How long do you spend cleaning?

[StrongerThanIThought76]

Ok so I've always been messy. Untidy. But not to 'Hoarders' extremes, just a bit too much stuff and lack organisation. Throw in a messy divorce, 2 kids (10 & 13) who don't see their dad), a full time job and I just can't keep on top of things. I had a visit from a professional home organiser 6 months ago and we went through the house over the course of a couple of days decluttering. Lots of trips to the tip/charity shops later and I now only have things I need and love and everything in theory has a place..

But. I can't maintain it. I know I should do it little and often, but I can't. I've literally spent all day today doing housework and I'm not halfway there.

So how long do you lovely people spend keeping your homes tidy and clean, spick and span, all the jobs done including keeping on top of the little garden jobs, over the course of a week? Average 3 bed semi, only one loo.

I'm just clueless, and embarrassed that I haven't got the foggiest idea about how long we should spend keeping the place looking nice!

If I was struggling though I would definitely talk to him about it.

To all the people who say they do like 15 mins a week what do you include in that? Wiping worktops? Laundry? Dishes? I just can't see how you could only get by on 15 mins a week if that's the case. Surely dishes take at least a few minutes each day? If you add all that up to 15 mins then you never clean the loo, sweep the floor....

Around half hour in the mornings making beds, putting on the washing machine, putting clean clothes away and doing the dishwasher.

I have a cleaning schedule off Pinterest that helps me keep on top of everything. Each room has a set day to 'deep clean', by the time it rolls round the following week it's never too much of a mission to redo. Each day also has a task like mopping, or wiping the windows. This usually takes another half
an hour, I put some headphones on and quite enjoy it

Wiping the bathrooms and kitchen down before bed only takes 10 minutes.

I spend about 45 mins in the morning and 45 in the evening plus general tidy as I go picking up toys cleaning up after lunch then on a Monday I blitz the whole house taking about 3 hours that's top to bottom.

I think if you want your house to be clean and tidy you need to be willing to commit the time to it but as long as your house is clean that's the important thing especially the kitchen and bathroom.

Oh and its a 2 bed flat we have 5 rooms total and hallway no garden.

There are only 2 of us but we have 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a downstairs loo. So we take the bathrooms and split them (takes about 20 minutes on a weekend), split hoovering (takes about 30 minutes including 2 lots of stairs) and run the dishwasher every other day. Laundry twice a week, no ironing. Bed changed fortnightly. Rats cleaned out weekly.

All in all I think about 3 hours a week. It's much easier in a new build though - square rooms with no nooks and crannies and a neutral carpet!

About an hour a day when factoring in washing up, wiping down etc.. probably less actually! I have a one bed flat with a toddler and cat so can get messy.

minesapintofwine

To all the people who say they do like 15 mins a week what do you include in that? Wiping worktops? Laundry? Dishes? I just can't see how you could only get by on 15 mins a week if that's the case. Surely dishes take at least a few minutes each day? If you add all that up to 15 mins then you never clean the loo, sweep the floor....

The loo doesn't need cleaning very often, it cleans itself pretty well when you flush. DH hoovers the floors and does the laundry. There is only 3 of us so I put the dishwasher on every other day.

I do essentials, what's the point in spending time doing stuff you don't need to do.

MargaretCavendish

I wonder sometimes on here are people just saying that their man and children help just to save face.

Well, I don't have children, but 'my man' does more than half the housework. He doesn't 'help', though - it's not my job that he graciously lends a hand to. He lives here.

These men who do nothing - is this some sort of imbalance that developed post-children (post mat leave?) or do people really choose to have a baby with a man like this?

Seriously, Chill out, These are women describing what they do. Its just an observation that on previous posts, nearly all women say it's 50/50 split, with their "significant other", housework wise, the stats don't add up. You obvs. have sod all housework if it's just the two of you. Glad you've got him to do his share, good for you.

