and reasonably tidy.

[CMOTdibbler]

I have a cleaner, so the whole house gets thoroughly cleaned every Friday. Otherwise, the hard floors (all downstairs) gets a brush pushed round when really dirty, toilets cleaned if yuck etc. Beds changed as and when

[TheMagnificentBathykolpian]

what we call 'hand-picking', which is basically what it says on the tin going round picking up all the crap left all over the place by the kids! - several times a day.

Polishing - every day or sometimes we'll miss a day if we're too busy. damp-dusting once a week.

Hoovering every other day (my husband ALWAYS does this, I haven't touched the hoover in years He even - pulls all the furniture out to hoover behind it> )

Washing the kitchen floor - every day or your feet stick to it!

Washing the kitchen surfaces - every day. Several times a day ! Before every meal is prepared, after every meal is cooked. Pots washed after the meal. A quick wipe down of surfaces used. Bleach spray during main kitchen clean of worktops, units and appliances, about once or twice a week.

Bathrooms - every day.

Boys room - they do it themselves HA! and once a week I go in there with a bin liner and muck it out

Beddings washed once a week.

Other stuff whenever we happen to notice it needs doing.

Sunday is ironing day. Bliss. I go upstairs and watch telly and iron for hours while my husband brings me endless cups of tea and does sunday lunch.

And every week, I pick one cupboard or drawer at random and plonk myself in front of it with a carrier bag and clear out all the crap and wash the drawer out.

Every month I bring all the ornaments off the units and wash them.

Skirting boards get painted over when they're dirty enough

Windows get done when we notice that it's always looking dark outside

So not a lot really, just what you'd call the basics.

My mother cleans for HOURS every day! When I was growing up she would go from room to room with a bucket of hot soapy water and wash every surface, every ornament, every skirting board - every. single. day.

I am really mucky

[mousymouse]

I clean every other week.
the other week my cleaner cleans.
I do the loos every week.
and change the beds on fridays every other week.
rest is done as and when needed.

[CamperFan]

I am "as and when", but I would like to be more organised tbh. I prioritze things.

Things at the top:

• cooking great food
  
• cleaning kitchen every day as we're in there in all the time, incl electric sweeper on floor
  
• hoovering ground floor once a week
  
• mopping ground floor once a week
  
• cleaning the loos once a week/plus as needed
  
• putting things in their correct place - all day, every day
  
• bed sheets/towels - every fortnight I'd say
  

Rest of the bathrooms/hoovering rest of house/utility room - done when I have the time

Things at the bottom:

• dusting
  
• inside drawers and cupboards
  
• ironing (I pay someone)

[CamperFan]

BTW, I think I am quite lazy. However, last Friday we forgot that someone from the bank was coming to value the house. It is truly amazing what 2 adults can get done in 30 mins!

[TeddyRuxpin]

I'm a SAHM to an 18 month old, my routine is:
Every day: dust furniture, clean bathroom and kitchen.
Every second day: Hoover
Once a week: skirting boards, tops of pictures, Hoover behind furniture, ironing.
Beds changed every 1-2 weeks.
Washing most days depending on how much there is.