Cleaning Schedule & Tips

Kitchen
Always start with the sink. Keep it empty and shining. A sparkling sink becomes your kitchen's benchmark for hygiene and tidiness, inspiring you to load the dishwasher immediately and keep counter, refrigerator doors, and the stovetop spick-and-span, too.

Every Day

• Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher
• Wipe down the stove top
• Wipe down the counters
• Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor

Every Week

• Mop the floor
• Wipe the cabinets, backsplashes, and appliances
• Wipe the switch plates and phone
• Wipe the inside of the garbage can
  

Every Season

• Empty and scrub down the inside of the refrigerator
• Empty and clean the insides of the utensil drawers
• Scrub down the cupboard exteriors
• Clean the stove-hood filter

Bathroom
Make cleaning the basin as routine as washing your hands. But don't stop there. Get the most out of your premoistened wipe by using it to clean around the edges of the tub and then the toilet before tossing it.

Every Day

• Wipe out the sink
• Wipe the toilet seat and rim
• Swoosh the toilet bowl with a brush
• Wipe the mirror and faucet
• Squeegee the shower door
• Spray the entire shower and the curtain liner with shower mist after every use
  

Every Week

• Scrub the tub
• Scrub the tiles
• Mop the floor
• Wipe the switch plates, doorknobs, and doorjambs
• Empty and wipe out the wastebasket
• Wash the rugs

Every Season

• Take down the shower curtain, then launder it according to the care instructions.
• Empty, weed, and clean the medicine cabinet
• Clean baseboards

Bedroom
Make your bed right before or after your morning shower. A neat bed will inspire you to deal with other messes immediately. Although smoothing sheets and plumping pillows might not seen like a high priority as you're rushing to work, the payoff comes at the end of the day, when you slip back under the unruffled covers.

Every Day

• Make the bed
• Fold or hang clothing
• Straighten out the night-table

Every Week

• Change the sheets
• Dust all surfaces — including electronics, books, picture frames, windowsills and ledges, and tops of door frames — and remove all cobwebs
• Dust or mop the floors or vacuum the carpeting
• Throw out old magazines
• Wipe the switch plates, doorknobs, and doorjambs
• Wipe and disinfect the telephone
• Empty the wastebasket
• Vacuum the heating and air-conditioning vents and the inside of the closet

Every Season

• Wash the insides of the windows
• Strip the bed and flip the mattress
• Launder the mattress pad and dust ruffle

Family room,living room & foyer
Start with the sofa as long as it's in disarray, your living room will never look tidy. Once you've fluffed the pillows and folded the throws, you're halfway home. If you pop in a CD while you dust, you should be able cover the whole room by the end of the third track.

Every Day

• Pick up crumbs and dust bunnies with a handheld vacuum
• Fluff the cushions and fold throws after use
• Wipe tabletops and spot-clean cabinets when you see fingerprints
• Straighten coffee-table books

Every Week

• Dust all surfaces including picture frames, windowsills and ledges. Be sure to remove all cobwebs
• Dust or mop the floors or vacuum the carpeting
• Wipe the switch plates, doorknobs, and doorjambs

Every Season

• Wash the inside of the windows
• Vacuum the sofas
• Dust the arrangements
• Wipe the baseboards
• Clean under the furniture including inside the sofa and chairs