It’s easy to get caught up in your busy schedule. You’re running around trying to excel at work, maintain relationships, have a social life, work out, run errands, give back to your community, and before you know it, you walk into your bathroom and… whoa. You think to yourself this couldn’t possibly be your bathroom. This must be a mistake. You must have walked into the wrong apartment.
How many times have you used the “oh, I’ll clean that tomorrow” excuse? Tomorrow comes and goes, and now it’s “that’s fine for one more day.” If you’re not a type-A person, knowing what, where, and when to clean can be overwhelming. Not to mention the fact that cleaning isn’t the most fun way to spend your time. But it’s still necessary, like it or not. That’s why it’s best to make a plan for yourself outlining what needs to be washed daily, weekly, monthly, and even yearly. That way, you’re more likely to stay on top of the chores and less likely to walk into your bathroom and want to hide in embarrassment.
Girl, you work hard for that apartment. It’s important to have a sense of pride when you walk into it at the end of each day. Plus, it’s always nice to have your place ready to go when you have guests over and not have to scramble to wipe down the kitchen as they are walking in. Even if you feel like your life is all over the place, one thing you can control to make you feel like you have it all together is keeping your space tidy.
Today, we’re breaking down everything you should be cleaning in your apartment each week. You can choose to do one room each day of the week or knock it all out in a couple of hours on Sunday morning, depending on your schedule. Happy cleaning!
Bedroom
Bedsheets
You should be washing your bed sheets probably more often than you think. Even if you don’t know it, you sweat every night in your sleep, and your sheets are soaking it up! If you’re a morning shower person, then you’re most likely bringing dirt from the day into bed with you. Also, if you allow your pet to sleep with you, who knows what they’re bringing into your bed! Nobody wants to sleep in their own sweat, body oils, dirt, and whatever else is in there. Trust me, just wash your sheets. You’ll sleep better at night.
Floors
If you have hard floors in your bedroom, they can gather dust and other debris very quickly, and it’s super noticeable. Make sure you’re sweeping, mopping, or vacuuming them every week to prevent dust from building up. If you have carpet, anything can get caught in there. Vacuum often to prevent the carpet from looking dirty and discolored. Don’t forget under the bed and in the corners!
Hard Surfaces
Once again, dust can build up quickly, especially on hard, flat surfaces. You want to clean it before it becomes noticeable. Get a microfiber duster, and go over all your surfaces such as dressers, nightstands, desks, and ceiling fans.
Bathroom
Towels and bath mats
If you’re not washing them every few uses, you should at least be washing them once a week. Towels and bath mats may seem harmless, but they are actually secretly really dirty. When you’re using your towel to dry off, it’s still collecting all the leftover dirt. The bacteria on the towels thrive on these moist, dark surfaces and continue to multiply. Ew. Keep track of how often you’re washing these.
Floors
Bathrooms, overall, are just dirty places. Who knows what kind of germs and bacteria are living in there. That’s why it’s best to give the floor a good mopping every week. First, start with sweeping up all the dirt and dust. Then, using a store-bought floor cleaner or a home mixture and wet the floor to disinfect. Then, use a mop or a cloth to clean! If you want an extra shine to it, use a towel to dry.
Mirror
A dirty mirror is a sure sign of a dirty bathroom. No one is immune from splashing water on the mirror while brushing their teeth or washing their face. Use a window or glass cleaner to wipe this down every week to remove noticeable grime and dust.
Sink and tub
You don’t have to give these a deep cleaning every week, but wiping them down with a cleaner or bleach wipe once a week is good. Wipe it down enough to remove anything laying in the tub or sink. That way it won’t be as bad when the time does come to give them a deep and thorough cleaning.
Toilet
Do I even have to explain how important is it to clean the toilet often? You’re going to want to use a toilet bowl cleaner to get rid of stains and water rings. A standard bathroom surface cleaner or bleach wipe can be used for the seat, lip, and on top of the tank.
Kitchen
Source: Danielle Moss for The Everygirl
Floors
Just like the other areas of the home, the floors need to be cleaned here too. Food and liquids spill on the floor every day. You don’t want to attract bugs into your space, so keep it clean!
Counters, cabinets, and appliances
Though you should be wiping down your counters every day, giving them another thorough clean along with the cabinets and appliances never hurts. It’s important to keep these areas clean because they are usually the first things people notice when they walk into the kitchen. Also, nobody wants to cook or eat in a dirty kitchen!
Microwave
The inside of the microwave should be wiped down every week and the plate, if removable, should be washed. Whether food spills or splatters all over the sides, they always somehow manage to get dirty so fast.
Refrigerator
Once a week, you should be going through the food in the fridge and pitching anything that is no longer good. At one time or another, we’ve all been guilty of finding produce we swore were actually going to eat in the back of the fridge in a very bad state. Not only is this just gross, but it can smell up the fridge. Make sure you clean out anything that has gone bad!
Sink
Studies have found that your kitchen sink is one of the dirtiest spots in the kitchen. You should properly clean it once a week (if cooking with raw meat then wash it right after) to prevent bacteria from building up. First, wipe down the sides and bottom with dish soap and hot water. Then, go in with diluted bleach, diluted white vinegar, or another kind of disinfectant to sanitize. Be sure to rinse thoroughly afterwards!
Living Room
Source: Rachel Klein for The Everygirl
Floors
OK, you get the pattern by now. Clean your floors, people! It’s gross when you’re walking barefoot in someone’s home and things are sticking to the bottom of your feet. This is the space where most of your guests come, so make it a comfortable and clean space that they want to be in. Also, we may not always notice the dust ball in the corner, but it’ll probably be the first thing your guests see!
Hard Surfaces
Once again, just take a duster and wipe down any hard surfaces where dust will compile. If you have a glass coffee table or side table, make sure you’re using the proper cleaner on those surfaces as well. Don’t forget those pesky window ledges!
Windows
Let the sunshine in! Remove the dust that builds up with a window or glass cleaner. When the light shines through the window, the dirt is so noticeable, especially if your apartment has a lot of big windows. Also, cleaning these off will make your apartment so much brighter!
Fluff and rotate cushions
Fluffing and rotating your cushions keeps one side from wearing down and allows the couch to look new for longer. Especially if you Netflix and chill a lot, it’s a nice way to keep the couch looking fresh and comfy. Also, flip and turn the pillows if their shape allows. If you have a cloth couch, you can go ahead and give it a quick vacuum too.
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