I spend about half an hour every evening to get things together before DP comes home from work, we clean up as we go though so usually it's only sticking a few bits in dishwasher, wiping sides and occasionally a quick hoover. Then DP clears up and tidys the kitchen after dinner.

Every Thursday I do a big clean which could be anything from a couple of hours to all day depending on my mood.

Oh, sorry that I obviously I upset you leaveit. I take it from your reaction that you did indeed chose to procreate with a manchild, so I can see why it would be a sore spot.

Agree with others that you need to keep on top of things as you go. Put all cooking stuff straight into the dishwasher whilst cooking and wipe down surfaces whilst food is cooking too. Clear the table and wipe down straight away. Always put everything back where you got it and force others to do the same.

I make sure that every day the kitchen surfaces are wiped, toilets bleached, toys etc. tidied away. We have a robot vacuum cleaner so that is done every day too. We have two furry dogs, a cat and quite a big house so this makes a massive difference! He is programmed to come on at midnight every night to do downstairs, and I put him upstairs a few times a week too.

Then weekly jobs get done on my two days off in the week. Tuesday: clean kitchen, utility, downstairs loo, mop downstairs floors. Friday: clean bathrooms, dust.

Shopping is done online usually and delivered 8am on a Tuesday.

Washing I do on set nights on a timer so that if I am not in work the next day I hang it out while my daughter's finishing her breakfast.

Husband does plenty. He is in charge of things I can't cope with so bins, anything outdoors, car, sewing. He does a lot of cooking and he usually empties the dishwasher in the morning. I do more because I work part time so it makes sense that way at the moment.

I probably spend 7.5 hours each week myself all added up. He probably does about 3 or 4.

Sorry, I've not read the whole thread so someone else might have suggested this but could you give the kids small jobs to do to help you? Then give them rewards if their jobs are done or once they've earnt a certain number of stars?

I can't compare my hours cleaning to yours as don't have kids but my cleaner does 2 hours a week and I prob do about an hour a week cleaning the small bits in between, my DH and I have a 4 bed and both work full time. I regularly tidy up though at evening or weekends as mess stresses me out. DH doesn't do any housework.

DH does the housework as he works fewer hours than me. I cook most evenings, he always clears up. I do my own laundry at the weekend. He does his whenever. I like gardening so I'm in charge there, but he cuts the grass.
I do remember when my children were young and I was at home, I used to do housework every morning, and I never seemed to be on top of it, it was bloody endless; all that laundry too! Plus ExH was a tosser and never pulled his weight. He used to say things like 'I've done the hoovering for you', wanker! I used to feel like stabbing him!

About an hour a day and that's the whole of the bathroom and kitchen cleaned,bins emptied and cleaned inside and outside,mirrors cleaned,whole of the house hoovered and living room dusted.

3 times a week the hallway and bedrooms are dusted that takes about another 20-30 minutes.

I do 3 loads of washing every day,except for Friday when I do between 6 and 7 loads because I strip all the beds and there's 7 of us.
The laundry usually gets sorted and put away every day.

I do the bathroom,kitchen,mirrors,bins,wash all the laundry and sort all the laundry, and do the gardening apart from the grass and hedge.We both dry the laundry.
My DH does the hoovering and dusting,cuts the grass and hedge,usually picks up after the Dogs in the garden and puts the laundry away once I've sorted it all.

The garden I usually potter about in 4-5 times a week(I love gardening)that includes planting,weeding,watering,dead heading,sweeping the paths and steps.My DH cuts the front and back garden grass and cuts the hedge once a week.

The windows get washed inside and outside once a month that's my DH's job.

We don't have any clutter,I've bought lots of storage and I go through everyone's clothes and all of the DC's toys and books throughout the year,that way it helps us keep on top of everything.

Our 5DC are lucky little buggers really they don't usually do anything around the house(they do offer though)although our 2 oldest are now working full time and 2 of our younger children are autistic,I'm also disabled now but I do try to do as much as I can so my DH isn't left to do it all.

