To ask how do you clean your house?

[Farcry66]

Maybe it's because it's the holidays, but I can't keep on top of the housework (also, I'm lazy and would much rather play with the kids!).

I normally just concentrate on one room at a time and get that sorted, but then I run out of steam and never get through the whole house. I normally start in the same room and so it's the same rooms tgat get neglected at the end - although I started in the bedrooms today and gave them a good going over. It does mean that I've not cleaned the conservatory in weeks!

I was thinking about doing the same job in every room - so tidying every room first and then dusting every room ECT. But I feel like then I'd never actually get around to doing all the floors.

I suspect the easiest way would be to do a little every day, but that's far too sensible and when I go back to work, I'm too knackered to do anything but keep on top of the kitchen during the evenings!

Actually, maybe I should just work on improving my energy levels so I can finish the whole house in one go.

So, how do you do yours?

I'm going to check out TOMM, my house is a disorganised tip. I work quite a physical job and I'm knackered when I get home, things get out of hand domestic wise but I'm sure I could manage 30 mins a day. I'd love to get my shit together as I dread anyone coming to the door. I grew up in a messy household and don't tend to 'see' mess, which doesn't help.

I have a cleaner once a week, do at least one wash a day, put one wash a day away, dishwasher on usually about 4 times a day, Hoover as and when is needed, tidy up every night when kids are in bed. House is by no means perfect though

A bit each day - no routine but I’ll do a bathroom or run the vac round. Kitchen is tidied and cleaned as we go. Laundry done daily- I don’t iron unless I have to. We are both pretty tidy which helps.
Adult-ish offspring put their own laundry on mostly, tidy up downstairs after themselves- but their rooms are not great. They are generally lovely hard working people though so I try not to moan too much.

Disclaimer: I don't have kids or pets.

Bathroom gets done every morning as I use things. So the sink just after I've brushed my teeth, my shower just after I've turned the water off.

Bedroom gets a quick tidy (bed, clothes on the floor etc.) as I get out of bed.

Dishwasher gets emptied as I'm eating breakfast or cooking tea. Kitchen gets done every night just before bed. Shining the sink every night is the only thing I picked up from FlyLady.

Laundry - I have one basket for lights and one basket for darks. I tend to only do two or three loads a week (a lights, a darks and another such as "towels") but my aim is to get it on, out and put away as soon as possible.

I have less of a routine with the less-used rooms (and it shows).

I'm going to look for the app now! I've actually done pretty well today, just need to do the bathroom and finish hoovering the stairs .... have a friend round tomorrow so that's acting as great motivation.

I'm like a PP, I don't see the mess until all at once it gets too bad and then I realise I have to do something about it. I'm hoping if I can get into the habit of doing a bit every day it won t mount up!

I have one of those horrible glass shower doors that is covered in limescale and I can't get it clean .... any hints or tips?

I clean infrequently and to the minimum standard.
Generally I clean the kitchen sides down every day.
Hoover 2/3 times a week.
Mop floors once a week.
Clean the bathrooms once a week but wipe the sink/bath down as needed.
Change beds weekly.
Dust when I can be arsed.
Most of my time seems to be taken up by returning things from downstairs to upstairs.

Spray it with vinegar and lay kitchen roll on (to stop it dribbling down). Keep squirting vinegar on until just before the kitchen roll falls off.

I clean my shower screen every morning with a Karcher (really can't think of a way to say this in a less nausea-inducing way).

Most of my time seems to be taken up by returning things from downstairs to upstairs.

I pile things at the bottom (or top) of the stairs for next time I go up (or down).

Maybe with kids you need to spread the chores out throughout the week but I would hate to do something daily, other then tidying. I'd rather blitz it weekly, get their father to take them out for 4 hours on a weekend day to give you space to do it.

I pile things at the bottom (or top) of the stairs for next time I go up (or down).
Yeah I do that too it’s a great game to see how many times the rest of my family will walk past it.

This is such a good thread, it's so great to see other people's routines and tips.

