People about to live alone for the first time may dread chores, what with the number of stuff they have to deal with, from the floors to the overhead light fixtures. Even dusting alone can feel taxing, especially if you have heaps of small displays you barely touch.
Fortunately, you don’t need to clean every part of your home every day. Good Housekeeping shared a helpful infographic showing how often you should clean the different parts of your abode. The ones in the Daily section were only beds, coffeemakers, dishes, dining table, kitchen counters, kitchen floors, bathroom surfaces, shower walls, sinks, and the laundry (as needed). Therefore, you don’t need to take out your vacuum cleaner daily and put a strain on your shoulders and hands.
Meanwhile, the ones you may only do weekly are mopping the kitchen and bathroom floors, scrubbing the bathroom surfaces, cleaning the mirrors, dusting furniture, changing your bedding, wiping your appliances, cleaning the inside of your microwave, sanitizing sponges, and yes, vacuuming furniture.
As for the rest, it’s totally fine to do them monthly or yearly. Below is a detailed list of the parts of your home that you may only deal with periodically:
1. Gutters
The gutters control the flow of rainwater in your house. During the fall, dried leaves may clog your gutters and force water to penetrate your roof. As a result, molds will grow and potentially cause health issues. Not to mention the water damage that will ruin your attic or ceiling.
You may hire professional gutter cleaning services at least twice a year, or more frequently, depending on how fast debris gathers in your gutters. If plenty of trees surround your home, you definitely need to avail the service more often. Professionals don’t recommend homeowners to clean their gutters themselves, unless they are wearing protective equipment, and used to heights.
2. Pool
A pool is probably the part of a home that’s the most bothersome to maintain. To ease down your pool upkeep, drain the water, and cover your pool when it’s not the summer. Open it only when summer peaks, so that you can save on professional pool service. The most crucial parts to inspect in a pool are the valves and filters. If those are dirty, your pool water can become contaminated.
3. HVAC System
HVAC systems should be serviced at least twice a year. A technician will inspect the ductwork for signs of damage, and clean the furnace and A/C compressors. You may also hire a separate vent cleaning service to ensure the cleanliness of your bathroom vents.
4. Chimney
If you own a traditional fireplace, have it inspected annually or periodically, even if you don’t use it often. The soot and grime in the inner walls may impede the chimney’s function, making toxic gases stay inside your home.
5. Landscape
A landscape is also a pain to maintain, but thankfully, you don’t need to tend to it every day. As long as you mow the grass in the summer and pluck out the weeds, your landscape should be fine.
As for watering, only water your garden when the soil is already dry, which will become more frequent in the summer. Consider purchasing a sprinkler to spare yourself the tedious task.
6. Ceiling Fans and Light Fixtures
Your ceiling fans and light fixtures may look like it’s collecting more dust by the day, but you don’t need to clean it right away. Dusting them once a month is totally fine. Do it first before sweeping or vacuuming the floors.
7. Curtains and Drapes
These items look like major dust collectors too, but really, they’re not as high-maintenance as you think. You may wash them just once a year. If you are sensitive to dust, you may toss them in the dryer and set the machine in the “air only” cycle. It will come with a bonus of straightening the creases on the fabric.
8. Furniture Slipcovers
Unless you have a pet that sheds on your slipcovers, then you may clean yours just at the end of every season. Slipcovers are usually dirt-proof, so you don’t need to wash them as often as you’d wash your bedding.
9. Oven
If you don’t bake often, clean your oven only twice or thrice a year. Those cleaning schedules would probably fall on the holiday or Thanksgiving season.
See, maintaining a home isn’t so hard at all. But it will teach you to set schedules and constantly monitor your calendar. That’s completely fine, though, as those tasks will boost your maturity and sense of responsibility, making you a more efficient and dependable individual.
