Whole Home Cleaning Guide


This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of naturally it’s clean. All opinions are entirely my own

It’s taken me a long time to get into the grove of keeping our whole house clean as a work at home mom, especially with constant renovations. If you’re still trying to figure out a system that works for you, today I’m sharing my room-by-room Home Cleaning Checklists to hopefully make your life a little bit easier!

House Cleaning Checklist

I am definitely not a natural when it comes to keeping a clean home.

I honestly don’t mind clutter and would rather do just about anything rather than clean. Plus, working from home means that I always have more work to do – if I find myself with 15 extra minutes in a day, I’m either going to use it to connect with my family or to work. 

However, I love entertaining and when the house is clean I do feel more proud of all of the work that we’ve done and am more inclined to invite people over to our house. Plus, as much as clutter doesn’t stress me out, there are studies that show that clutter stops us from being able to tap into our creative juices because our brains are constantly processing the environment around us.

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This past year, I’ve been focusing on building healthy home cleaning habits and also purging our home (once again) of items that we no longer need.

I’ve also switched home cleaning products, opting for plant based enzyme-based cleaners that clean our home naturally and effectively. I found the naturally it’s clean products on Amazon and they have been awesome. No harsh chemical smells and are are completely non-toxic, so there is no need to avoid cleaning around the kids.

There’s no compromising with these products – they clean effectively and leave the house smelling great. Plus, each bottle seems to last me forever, so stocking up on the double pack of each cleaner lasts me the entire year.

This is the schedule that works best for me and my family. Your needs and your schedule may differ from mine, so I encourage you to look at my checklist as a starting point; consider what works for you and discard the rest. Add to it or change the suggested frequencies according to your own cleaning needs or style.

Basically, I clean the kitchen and bathrooms each morning and tidy up our living areas at the end of the day. The kitchen and bathrooms take about 15 minutes maximum (because they are cleaned daily so there isn’t a huge, accumulated mess) and the common area tidy up takes about 10 minutes.

Now that my daughter is 8 years old, she’s in charge of cleaning her own room. I will help her if it gets insanely messy, but it’s not something that I do routinely or have in my schedule. I’ll put her (clean, unfolded) laundry in her room, change her bedsheets weekly, and clean her windows and mirrors. Again, this is what works for me and my parenting/cleaning style. I have no issues walking past a messy bedroom 20 times a day if that’s what it takes to get her to learn how to be responsible for her space and her possessions.

Scroll down to the bottom of the post to download your free printable home cleaning checklists.

Getting ready

Before I even start cleaning, I find a great playlist or podcast to put on in the background to make the whole process more enjoyable.

I grab a water and set out my cleaning supplies in a central spot, rather than lugging them from one room to another. I open some windows to get a fresh breeze through the house.

I also grab a few empty laundry baskets – I always have like 10 of the $1 ones floating around the house for various organizational tasks. While going room to room and cleaning up clutter, I sort items into the baskets based on where in the house they should go. This is a more efficient alternative than walking each item to it’s place and potentially getting side tracked.

Personally, I like to clean the house in the order of the rooms that need a good clean the most. That way, if I get interrupted or run out of time, the most important zones were taken care of. For me, that looks like:

  • Kitchen
  • Bathrooms
  • Living Room
  • Bedrooms
  • Common areas (including dining room, play room, entrance rooms)
  • Laundry room
  • Office/Hobby Rooms

I leave vacuuming and mopping until last and just do all rooms at the same time. Personally, I vacuum once a day and mop once a week because that’s all our home needs; we don’t wear shoes inside and we don’t have pets. I polish the hardwood once a month, though many people would prefer to do it weekly.

