If you don't have a cleaner...

[curiousxxx]

...how long per day do you spend cleaning, on average?

I'm asking because it feels as though I can never fully keep on top of things even when I feel I clean all the time!

I should say we have three small children though!

@Luredbyapomegranate

How are people spending a couple of hours a day on housework?! What are you doing??

It might not all be at once. I would say it takes me a good 40 minutes to clean up at the end of the day with a 4yo and 2yo:

Putting toys away, clearing table and doing dishwasher, wiping surfaces and hob, putting clean laundry away, putting bath toys away, wiping wet floor with towel, toothbrushes away, shampoos away, taking dirty laundry downstairs and sorting, general tidy of anything else left lying about, vacuum and spray-mop kitchen, playroom and hallway.

That's not counting other bits throughout the day making beds and cleaning away breakfast stuff, unloading dishwasher, doing a load of laundry, periodically putting toys/jigsaws/lego away to stop things getting trodden on or lost, post lunchtime wipe down...

@Luredbyapomegranate

How are people spending a couple of hours a day on housework?! What are you doing??

Probably tidying after kids. I’m quite shocked how much mess my DNs/friends kids make and these are just normal, totally non feral children (who love snacks, crafting & toys with millions of little pieces)

I have a 4 bed house, but no children.

But I do about 20 minutes a day doing a general tidy up and wipe the surfaces in the kitchen.

Then on a Friday evening me and the husband clean the house top to bottom. Takes about 2-3 hours.

@Workinghardeveryday

About 2 hours a day, maybe more, then 2 full days of cleaning

Another who wants to know how on earth you find things to do for that long

Do you live in a stately home ?

@Workinghardeveryday

About 2 hours a day, maybe more, then 2 full days of cleaning

why?! Tell me you live in a mansion otherwise why are you wasting so much of your life on cleaning? There's so much more you could do with your time I find all this talk of hours a day spent cleaning thoroughly depressing.

Excluding clearing up after mealtime I work full time but from home so throughout the day I usually put a wash on & hang on the line/airer, handy-vac the stairs (damn cats!) and when I'm showering in the morning I'll wipe around surfaces ditto when I use the toilet and kitchen.
Once a week (except when we're busy so sometimes alternate weeks) whole family spends about an hour doing the whole house - DH and I do a bathroom each, floor moping etc, kids hoover and dust, all tidy rooms, put washing away etc.

I like a clean and tidy house but life's too short to waste it on cleaning. And I bet you won't find many men who clean for 2 hours a day without or without a job

Just two adults here. We do things like kitchen surfaces and sweeping hard floors (very hairy cat) daily. Dishwasher on every second or third day. Bathroom cleaned twice a week, hoovering and mopping once a week, likewise dusting and polishing. Bed stripped every Friday and the spare bed done every few months even if we’ve not had guests, although DP sometimes sleeps in there because he is an awful snorer.

I think it probably averages out about half an hour a day, including making the bed in the morning and laundry? Stuff like cleaning the oven or washing the windows happens far less often than it should do and feels like an event.

@Kite22 @lechatnoir
I hate doing it seriously. I feel like a cleaner that never gets to go home.
I have a 4 bed house, dp and 3 kids. It’s all up to me.
I could spend ages cleaning say the bathroom, all undone after one night. Toothpaste on floor, mirror, conditioner everywhere, mirror etc.
No one tidies, no one helps with anything, although dp cleans kitchen after tea and does bins .

I could spend ages cleaning say the bathroom, all undone after one night. Toothpaste on floor, mirror, conditioner everywhere, mirror etc.

You do realise that in the long term, you will save VAST amounts of time, by, in the short term, marching them back in there and standing over them whilst they clean up after themselves ?
Not to say preparing them for just being adults in whatever arrangements they will be living in one they leave you.

I mean, none of us have perfect dc, but, as parents, surely part of the job is to teach them a little self responsibility ?

30 - 45 minutes per day. Follow Flylady at the moment as I like a structure.

Basically, a morning routine which is make beds, wipe out one sink and loo, empty dishwasher. Go to work.
Evening routine; 5 - 10 minute clutter stop, small load of laundry. Put away dry laundry, clean down kitchen, including quick floor clean every few days.
Once per week. Weekly reset = wash bed linen (once per fortnight in winter), clean mirrors and glass, quick hoover everywhere, dust with feather duster (max 10 minutes), mop kitchen and bathroom, empty bins.

Keeps it reasonable. Do deeper cleaning when I can. Not really got into that on a regular routine yet.

Jesus these threads. I live alone so automatically easier but can work out at more than 20mins a day. I tend to keep on top of it as I go then give the house a once over for 2 hours once a fortnight.

Ugh, you've all confirmed what I suspected: I just need to up my time spent cleaning.....

I don't want to waste so much time of my life cleaning but would also love to be in a place where I don't need to worry about visitors popping around.

Our routine is roughly as PP have suggested I'd say- daily making beds, at least one load of laundry, quick wiping down bathroom and downstairs toilet, clearing and cleaning table and kitchen after meal, quick hoover around table/kitchen. Tidying pretty much constantly. Aim to do one additional job per day (dusting/ mopping/ hoovering other rooms/ windows/ bathrooms deeper clean) but it still feels never done.

