Your Weekly Cleaning List

Let’s face it.  There are just too many things we need to accomplish each day that we cannot possibly do an intensive cleaning of every room in the house.  While there may be cleaning chores that must be done on a daily basis such as dishwashing and basic clutter control, there are also chores that are best done on a weekly basis. 

Dusting

A good weekly dusting is a practical way to get rid of dust from the house.  Dusting should be done from top to bottom as dust settles downward.  Dust from ceiling to walls and windows, then down to furniture and floor surfaces.  Use a vacuum cleaner attachment for maximum efficiency.  Electrostatic microfiber cloths are also good dusting tools.

Vacuuming

Prominently visible and highly-trafficked areas are best vacuumed daily but in general, intensive vacuuming can be done once in a week.  This is enough to prevent dust build-up which could lead to respiratory problems.  Spend some minutes to an hour vacuuming all floor surfaces, including rugs, carpets, stairways and furniture.

Cleaning

Neat and clean houses are maintained by daily superficial cleaning as well as weekly intensive cleaning.  A good way to do a weekly cleaning is to go about it in a particular order.  Some would recommend starting with the front areas of the house going deeper so that when company drops in, the public areas are at least presentable.  Even if you could not clean all areas of the house for lack of time, you could at least clean some.  You could do the following:

• clean entry and patio doors
• shake out door mats
• spot-clean the walls
• straighten out books and magazines
• dust living room appliances
• clean the bathrooms
• clean the kitchen sink
• clean the ref
• take out the trash
• change the linens in every room
• wipe down kitchen appliances
• deep-clean the oven, toaster or microwave
 

Do not dread this weekly cleaning session.  If you keep at it, you’ll be getting better at it.  Plus it provides a good way to exercise.