Regular house cleaning can help prevent the spread of germs and dust that can make you sick and trigger allergies. Knowing what to clean and what products to use can maximize your cleaning efforts.
Regular cleaning is an important part of keeping your home healthy.
This includes preventing and reducing bacteria, viruses, dust, and unwanted pests like moths, silverfish, and bedbugs.
And regular cleaning is even more crucial if you or anyone else living in your home is sick or has a weakened immune system. Viruses can live for days on certain surfaces in your home.
This article provides helpful recommendations for cleaning your home, including tools and products to use, what to clean, and when to sanitize or disinfect.
Useful cleaning terms and definitions
- Standard cleaning: A standard cleaning using warm water and soap physically removes the majority of germs and dirt from the surfaces in your home.
- Sanitizing: Sanitizing kills bacteria to the levels used for public health codes and regulations (it does not kill viruses). You can sanitize surface areas in your home using a
diluted bleach solution (1/3 cup of bleach per gallon of room temperature water) or an over-the-counter (OTC) sanitizing product. - Disinfecting: Disinfecting kills viruses and bacteria on surfaces and objects. You can disinfect surface areas in your home using a stronger bleach solution (1/3 cup of bleach per 3/4 gallon of water) or chemical disinfectant products.
WARNING: Do not mix bleach with other OTC disinfectants or cleaning solutions like vinegar. The mixture can release vapors that are dangerous to breathe.
The first step in cleaning your home is to gather all the tools and products you’ll need. Here’s a list of essential cleaning equipment and products.
Essential cleaning equipment
- rubber gloves
- clean rags (you can wash and reuse these after cleaning)
- microfiber cloths (good for cleaning glass and stainless steel), which you can also wash and reuse after cleaning
- a feather or microfiber duster
- garbage bags
- mop and bucket
- broom and dustpan
- scrubbing brushes or sponges
- toilet brush and holder
- vacuum
Essential cleaning products
- All-purpose, multi-surface cleaning product in a spray bottle, or a cleaner you can make at home by mixing 4 cups of water with 4 teaspoons of bleach in a 32-ounce spray bottle
- Glass cleaner (can also use warm soap and water for cleaning windows and mirrors)
- Disinfecting spray or wipes (these are useful to have around the house for quick wipe-ups)
- Sanitizing spray or wipes.
- Bleach (for making diluted cleaning solutions)
- Toilet bowl cleaner
- White vinegar (can help remove dirt and grease and disinfect surface areas)
- Wood cleaner if you have wood floors and furniture (cleans and protects wood surfaces)
- stainless steel cleaner (useful for stainless steel appliances and kitchen sink strainers)
- oven cleaner (for indoor oven cleaning if needed)
Preparing a list of action items before you clean is always helpful. It also feels good to cross each task off as you go. Plus, if you’re enlisting friends or family members to help, you can assign them tasks on your list.
You can copy or print out the following sample action plan. Although you may not choose or have time to do everything on this suggested list, you can use it as a basis for creating your own.
You can also divide and conquer. For example, you may choose to wash your bedding or bath towels on one day of the week, and do all other cleaning on another day.
It’s worth noting that the order of cleaning is important. For example, you’ll want to pick up and put away items that have been left on floors or countertops before beginning cleaning. You’ll also want to dust and wipe surface areas before vacuuming or mopping your floors.
Sample action plan
- Go room-to-room with a laundry bag and a garbage bag: Anything that can be tossed goes into the garbage bag. Clean clothes left on the floor or bed can go back into the closet or clothes drawers. Dirty clothes go into the laundry hamper. You can also pick up glasses or dishware that may have been left in rooms (depending on how long they’ve been there, they may need a little warm water soaking before being placed in the dishwasher).
- Strip beds: Bring bedding to the laundry room and start your first load of laundry.
- Gather bathroom towels and bath mats: Bring them to the laundry room for your next load of laundry.
- Dust all surface areas that tend to collect dust: This includes windowsills, bookshelves, baseboards, furniture surfaces, and the tops of mirrors, pictures, and artwork. It helps to follow up your dusting with a damp rag or microfiber cloth.
- Clean kitchen surfaces: Spray hard surfaces, such as kitchen counters, sink, cabinets, backsplash, and appliances, with a multipurpose or sanitizing cleaner and wipe clean with a microfiber cloth or clean rag.
- Don’t forget to clean the inside of your microwave.
- The inside of your oven can be cleaned every 3 to 6 months, depending on how often you use it.
- The inside of your refrigerator should be cleaned about three or four times a year.