The problem is that all of the above plus meal prep already seems to be taking up all the spare time there is between school runs. (One toddler still at home during the day too)

Think the quote about the cookies while brushing teeth must definitely be true!

About and hour sometimes 2 but I have 4 kids so they make a lot of mess.

@Useranon1 definitely stay child free is you want a clean house.

@Workinghardeveryday how old are the other people in your house? Even my 2 year old has jobs to do and isn’t allowed to willfully make mess and leave it. You need a plan of action of how to get everyone to pull their weight.

@MollieSheep1 we have a cleaner again so I can’t really answer that question anymore but I find TOMM or my own version of it really useful both in the past and now. A robot hoover, spray mop, way less stuff and everyone pulling their weight all make keeping on top of the house easier.

[quote Workinghardeveryday]**@Kite22* @lechatnoir*
I hate doing it seriously. I feel like a cleaner that never gets to go home.
I have a 4 bed house, dp and 3 kids. It’s all up to me.
I could spend ages cleaning say the bathroom, all undone after one night. Toothpaste on floor, mirror, conditioner everywhere, mirror etc.
No one tidies, no one helps with anything, although dp cleans kitchen after tea and does bins .[/quote]
I love this 'DH cleans the bins' regularly trotted put on MN as if that is some major daily chore and shows what a great partner he is . Seriously people, up your standards (in men not cleanliness ) and stop allowing yourself to be treated like the household skivvy.

DC - absolutely agree with previous poster who said why aren't you sending your dc/DH back in the bathroom to tidy up after themselves? Ok small children won't be scrubbing the bath but spillages & toilet accidents get wiped up, wet towels hung up, sink cleaned after use - if all that's done then a 5 min whizz around is all that's needed with a full clean once a week.

From a young age you need to engage your dc with day-to-day basics - bowls in the dishwasher, laying the table, making beds, dirty clothes in the basket not in the floor, putting clean clothes away - I bet that's where half your time goes just running around after them all. And your DH needs to know you're not his personal slave - ok if you're a SAHP majority of household chores may fall on you but cleaning up after him if he's too lazy to wipe the sink/pick up his pants/make the bed etc- no chance.

DH says I have higher standards than him and so it's controlling of me to make him clean against his will....
It's true and so I don't know what else to say to make him do more. I think his standards are objectively too low but likewise he thinks mine are too high, so who is to say who is right really.

@curiousxxx

DH says I have higher standards than him and so it's controlling of me to make him clean against his will.... It's true and so I don't know what else to say to make him do more. I think his standards are objectively too low but likewise he thinks mine are too high, so who is to say who is right really.

Well I guess that depends what we're talking here - are you expecting a full scrub down of the bathroom 5 times a week or is this run a hoover round and mop the floors on a Saturday?

Basically my aim is for everything just to be presentable in case visitors pop around (and for us and DC to live in a hygienic home frankly!)
So hoovering needed when there are crumbs on the floor. Bathrooms need to be cleaned at the latest when sinks are stained, dust or soap scum has built up etc. I would wipe hob and kitchen surfaces after each use as there are always a few marks obviously after cooking. DH never really cleans the bathrooms, doesn't notice dust, soap scum or stains on the hard floors things like that. Doesn't routinely wipe kitchen surfaces after cooking. Hoovers sometimes but when he does misses corners and edges and underneath radiator etc. Certainly has a much higher tolerance of crumbs on the floor and toys lying about

I definitely think the bathroom floors need to be mopped at the very least once a week, more like twice a week really.
DH wouldn't find that necessary I don't think

@curiousxxx

I definitely think the bathroom floors need to be mopped at the very least once a week, more like twice a week really. DH wouldn't find that necessary I don't think

Why? What's making the bathroom floor so dirty every 3 days?

doesn't notice dust, soap scum or stains on the hard floors things like that. Doesn't routinely wipe kitchen surfaces after cooking

FYI he definitely does notice he just doesn’t care enough to do it before you do.

Unless he has some issue with his sight.. then I retract that comment.

Hmm it’s convenient for your dh he can’t see mess and is so sensitive to any hint of being controlled.

Could you reshuffle responsibilities to make him entirely responsible for laundry (including the mending, decluttering, buying bigger sizes for the dc as and when).

He could take responsibility for meal planning (including prepping, cooking, planning and shopping) too.

I bet he will notice the absence of underwear and food despite being immune to dirt.

Leaving off the sarcastic tone though, we do take on areas of responsibility like this and it works very well for us.

Agree with @LadyCordeliaFitzgerald he does notice he just doesn't care so give him jobs he can't half / not do.

I'd suggest making up all the beds. Make it a regular alternate week job that he strips & remakes all beds and makes sure all bedding is washed, dried & put away ready before the next time.

Ironing -tell him to put a film on and agree to crack on whilst you do something else. And if he doesn't already, tell him he needs to cook once a week - that includes plan, shop, prep, cook and clean up not just shoves some beans on toast on a plate.

no idea... couldn't say. 10 minutes? Or maybe 5.

H does most things in kitchen.

@Aquamarine1029

The "baseline" you're working off of is really important when it comes to keeping your house clean. If your home is cluttered and filled with useless tat, it's like shoveling sand against the tide.

Do you have too much stuff?

Excellent post

15 minutes a day ish. Maybe 30 mins at a weekend. An hour if visitors are expected