Kitchen Cleaning Checklist

Dishes

  • Empty and refill the dishwasher, as needed
  • Wash any dishes in the sink and put away
  • Wipe down sink
  • Wipe down and shine the faucet using a dry cloth
  • Monthly: clean the dishwasher (if you don’t have a self-cleaning model)

Counters

  • Tidy the counters by putting anything away that was left out.
  • Wipe down the counters and cabinets using naturally it’s clean Multi-Surface Cleaner

Appliances

  • Wipe down appliance fronts using naturally it’s clean Multi-Surface Cleaner or Glass & Stainless cleaner, depending on the type of appliances you own
  • Weekly: empty and clean refrigerator – throw out spoilt food and clean up any spills (I use this time to also make a grocery list and brainstorm meal ideas to use up any items that need to be used soon
  • Monthly: wipe down inside of oven, replace drip trays and burner liners (if using)

 

Daily:

  • Remove items that belong in other rooms using laundry basket system
  • Vacuum or sweep
  • Empty garbage, compost and recycling bins
  • Disinfect door handles, light switches, other commonly touched items
  • Or Weekly: Mop using naturally it’s clean Floors concentrate (diluted according to the bottle directions)

Weekly:

  • Clean kitchen disposal
  • Wipe down small appliances, such as the microwave, toaster (that crumb tray), coffee maker, etc.
  • Disinfect trash can

Monthly:

  • Clean windows
  • Dust blinds, curtains, fan blades, shelves (when cleaning the shelves, this is a great time to check out expiration dates and ensure that you use up items that need to be)
  • Clean walls, as needed, including tile grout and baseboards

A couple times a year I will move the stove and fridge to clean under them and clean refrigerator coils.

 

Bathroom Cleaning Checklist

Daily

  • Clear off all surfaces, putting items away
  • Replace hand towels with fresh ones
  • Clean surfaces – bath, shower, sink, door handles, light switches- using naturally it’s clean Multi-Surface Cleaner
  • Clean and scrub toilet using naturally it’s clean Toilet cleaner (be sure to clean the outside of the toilet, too, not just the bowl and seat)
  • Clean the mirror using naturally it’s clean Glass & Stainless cleaner (you may only need to do this weekly)
  • Wipe down and shine the faucet using a dry cloth
  • Empty wastebaskets
  • Vacuum
  • Mop, if needed
  • Remove items that belong in other rooms using laundry basket system

Weekly

  • Mop using naturally it’s clean Floors Concentrate
  • Scrub down bath, shower, sink using naturally it’s clean Mildew Stain Remover. Remove and wipe down all containers in the bathtub and shower area
  • Wipe down cabinet fronts with naturally it’s clean Multi-Surface Cleaner
  • Clean any bathroom mats/rugs
  • Disinfect waste baskets

Monthly

  • Clean windows using naturally it’s clean Glass & Stainless cleaner
  • Dust blinds, curtains, fan blades, shelves, medicine cabinet (dispose of any expired products and make a list of items to replace)
  • Clean walls, as needed, including tile grout and baseboards

 

Living Room Cleaning Checklist

Daily:

  • Clear off all surfaces, putting items away
  • Wipe down coffee and end tables with naturally it’s clean Multi-Surface Cleaner
  • Treat any carpet or furniture stains with naturally it’s clean Carpet Stains & Odors cleaner
  • Remove items that belong in other rooms using laundry basket system
  • Vacuum floors

Weekly:

  • Dust surfaces, electronics, decorative pieces, photographs, blinds, curtains, lamps, etc.
  • Move furniture to vacuum underneath
  • Organize items
  • Wash throw blankets, as needed
  • Disinfect toys, door handles, light switches, other commonly touched items
  • Mop or polish floor using naturally it’s clean Floors Concentrate (if needed)

Monthly: 

  • Vacuum furniture
  • Clean windows using naturally it’s clean Glass & Stainless cleaner
  • Mop or polish floor using naturally it’s clean Floors Concentrate (if needed)
  • Clean walls, as needed, including door frames and baseboards
  • Remove covers from throw pillows (etc) and wash

 

Bedroom Cleaning Checklist

Daily:

  • Make beds, if that’s your thing
  • Clear off all surfaces, putting items away
  • Remove items that belong in other rooms using laundry basket system
  • Vacuum floors

Weekly:

  • Change bed sheets, treat stains with naturally it’s clean Laundry Stain Remover
  • Dust surfaces, electronics, decorative pieces, photographs, blinds, curtains, lamps, etc.
  • Vacuum underneath beds and other bedroom furniture
  • Disinfect toys, door handles, light switches, other commonly touched items
  • Organize items
  • Mop or polish floor using naturally it’s clean Floors Concentrate (if needed)

