House Cleaning Checklist – Standard vs Deep Cleaning

If you’re in charge of keeping the house in order, we’re here to assist.

Are you a parent, landlord or the responsible roommate? Use our house cleaning checklist for organized standard and deep cleaning guidance.

Does your house feel clean ENOUGH for you? Managing the cleaning of a house is a diverse task. As a parent or a housemate managing the cleaning chores, you may feel others don’t realize the challenges and frustrations you face:

• Did you add all necessary tasks to the list?
• Does everyone know what you expect of them?
• How often should certain tasks take place?
• Are there enough cleaning materials so no one has an excuse for not doing their part?
• Is it time for home maintenance again, like cleaning gutters or checking the plumbing?

 

One helpful guideline is to understand the differences between general cleaning and deep cleaning. Then create a timeline of when which tasks should commence.

For some guidelines, use the information below.

 

2 Types of Cleaning

The Importance of Defining Type of Cleaning

One reason some of your children or roommates aren’t keeping to the schedule is because they may think it’s not really necessary to perform a specific chore—again. Now, be honest. Do all the items you put on the daily or weekly cleaning list really belong there? While a germophobe may prefer daily deep cleaning, it’s really not necessary. Rather keep everyone positive about their tasks by discussing everyone’s expectations. Then list:

• All cleaning tasks
• The method of cleaning for each task, so everyone does it the same
• How often each needs to be done

 

An easy method is to divide tasks on your house cleaning checklist into:

• Standard cleaning list: This will happen regularly, for example daily or weekly
• Deep cleaning list: These tasks require more effort and only happen once in a while

 

What’s the Difference Between Standard and Deep Cleaning?

To easily distinguish between general—standard—cleaning and deep cleaning, you can simply look at whether the cleaner gives attention to detail:

• Do you clean each ornament displayed on the bookcase?
• Will you open the kitchen appliance to clean every crevice?
• Does a room clean involve a quick vacuum or thorough washing of the carpets?

 

You can see that standard cleaning is a way to compromise in order to get a task done faster. This is often necessary because even with tasks divided between various individuals in the home, life is still often too busy to deep clean on a regular basis.

And there’s nothing wrong with cutting a few corners! As long as you set aside time for a more detailed clean later on.

Deep cleaning can also be expensive, especially if it requires hiring equipment like a carpet cleaner. It’s wise to schedule it for a few times a year only so you don’t have to foot that bill each week or month.

 

How Often Should You Deep Clean the House?

Now, how often should you open an appliance or clean the bathroom grout properly?

 

Your Normal Schedule

Note that the motivation behind a deep clean is to prevent problems like mold growth. Even excessive accumulation of dust in corners can spark allergic reactions and therefore create a less than healthy living environment.

So, clearly a deep clean IS important and must be on the task list at some stage. At minimum, a deep clean should happen at least once a year. However, to maintain a healthy environment that feels clean, rather schedule it every three months.

By having it done fairly regularly, it will require less effort compared to rooms that only get superficially cleaned for many months. This means you can still easily do it yourself, rather than having to hire professionals with more effective cleaning equipment.

 

Springtime

Another time a deep cleaning is wise to do is as part of your spring cleaning.

A good cleaning session is essential after the winter months. For one thing, the cold may have caused you to be a little more lazy than usual to complete your chores. No judgment! But also, spring season means allergy season. If you can remove as much dust and allergens as possible, you’re lowering the possibility of sneezing, coughing or worse in coming months.

 

Moving

Deep cleaning is also a responsible thing to organize if you’re moving out of a house or apartment. Don’t let the future occupants suffer from allergies because you didn’t get round to cleaning. And rather deep clean before you start using a new space yourself—for the benefit of your own health.

Now, let’s help you plan your entire year’s cleaning. Here’s some clarity on which tasks to consider when using your chore list generator. It can be an app like Enzo or any other method you’re using to manage the house.

 

House Cleaning Checklist Guide: Standard vs Deep Cleaning

Why be so methodical when talking about cleaning and compiling a house cleaning checklist? Because if you have a system in place, you’ll have a streamlined workflow and you’re bound to feel less overwhelmed by doing or managing it all.

 

Standard Cleaning

For a standard cleaning you can also organize tasks in different categories, such as tasks for each room and grouping them for daily, weekly and monthly chores.

In general though, standard cleaning in each room should consist of:

• Bathroom: With mold growth being a high risk in the humid air of a bathroom it is important to continuously maintain a hygienic environment. Make sure to wipe down surfaces and fixtures, clean the toilet regularly and keep the shower clean. Using disinfectant is important even for standard cleaning. Check for cobwebs—critters love moist environments—and remove the trash.
• Bedrooms: A general clean requires dusting the primary furniture items. You can also vacuum the carpets or mop hard floors. Changing bed linen on a regular basis is also important, with experts advising you to do wash it weekly. Cleaning dustbins, removing cobwebs and keeping vents clear should be standard.
• Kitchen: The focus will be to keep countertops clean of dust, debris and random items. You can also give appliances’ exteriors a wipe down and remember to check the fridge and pantry for spoilt food or any items past their due date. The cooktop and oven do deserve special treatment because you’re using that so often—don’t leave that for later!
• Living room: Here as well you’ll mostly dust and vacuum without giving much attention to detail.

 

In each of these areas you should also clean doors and the window frames or you’ll have grimy looking entrances before long.

 

Deep Cleaning

When it’s time for deep cleaning, you can do it yourself or get a professional to assist. The house cleaning checklist for each room would be:

• Bathroom: Now it’s time to clean well inside all cupboards, make sure all vents are clean and scrub the grout. It’s all about cleaning thoroughly to help guard against mold growth. If there was any build-up despite standard cleaning, remove all soap scum. The shower curtain probably also needs a wash and remember to unclog the drain.
• Bedrooms: Dust can settle into any corner or crevice so apart from the floor you need to vacuum all upholstery on furniture and clean areas you ignore during regular cleaning. Go to all cupboards and bookcases, make sure to clean surfaces as well as the loose items in or on them. If you don’t usually look behind the curtain at the windowsill during regular cleaning, properly wipe them now. Don’t forget to look up and clean installations like ceiling fans or a TV fixed high up on the wall.
• Kitchen: Kitchen appliances have many components and dust will get in between them. Open up these units—coffee machines, food processors and more—and clean as much of the interior as you can without damaging the unit. Also make time to clean all cupboards, removing all items inside so you can wipe down shelves. The same goes for the fridge and freezer. The motivations behind such a deep clean is to prevent foodborne germs causing anyone to fall sick. Use a disinfectant for best results and use this time to reorganize the cupboards.
• Living room: Similar to the bedroom, use the vacuum cleaner to remove dust and allergens from furniture. Wiping down ornaments and other décor is also vital. Also drag in a stool or stepladder and properly clean where you usually can’t reach, such as the top of a bookcase, lampshade or the chandelier. Wood also needs special attention, so polish all these natural surfaces if you don’t get time during standard cleaning.

 

Lastly, washing all the walls should also be part on the house cleaning checklist at least once a year.

 

Final Thoughts

You’re sure to feel good when you live in a clean house. But even more important, you’re creating a safe and hygienic environment that won’t put anyone’s health at risk. The less allergens and mold, the lower the chance of someone falling ill—spring, summer or winter!

And don’t let the list overwhelm you. Get everyone—roommates or your family—involved, so you can divide and conquer! It’s easy with the Enzo app and families can even make chore time fun! Your house CAN be clean ENOUGH without too much effort!