How Often Should You Really Clean Everything in Your Home?

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re over-cleaning or under-cleaning, here’s a practical guide. Frequency depends on how many people live in your home, whether you have pets, and your tolerance for mess. Use this as a baseline, then adjust up or down.

Every day, focus on the basics: wiping kitchen benches and dining tables after meals, spot sweeping or vacuuming high-traffic floors, giving sinks and taps a quick rinse, running or stacking the dishwasher, and wiping bathroom splashes. These quick wins take minutes but prevent grime from building up.

Each week, give your home a full refresh. Bathrooms should be disinfected and taps polished. Floors need a proper vacuum and mop, while surfaces, skirting boards, and switches deserve dusting. Change bedding weekly if you prefer, or fortnightly in cooler weather. Kitchens also need attention—clean the stovetop, splashback, microwave, and give the sink a deep scrub.

On a fortnightly or monthly basis, focus on the hidden areas. Wipe fridge shelves and check seals, clean oven and rangehood filters, wash bins, vacuum sofas, and touch up windows and mirrors. Every three months, wash windows inside and out, clean curtains or blinds, vacuum and flip mattresses, scrub tile grout, and dust vents and fans.

Twice a year, book professional carpet and upholstery cleaning, deep clean your pantry, and refresh any seasonal clutter. Once a year, tackle the oven thoroughly, descale appliances like dishwashers and washing machines, pressure-wash outdoor areas, and check silicone or caulking. Adjust this schedule based on your lifestyle—pets, toddlers, or allergies often mean more frequent cleaning. The simplest way to stay on top of it all is to batch chores by zone, doing all wet areas together, then dusting, then floors. And if you fall behind, booking a maintenance clean can reset your baseline.