No amount of style or sophistication will beat a spotless and clutter-free condo. Nothing beats into a tidy home that smells and looks fresh. But keeping your condo clean does not come without some sacrifices, discipline, and motivation.
Dirty little secrets, it seems, are something a lot of homeowners are familiar with. One survey revealed that 87% admit to taking shortcuts and doing condo cleaning mistakes just to get the job done such as closing off a dirty room to hide it from the guests, cramming clutter in closets, and throwing something away rather than returning it to its proper place. Imagine, 32% of homeowners take three or more weeks without cleaning their houses. Aside from busy schedules and simply feeling sluggish, 70% of homeowners said assigning cleaning chores is more likely to cause an argument than a TV remote control.
No need to argue if you have a condo cleaning schedule that works. Whether you want a weekly or monthly cleaning schedule, we got your back. Let’s start off with a guide on how to clean your condo every week.
Monday: Linens and rugs
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Don’t push yourself to the limit. Focus on what you can do with the time that you have. On a Monday, focus on linens and rugs. Vacuum carpets and rugs, wash bathroom towels, and replace or wash throw pillow covers. If your sofa is made of linen material, vacuum that too. Bedroom sheets and covers can be washed and replaced every two weeks. The soft feel of a clean carpet on your bare feet and the smell of newly-washed towels will make you feel really good.
Tuesday: Bathroom
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Bathrooms are special. We spend an awful lot of time in the bathroom every day. Make sure it is squeaky clean all the time. Schedule cleaning your bathroom every Tuesday. Use homemade and all-natural cleaning materials that are as effective but not dangerous to your health or the environment. Clean the floor, sink, mirror, empty the trash, throw out empty shampoo bottles, arrange the towels, clean cabinets, and finally, deodorize.
Wednesday: The other rooms
Condo living is compact living. Every room has a purpose and the area is very manageable. You can clean most rooms in 30 minutes. Start with the master’s bedroom by sweeping the floors, making up the bed, and arranging a few fixtures. Move on to the guest or kids’ room. If you have a toddler, you might need to put in more time and effort (and maybe clean it for more times in a week). Then proceed to the living room and dust off drawers and wall decors.
Thursday: Storage and pantry
Don’t know where to put an item? Throw it in the storage. The common storage area is often abused and overused. Spend a few minutes every Thursday to sort through the items. One way on how to effectively clean your condo is by tossing out the things that have no use, or in short, clutter. You may also sort out your pantry. Empty ketchup bottle? If you have no idea how to repurpose it, let go of it. This would also help you identify what you need to include in your weekly shopping list.
Friday: Kitchen
The kitchen and the dining area are among the rooms in the house with the most traffic. Fridays would be a good day to clean the kitchen so it would be ready for preparing the family’s special weekend meals. Clean and sanitize the sink and the kitchen cabinets, and mop the floors thoroughly to get rid of germs and bacteria. Also, replace your kitchen sponge every week. According to experts, these dirt-magnet harbor a lot of bacteria.
Saturday: Cabinets
Cabinets are often neglected because unless you open them, you won’t see it’s a mess. Wardrobe cabinets are notorious. Arrange the clothes in a way that is most convenient to you: by use or by color. At least once a week, make sure that arrangement is followed. Go through other cabinets that store cleaning materials, books, and other knick knacks.
The tips in cleaning furniture may be a little confusing because rules differ depending on the material. But since most furniture are made of wood, dust them off with soft cloth or dampen with slightly wet cloth then wipe off with dry cloth immediately.
And on a Sunday, rest and enjoy the fruits of your hard work.
You should also set a monthly cleaning schedule. These are for the things that don’t require daily or weekly cleaning.
January and July: Windows
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You should clean your glass windows and replace or wash window treatments at least twice a year. Do this at the start of the year so everything looks new. You will be surprised at what clean glass windows and new drapes would do to a home and your mood.
February and August: Mattress
This bulky thing is very easy to clean. Vacuum the top of the mattress using an upholstery attachment. Remove stains by wiping down the surface with a lightly dampened cloth. Remember to not soak the mattress. Bed pillows are to be washed at least three times a year.
March and September: Oven
The newer ovens seem to clean themselves but if yours does not, at least clean it every six months. Remove the racks and submerge them in warm water with dishwashing soap. Let them sit for a few hours before scrubbing. Spray oven cleaner to the interior and wipe it off after a few hours. You may also defrost and clean the freezer while you’re at it.
April: Carpet
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Steam-clean your carpet with a hot water-based solution to suction up dirt instead of spraying shampoo that leaves residue. Vacuum to remove surface dirt before switching to the steamer. If you have furry pets or you have really rowdy toddlers that spill everything on the carpet, you might need to steam-clean your carpet more than once a year.
May: Wood furniture
You only need to polish wood furniture once a year. That would be enough to protect it. You can dust them off once a week, then polish them with appropriate furniture oil or wax once a year. It is best to apply paste wax that has high carnauba content, which is a natural protectant and won’t degrade the finish.
June and November: Pots and Pans
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Are your pots and pans not as shiny and gleaming as they used to be? You use them almost every day in preparing food, so the least you can do is devote two cleaning schedules especially for them. Mix baking soda, dish soap, and hydrogen peroxide. Spread the mixture over the pan and witness magic happen. Scrub it gently until it is sparkling once again.
October: Grout
Clean tile surfaces by tackling the grout in your shower or sink. Make a 50-50 solution of water and bleach (don’t use bleach on colored grout) and spray it on the grout. After 20 minutes, brush it then blot it with dry cloth.
December: Clean out closets and donate
December is a good month to raid your closets. All year long, you’ve been adding more jeans, shirts, and accessories. Before it gets out of control, decide what items you will toss away. It’s the holiday season, so donating them to the church or a charity is a very thoughtful move.
Scheduling when to clean your condo and sticking to it is important if you want a condo that seems to be cleaning itself. After a while, it all becomes natural. Make your own calendar now and decide when best to clean your condo depending on your priorities, activities, schedule, and lifestyle. Once you do, you will certainly enjoy condo living at its finest.