Monthly:

  • Vacuum furniture
  • Clean windows using naturally it’s clean Glass & Stainless cleaner
  • Mop or polish floor using naturally it’s clean Floors Concentrate (if needed)
  • Clean walls, as needed, including door frames and baseboards
  • Remove covers from throw pillows (etc) and wash
  • Replace or refresh drawer and closet fresheners
  • Wash or air out pillows or mattress pads (hanging on a clothes line outside is great for airing out)

 

Common Areas (Play Room, Dining Room, etc) Cleaning Checklist

  • Clear off all surfaces, putting items away
  • Wipe down tables with naturally it’s clean Multi-Surface Cleaner
  • Treat any carpet or furniture stains with naturally it’s clean Carpet Stains & Odors cleaner
  • Remove items that belong in other rooms using laundry basket system
  • Vacuum floors

Weekly:

  • Dust surfaces, electronics, decorative pieces, photographs, blinds, curtains, lamps, etc.
  • Move furniture to vacuum underneath
  • Organize items
  • Wash throw blankets, as needed
  • Disinfect toys, door handles, light switches, other commonly touched items
  • Mop or polish floor using naturally it’s clean Floors Concentrate (if needed)

Monthly: 

  • Vacuum furniture
  • Clean windows using naturally it’s clean Glass & Stainless cleaner
  • Mop or polish floor using naturally it’s clean Floors Concentrate (if needed)
  • Clean walls, as needed, including door frames and baseboards
  • Remove covers from throw pillows (etc) and wash

 

Laundry Room Cleaning Checklist

Daily:

  • At least one load of laundry, from start to finish (you may need to do more based on your family’s lifestyle and size)
  • Remove dryer lint
  • Clear off all surfaces, putting items away
  • Remove items that belong in other rooms using laundry basket system
  • Vacuum, as needed

Weekly:

  • Wipe off/dust all surfaces, disinfecting with naturally it’s clean Multi-Surface Cleaner, as needed
  • Organize items
  • Mop or polish floor using naturally it’s clean Floors Concentrate (if needed)
  • Empty trash

Monthly: 

  • Clean windows using naturally it’s clean Glass & Stainless cleaner
  • Mop or polish floor using naturally it’s clean Floors Concentrate (if needed)
  • Clean walls, as needed, including door frames, cabinets and baseboards
  • Wash dryer lint trap to remove film
  • Wipe down washing machine, dryer, laundry sink with naturally it’s clean Multi-Surface Cleaner
  • Bi-monthly or once a quarter: deep clean the washing machine

 

Office/Hobby Rooms Cleaning Checklist

  • Clear off all surfaces, putting items away – for on-going projects, group the items together in one central spot or on a craft tray
  • Wipe down tables with naturally it’s clean Multi-Surface Cleaner
  • Treat any carpet or furniture stains with naturally it’s clean Carpet Stains & Odors cleaner
  • Remove items that belong in other rooms using laundry basket system
  • Vacuum floors
  • If it’s an office, organize items daily
  • Empty trash

Weekly:

  • Dust surfaces, electronics, decorative pieces, photographs, blinds, curtains, lamps, etc.
  • Move furniture to vacuum underneath
  • Organize items
  • Disinfect door handles, light switches, computer keyboards, other commonly touched items
  • Mop or polish floor using naturally it’s clean Floors Concentrate (if needed)

Monthly: 

  • Vacuum furniture
  • Clean windows using naturally it’s clean Glass & Stainless cleaner
  • Mop or polish floor using naturally it’s clean Floors Concentrate (if needed)
  • Clean walls, as needed, including door frames and baseboards
  • Remove covers from throw pillows (etc) and wash

 

Grab your free printable Home Cleaning Checklist here.

 

And don’t forget to PIN THIS POST if you’re not ready to print them quite yet, or want to refer back to this.

I’d love to hear from you! What is your cleaning schedule? Are there any tasks that you do that I neglected to add to my checklists?

For more home management resources, check out our Budget Tracking printables or How We Structure Our Mornings for Connection.

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