I'm usually on top of the housework, but the school holidays do throw a spanner in the works - more people in the house, enjoying the lovely weather instead of doing housework etc.

My best tip would be never leave a room empty handed, I'm always putting things away. My mantra is 'everything has a place and everything in its place!' So although not always clean, my house is pretty much always tidy.

I find those people posting 'we have a cleaner', 'we live in another country and have full time staff' the most unhelpful posts on MN and that's really annoyed me

I have a priority list which goes like this:

Kitchen -> hygienic
Living room -> not disgusting
Clothing -> everyone has some clean/dry
Urgent tasks -> (things like making appointments, renewing car insurance etc)
Main bathroom -> hygienic
Clothing -> put away properly
Hallways -> stuff taken to correct room
Baby's room -> tidied up
Living room -> tidy, nice
Our bedroom -> tidied up

So every day about when DS2 has his morning nap or is playing calmly in the morning and I've finished my coffee etc I do my "daily sweep" as I call it. I start off by making sure the kitchen is hygienic and I follow down the list until I get bored or distracted or fed up or a child needs me. I rarely ever get to the bottom, but at least I know the main stuff is done.

DH does a lot of the kitchen/living room/hallway/baby's room stuff in the evenings and weekends. He seems to have a blind spot for bathrooms and our bedroom.

DS1's room (10yo) is his responsibility and he has to fully clean it every Sunday and remove things like cups, plates etc every day or two. He can do top up cleans in between so the Sunday clean won't take as long, but he doesn't.

@ChangeItChild totally agree, how do they think they’re helping someone asking for cleaning advice?

As little as possible - next question

I've just started using Tody which is an app that helps you break down which rooms are cleaner/dirtier which seems to be helping but I'll see how it goes.

I have ADHD and I really struggle with cleaning routines but these systems help me.

I mean - to be fair, the OP isn't framed as help I need advice, it's framed as this is how I do it, how do you do it? So the cleaner comments etc are relevant if it's a discussion and comparison. If it's a help thread I agree not very helpful.

I do several loads of washing and drying a day I wash up throughout the day, do the work tops every day etc, bathroom gets a wipe down daily. I wash my floors once a week which annoys me as I want to do it more. I also hoover daily but only top to bottom maybe twice a week. I need to get better at doing things like wiping the fridge down and cupboards. It's mainly picking up toys and re sorting the sofa out I spend all my life doing that after the kids have been jumping around on it

I have a home for everything so tidy rather than really clean.When DD was little we had a big wooden storage box on the sitting room and everything got thrown in when
DD went to bed.
I do minimal cleaning as do itasit is needed but I'm toying with getting a professional in to do the equivalent of a spring clean.
In my defense I have very poor eyesight and can't see spiders webs even the dusty ones that have been there a while.

I outsource mine to a nice lady. She isn't great, but at least I can blame her if everything isn't perfect!

For those of you who do TOMM, did you bootcamp first? I can’t see how it would work without doing the bootcamp but the bootcamp itself looks as if it would take me a year, not a week!

TooStressy, I just started with week 1, so things are not as clean and neat as they should be but they get better week by week, iyswim. Bootcamp looked a bit scary There’s definitely an improvement though, just not as drastic as it could have been if I’d done bootcamp.

I vacuum every day (roomba) which really helps the place look clean.

I put a wash load on every day, sometimes two and either hang to dry or tumble if I really have to.

Dishwasher loaded after every meal which helps the kitchen look tidier and then I wipe down the worktops.

Squirt of loo cleaner down each loo at night.

Cleaner comes once a fortnight and does everything else.

Cleaner comes once a week for 2-3 hours. I do one load of washing/folding a day, empty dishwasher etc. I change the beds myself and once in a while I clean fridge/oven/freezer. House is quite clean. I decluttered last year. Makes it much easier to keep the house clean and tidy.

I wonder if there is a male equivalent of this thread, somewhere in that alternate universe where equality exists...

Is there a Dadsnet? 🤔

I pay a retainer to the agency and 18 a week for a 2 hr clean. My cleaner is ace. it's been life changing.