- Clean bathroom surfaces: Clean all hard surfaces, including bathroom counters, sinks, mirrors, showers, bathtubs, and toilets:
- Be careful not to cross-contaminate surfaces by using the same cloth on multiple surfaces. For example, don’t wipe the toilets and then wipe the counters with the same cloth.
- Consider using a disinfectant toilet bowl brush and cleaner to clean the bowl. You can also use a multipurpose or disinfectant spray or wipe on and under the toilet seat, the toilet lid, and other toilet surface areas.
- Spot check walls for marks and clean.
- Spray and wipe down all doorknobs, door handles, and staircase railings.
- Shake small carpets outside.
- Vacuum all your floors, pet beds, and soft furniture (if needed), such as sofas: Before vacuuming, it may be helpful to sweep hardwood or tile floors using a broom and dustpan.
- Mop floors that need cleaning, usually the kitchen, bathrooms, and high traffic areas: Use cleaning products intended for the type of floors you have.
- Make your beds with clean bedding.
- Run dishwasher if full: Put away dishes, glasses, mugs, and utensils when done.
- Hang clean towels and place clean bath mats in bathrooms.
- Hang clean dish clothes in the kitchen.
- Put dishcloths into the laundry machine: This includes cleaning rags and other washable cleaning supplies (such as mop heads and vacuum filters).
Efficiency tip: Run a load or two of laundry while you’re cleaning
While cleaning your house, consider running the following items through your washing machine:
- bedding
- dish towels
- bathroom towels and bath mats
- pet bed covers
- rags and microfiber cloths you’ve used for cleaning (post cleaning)
Here are some everyday cleaning hacks:
- Microwave hack: To get rid of stubborn grime in the microwave (especially the difficult-to-clean ceiling area), boil a cup of water in the microwave. After it’s boiling hot, wipe the inside of the microwave clean. The steam helps loosen dried splatters.
- Address spills when they occur: Even if you don’t have a baby, keeping a container of baby wipes in easy reach is a great tool for picking up food debris on the couch, excited puppy pee on the floor, and countertop coffee spills. Baby wipes clean and disinfect!
- Window glass cleaning: A hand-held window squeegee is a worthwhile investment. Wipe your windows with a cloth dipped in warm water and soap, then squeegee them dry. Wipe down any leftover dampness with a second clean, dry cloth. This method prevents streaks and saves on paper towels. Good for your wallet and the environment.
- Wall scuffs: We swear by the aptly named Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponges. Simply moisten the sponge and gently scrub off any black smudges on your wall.
- Wash your cleaning supplies: Remember to routinely wash your cleaning supplies, such as cleaning rags, microfiber clothes, mop tops, and vacuum filters and canisters.
How to clean a kitchen sponge
A sponge can carry mold and thousands of germs and foodborne pathogens if not cleaned or stored properly. Things you can do to kill germs on a sponge include:
- running your sponge through the dishwasher with a high temperature and drying cycle
- wetting your sponge and placing it in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes
- rinsing and squeezing your sponge after every use, and storing it in a place that allows it to air dry
Cloth dish towels can also harbor unhealthy microorganisms, even if you only use them to dry clean dishes. Wash them often with your machine’s temperature dial set to hot.
Here are cleaning recommendations for specific areas of your house.
Kitchen cleaning tips
Part restaurant, part entertainment center, and part family room, your kitchen is ground zero for the most troublesome spots in the home. Practically every surface is a magnet for bacteria, viruses, and germs (not to mention ants, insects, and other pests).
Here are some general tips for keeping your kitchen clean and pest-free:
- Regularly wipe down all kitchen surfaces: This includes counters, tabletops, and any other surface you frequently touch, like stove or microwave buttons. If available, use an EPA-approved disinfectant.
- Wash all dishes and silverware: This goes before and after you use them.
- Never cut fruits or vegetables on the same cutting board you use to slice raw meat: Clean it with hot water and soap first. Keeping veggies and raw meat separate will avoid cross-contamination and the possible spread of salmonella, E. coli, and other harmful bacteria.
- Help prevent possible insect infestations: Wash dishes and utensils immediately after eating, store food in tightly sealed containers, and keep trash in a container with a lid.
Bedroom cleaning tips
Dust, dust mites, and pet dander (if you have pets) can negatively affect air quality and irritate the best of us, whether or not you’re prone to allergies.
Regular dusting and vacuuming can help remove indoor dust and pet dander.
Here are some tips to get rid of dust mites:
- Use zippered plastic mattress and pillow covers.
- Once a week, wash all bedding in hot water above 130˚F (54.4°).
- Vacuum uncovered mattresses regularly.
Bathroom cleaning tips
Mold can thrive in the bathroom and present a number of health problems, from watery, itchy eyes to asthma attacks.
Another danger lurking in your bathroom, and possibly throughout your house, is trichophyton. This fungus causes ringworm and athlete’s foot and can be passed from one person’s foot to the next via shower or bathroom flooring.
Here are some tips to clean mold and trichophyton:
- Use the right disinfectant: Check it’s designed to kill mold and fungus in the bathroom.
- After bathing or showering, wipe down the tub or shower walls and curtain: You can use a towel or squeegee, and some shower curtains can even be cleaned in the washing machine.
- Throw soiled tissues away and empty the wastebasket daily: Don’t leave them lying around the room or on top of the counter.
Health benefits of regular bathroom cleaning
Rhinovirus, the main cause of the common cold, spreads easily when people touch contaminated surfaces and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth. This is true of COVID-19, too. Both viruses can live on surfaces for days, so it’s important to clean your bathroom regularly.
Cleaning your toilet regularly can also help remove any lingering bacteria or viruses, such as rotavirus and enterococcus.
We sometimes think of household dust as dirt, but it’s much more than that.
A 2016 research review shows how household dust resembles a “parking lot for chemicals” in your home.
Researchers have identified 45 potentially harmful chemicals in household dust. At least 10 of these chemicals were in almost all the samples taken from sites throughout the United States.
Household dust can contribute to a wide array of health problems, including:
- allergies
- asthma
- respiratory issues
- cancers and disorders of the reproductive and nervous systems
These effects can increase in the winter when we typically spend more time indoors.
To keep problems from dust to a minimum, the
- clean
- well-ventilated
- dry (damp homes provide a welcome environment for dust mites and mold)
- free of pests (such as roaches and rodents)
- free of contaminants (such as lead, radon, carbon monoxide, asbestos, secondhand smoke, and other chemicals)
How often should you replace your air filters?
How often you replace your air filter depends on your filter. The recommended replacement time is usually noted on the product packaging.
Basic fiberglass air filters should be replaced every 30 days. Pleated filters usually need to be replaced every 90 days. However, you may want to change them every 60 days if you have pets or allergies or live in a dusty area.
Signs that you need to replace your filters include visible dirt or dust buildup on the filter or increased energy bills. Dirty filters can make your HVAC system work harder, leading to higher energy consumption.
Knowing when and what to clean regularly, and when and what to sanitize and disinfect is important. The
| When and what to clean | When and what to sanitize | When and what to disinfect |
|---|---|---|
| Regularly clean high touch surfaces such as light switches, doorknobs, toilets, and countertops with warm water and soap or a multipurpose cleaning spray. | Sanitize surfaces (such as kitchen countertops, cutting boards, or refrigerator shelves) that have been touched or contaminated by raw meat (such as pork, beef, or poultry) using a homemade bleach solution or OTC sanitizing product. Surfaces must be cleaned before you sanitize them. | Disinfect surfaces when someone is sick or is at risk of getting sick due to a weakened immune system. You can use an OTC disinfectant product or a stronger bleach solution. Surfaces must be cleaned before you sanitize them. |
| Clean other surfaces (such as carpets, floors, furniture, dish clothes, and bathroom towels) when they are visibly dirty or haven’t been cleaned in a while. | Sanitize all infant feeding items and toys they may teethe on. You can sanitize items by boiling or steaming. You can also use a dishwasher with a sanitizing cycle. | |
| Consider sanitizing your refrigerator shelves or food bins if you have purchased and stored a recalled food item. |
While cleaning is not typically an enjoyable experience for most people, having a clean home can bring many benefits, including:
- Improved physical health: A clean house removes or reduces allergens, dirt, fungi, bacteria, and viruses from your home.
- Positive mental well-being: A tidy environment can boost your mood, increase productivity, and bring about a sense of calmness.
- Better sleep: A clean and well-organized bedroom can promote relaxation and improve sleep quality.
- More social interactions: Having a clean home may make you more likely to invite guests over, boosting social confidence and friendships.
Cleaning your house regularly can benefit your mental and physical health, while creating a safe haven you look forward to spending time in and sharing with others.
If cleaning your entire house feels overwhelming, especially if it’s just you doing the cleaning, remember you can always divide your to-do list into separate days. For example, you can clean your kitchen one day, then your bathrooms the next day, and so on.
You can also try listening to music or a podcast while you work. It can help make the cleaning process less tedious.