How to keep your house clean between cleanings

Every day (about 10 minutes total)

1. Reset the kitchen at night. Load the dishwasher, wipe the counter and stovetop, and leave the sink empty. Waking up to a clean kitchen changes the whole day.
2. Do a quick bathroom wipe. A squeegee on the shower glass and a wipe of the sink after use stop water spots and toothpaste from building up.
3. Run a 5-minute pick-up. Set a timer and return things to where they live: shoes, toys, mail, cups.
4. Make the bed. It takes a minute and makes the whole bedroom look done.

A few times a week

• Wipe high-touch spots like door handles, light switches and the fridge handle.
• Spot-sweep the busy areas, like the kitchen and entryway, where crumbs and dirt collect fastest.
• Deal with mail and paper before it turns into a pile.
• Take out trash and recycling before they overflow.

Stop mess at the source

• Shoes off at the door. Less dirt in means floors stay clean longer, especially near the beach where sand travels everywhere.
• A home for everything. A basket for keys, a tray for mail, a bin for toys. Clutter happens when things don't have a place.
• One in, one out. When something new comes in, something old goes out.
• Keep supplies where you use them. A cloth and spray under the bathroom sink make quick wipes easy.

A once-a-week 20-minute catch-up

Pick one fixed time, like Sunday evening, and spend 20 minutes on the things that slip through the daily habits:

• Clear out the fridge of anything past its date before the week's groceries arrive
• Wipe the microwave inside
• Empty small trash cans in bathrooms and bedrooms
• Gather stray cups, chargers and blankets back to where they belong

Twenty minutes once a week is far easier than a lost Saturday every month.

Make cleaning day easier

The night before your cleaning, do a quick pick-up of counters and floors. When surfaces are clear, your team spends the whole visit cleaning instead of moving things. More in our guide on getting ready for your house cleaner.

If upkeep feels like too much

If the house still slides by midweek, that's a sign your cleaning schedule might be too spread out, not that you're doing it wrong. Our guide to weekly vs every 2 weeks vs every 4 weeks can help you pick a rhythm that fits.

With Back to Clean, every visit covers the kitchen, bathrooms, dusting, floors, beds and trash, with the same team each time and one flat monthly price. You keep up the small stuff, and we handle the rest.

Common questions

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