Chicago Home and Lifestyles – Cut down on cleaning time with this weekly schedule

Many of us leave cleaning for the weekend and often spend a good amount of time on this task. Wouldn’t you like to get it done in a few hours instead of all day? The trick to that is to do just a few things every day. You’ll find it really cuts down on the time it takes to do a bigger clean on the weekend!

 Here is a schedule of daily and weekly tasks to make cleaning the house quicker and easier:

Start in the kitchen. Daily tasks are best done after dinner dishes are done. Wipe down all the countertops, stove and sink. Load, then empty the dishwasher. Wipe down door handles and cabinet hardware (the best way to prevent spreading illness). Every week, do a quick look through the refrigerator to toss any expired food or leftovers past their prime and wipe down the inside. Sweep and mop the floors. Clean windows and dust blinds. 

Bathrooms are the next most used rooms, and daily cleaning is highly recommended to keep things hygienic. Just like the kitchen, wipe down the sink, toilet and countertops. This is best done after you shower when everything is still steamy. Weekly, you need to sweep and mop floors and clean the baseboards. Scrub your shower doors, bathtub and deep clean the toilet. 

The living room is a little easier. In general, you need to just pick up any items that don’t belong and do a quick Swiffer on tabletops. Weekly tasks include vacuuming carpets or dust mopping hardwood along with dusting tables, blinds, ceiling fans, and entertainment centers. Clean the mirrors and windows, then finish with vacuuming furniture and spraying fabric freshener. 

Bedrooms are another room we spend a lot of time in. The best thing you can do here is make your bed daily and put away laundry or clothes that are lying around. Weekly, just vacuum, dust and clean mirrors. 

Most other spaces around the house are much the same. Dusting, vacuuming or mopping weekly keeps spaces tidy. One of your best cleaning tools are sanitary wipes. Wipe down any surfaces daily that everyone touches, mainly door handles and light switches. So, try this schedule to keep your home clean while spending the least amount of time!

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago