House Cleaning Checklist: What to Clean in Every Room

A useful house cleaning checklist separates the jobs that need doing every time you clean from the ones that only need attention every few weeks or months. Below is a room-by-room list split that way, followed by what a regular professional clean usually covers, what is usually treated as extra, and a short version for when guests are on their way.

How to use this checklist

“Every visit” means each regular clean, which for most households is weekly or every two weeks. “Occasionally” means monthly or seasonally, depending on how busy your home is. If you are not sure how often to do what, the house cleaning schedule breaks it down by frequency.

A few habits make any cleaning list go faster:

• Work top to bottom in each room, so dust from shelves and fixtures falls onto floors you have not cleaned yet
• Go dry before wet: dust and vacuum before you wipe and mop
• Spray the shower, tub and toilet first, then clean the mirror and sink while the product works
• Carry your supplies in a caddy so you are not walking back to the closet for each one
• Put things away before you start, so you are cleaning surfaces instead of moving piles around

House cleaning checklist, room by room

Kitchen

Every visit:

• Wipe the counters, backsplash and stovetop
• Clean the outside of appliances, including fridge handles and the microwave door
• Wipe the inside of the microwave
• Clean and dry the sink and faucet
• Wipe cabinet fronts where hands touch them
• Empty the garbage, recycling and compost, and wipe the lids
• Sweep or vacuum, then mop the floor

Occasionally:

• Clean inside the oven and the fridge
• Degrease the range hood and soak its filter
• Wipe inside cabinets and drawers
• Clean the dishwasher filter and door seal
• Wipe the top of the fridge and upper cabinets

Bathrooms

Every visit:

• Clean and disinfect the toilet, including the base and seat hinges
• Scrub the tub or shower and wipe the glass doors
• Clean the sink, faucet and counter
• Polish the mirror
• Empty the garbage
• Wash the floor, including behind the toilet

Occasionally:

• Scrub the grout and check the caulking for mildew
• Wash the shower curtain liner and bath mat
• Vacuum and wipe the exhaust fan cover
• Clear out and wipe the vanity drawers and medicine cabinet

Grout, soap scum and mildew each need their own approach. The bathroom deep cleaning guide covers them step by step.

Bedrooms

Every visit:

• Change or straighten the bedding
• Dust nightstands, dressers and headboards
• Dust lamps and picture frames
• Vacuum the floor, including along the edges of the bed

Occasionally:

• Vacuum under the bed and other furniture
• Wipe baseboards, door frames and light switches
• Vacuum the mattress
• Wash pillows and duvets according to their care labels
• Wipe closet shelves

Living and dining areas

Every visit:

• Dust surfaces, shelves, electronics and picture frames
• Straighten cushions and vacuum sofa crevices
• Wipe the dining table and chairs
• Vacuum rugs and carpets, and mop hard floors

Occasionally:

• Vacuum upholstery and under the cushions
• Dust ceiling fans, light fixtures and blinds
• Wipe window sills and vacuum the tracks
• Move furniture and vacuum underneath

Entry and hallways

In Vancouver, the entry takes the most punishment from fall through spring. Wet shoes, dripping umbrellas and grit from the sidewalk all end up on the floor and the lower walls.

Every visit:

• Shake out or vacuum the door mat
• Wash the floor, especially around the boot tray
• Wipe door handles and light switches

Occasionally:

• Wash the boot tray and the mat
• Wipe scuffs and splash marks off the walls and front door
• Clean the floor of the front hall closet

Laundry area

Every visit:

• Wipe the tops of the washer and dryer
• Clean the lint trap
• Sweep or vacuum the floor

Occasionally:

• Wipe the rubber door seal on a front-loading washer, then leave the door open to dry
• Run a washer cleaning cycle
• Vacuum behind the machines if you can reach safely

What professional house cleaners do on a regular visit

Every company sets its own scope, but a standard recurring clean usually covers the “every visit” tasks above: kitchen surfaces and appliance exteriors, full bathroom cleaning, dusting reachable surfaces, making beds, vacuuming, mopping and emptying garbage. The goal of a regular visit is to keep the home at a consistent level, not to catch up on months of build-up.

Tasks that are commonly treated as extras, or saved for a deep clean, include:

• The inside of the oven
• The inside of the fridge
• Interior windows and window tracks
• Washing walls
• The inside of cabinets and drawers
• Laundry, dishes and organizing

Before you book, ask for a written list of what is included and what costs extra. It avoids assumptions on both sides. If your home has not had a thorough clean in a while, expect the first visit to take longer than the ones after it, since it deals with the build-up that regular visits then maintain. The deep cleaning checklist shows what that first, more detailed clean usually involves.

Before guests arrive: the quick version

When you have an hour or two before people show up, focus on the rooms guests will see and use:

• Clear and wipe the kitchen counters and sink
• Clean the guest bathroom: toilet, sink and mirror, with fresh towels and spare toilet paper
• Empty the kitchen and bathroom garbage
• Vacuum the entry and the main living area
• Set out a spot for wet coats, boots and umbrellas by the door
• Spot-clean fingerprints on glass, the fridge and light switches
• Put away clutter; a laundry basket in a closet works in a pinch

For holidays and overnight guests, add:

• Fresh sheets and towels in the guest room, plus clear space in a closet or drawer
• A fridge clean-out to make room for extra food
• A wipe of the dining table, chairs and any serving dishes that have been in storage

When it makes sense to hire a professional

If the weekly list keeps slipping, or you would rather spend your weekends on something else, a regular cleaning schedule takes it off your plate. C&M Cleaning Service provides house cleaning across Metro Vancouver, working in teams with eco-friendly, non-toxic products, including its own Clean & Mint line, and HEPA-filter vacuums. Quotes are free.

FAQ

How often should a house be cleaned?

Most homes do well with kitchens and bathrooms cleaned every week and a fuller clean every one to two weeks. Homes with pets, young children or people with allergies usually need more frequent vacuuming and dusting. Occasional tasks, like the inside of the oven or fridge, can rotate through on a monthly or seasonal basis.

What order should you clean a house in?

Start with bathrooms and the kitchen, since products need time to sit on soap scum and grease. Within each room, work top to bottom and dry before wet, leaving floors for last. Finish with the rooms nearest the door so you are not walking across floors you have just washed.

Should I tidy up before the cleaners come?

Yes. Picking up clutter, dishes and laundry means the cleaners spend their time cleaning surfaces rather than moving things around. Put away valuables and important papers, and let the company know about anything fragile or any areas you want skipped.