I feel like I do loads, but it never feels clean apart from ten minutes after the cleaner leaves. She does two hours per week, and gets the whole house to a good standard. I tidy up the night before she comes. I don't really iron. I clean windows very rarely and things like the fridge when it needs it. I clean out the fridge when it's pretty empty so it's not so much of a faff. I try to clear up whilst cooking and clear up after meals (have toddlers). Other than that it gets in a mess but all toys get stuffed away in the evening so the place looks presentable. I think cleaning is a bit like eating and breathing - you don't start and finish, you just do it all the time (or so it feels).

It depends what you class as clean. For some people it's just a quick Hoover and dust but for me it means the house will be properly clean including windows and skirtings.
So I need to spend about three hours a week on cleaning, plus extra for seasonal/occasional jobs like cleaning cupboards, fridge, washing meter cupboards, etc.
Plus I vacuum daily, do at least a load of laundry daily and spend 1-2 hours tidying up multiple times after my messy children and husband.
So probably 24 hours a week in total but that results in a squeaky clean house inside and out.
Other people's standards tend to be lower, I find.

15 minutes upstairs, 15 minutes downstairs, each day actually cleaning. I loathe it so I totally whizz round doing everything to a reasonable standard certainly not show home sparkly.

Upstairs...Make beds, air rooms, chuck laundry in basket, wipe sink, wipe loo, Hoover once a week.

Downstairs...plump cushions, fold throws, whizz hoover round twice a week, wipe kitchen surfaces, sweep floor, wipe basin/loo, all other kitchen cleaning as I cook (only cook about twice a week), fill dishwasher as I go.

Laundry...load on first thing each morning, quick wash, onto airer or peg out, fold and put away in the evening. Iron as I go, rarely more than two items each day so v quick.

DH cooks most days and will clear up kitchen and wipe out fridge and empty bins, as he goes.

We had a massive declutter a year ago and now are able to put things away easily, which has been the key to keeping on top of it. We try to be really strict about any more stuff coming into the house.

We both work, me part time, 2 DC at home. Much easier now they are older and can put their own stuff away. They like it tidy so they are willing to help out, which is v lucky I know.

MargaretCavendish

Oh, sorry that I obviously I upset you leaveit. I take it from your reaction that you did indeed chose to procreate with a manchild, so I can see why it would be a sore spot.

I'm touched by your concern.

I do 2 hours every day

I also have a cleaner who does 3 hours twice a week (wed and sat)

The house is still a bit cluttered, never completely tidy or spotless but it's clean, hygenic and things are manageable

Actually, 'guerrilla cleaning' where you swish round the shower with your shower puff with whatever lather is left in it, or giving the loo a quick squirt and wipe after use with some clean loo roll, or rinsing off the washbasin, can be surprisingly effective. And it doesn't take hours either. OK, it might not be perfect and sparkling but it's vaguely hygienic (and the shower trick stops it going mouldy in the winter.)

raven totally love the idea of guerilla cleaning! That's exactly my approach e.g wipe down sink with a baby wipe whilst cleaning my teeth, wipe mirror whilst I dry my hands etc. It keeps you on top of things. Nothing is ever super sparkly but it is presentable.

I have a routine of a little and daily now. I used to tackle it in one massive Friday clean but it's too much for me now.

Basically I have daily tasks like sweeping/hoovering, wiping bathroom sink and loo, steam mopping the kitchen floor and doing the kitchen surfaces and then additional jobs that are different everyday. All very boring but Monday is dusting day, Tuesday is deep clean the kitchen day, Wednesday deep clean the bathroom, Thursday tackle the ironing and Friday strip the beds. Every bloody day I seem to be juggling load after load of washing. A few times a year I will do a blitz of the house and do a major bottoming of the house.

It's all a bit monotonous but it keeps me on top of things.

Could you call in the house organiser again and then maintain with a cleaner coming once a week? I clean just as and when required. My house is a working house not a show house.