How To Clean Your House And Stay Healthy

Today I’m sharing how to clean your house and stay healthy. I’m hoping this post will help families get organized, stay clutter-free, and have joy in their homes. If my house is clean and orderly I am one happy chick! I’m updating this post today because I feel it’s important that we must stay healthy and strong, and having a clean house really helps.

I remember when my daughters were little and we had job charts. They each had different cleaning jobs that would be traded weekly so they would learn every job around the house.

I was probably a little over the top in cleaning, which I regret now, but we all have to learn as we go when we’re young mothers, right? My grandkids come and I could care less about the handprints on the windows. I actually cherish them. How life changes.

I have learned to relax and enjoy life, spilled milk and handprints on the walls. Life is good. I also know we need to teach our children to work, need I say more?

I’m going to have different printable instruction sheets at the bottom of this post so you can print them. If you have other ideas I have forgotten, please tell me and I’ll add your ideas and tips to my lists. We all learn from each other. I use Clorox wipes weekly on all my light switches, TV remotes, phone (used to have a landline), and cell phones. Yep, that’s what I do.

I remember attending classes years and years ago and the woman teaching the class taught us to “put your house to bed at night.” After I attended that class I started a routine that before I went to bed each night I made sure the living room and kitchen were put to bed each night and ready for the family the next day. That is a statement I live by to this day.

I recently wrote a post on cleaning bathrooms. Here’s the deal, I don’t use what some people call “green” cleaning products. I guess I should learn to use the “green” products if they actually disinfect the rooms I’m cleaning. I’ve found most of the “green” products don’t clean to my standards.

I do love Dr. Bonner’s castile soap, I must say. Again, I’ve found most of the “green” products don’t clean to my standards. So there you have it, I use the stuff that actually cleans and gets rid of the bacteria.

I remember years ago when I lived in a neighborhood where there was a young mother who was always sick with strep throat or bronchitis, and her children seemed to get sick often too.

The neighborhood actually became her cleaning crew. Every week we were asked to go clean her house. One day I spoke up and said: “She needs to learn to clean her house and teach her kids to clean up after themselves.”

Her husband actually joked that if the family’s house was broken into that the robbers would turn around and leave because it looked like it had already been ransacked because there was stuff all over the floors, couches, and countertops. Yes, his wife heard the statement and we all laughed, and then we taught her and her kids how to clean the house.

How To Clean Your House And Stay Healthy

As mentioned, at the end of this post is a printable, so if you want to use it as a checklist, great. The first time you do a deep clean of any room or area in the home it could be a challenge. Just be patient and realize with more frequent attention to the cleaning process it will be much easier each time.

Depending on how many people live in your house, and how cooperative they may be in helping out, the tasks outlined may not be necessary every time you clean. This is a process, so don’t get caught up in perfection, just try your best, and hope others will also.

Try rotating the rooms each Saturday so you aren’t cleaning the same rooms every time. Some rooms will need more attention than others, such as the bathrooms and kitchen. Once you get a routine going, it will be easier going forward. If you have a cooperative spouse and some older kids, you can make some significant “assignments” to spread the workload so it isn’t such a challenge.

Bathrooms:

I love to clean bathrooms. Call me crazy, but I love my clean bathrooms. I clean them every week on Sunday (I know it’s the Sabbath), but I have a schedule and it takes me literally five minutes to clean one bathroom. It only takes five minutes to clean from top to bottom because I keep up on it weekly.

I have two bathrooms, so it takes me a total of ten minutes a week to clean both bathrooms. P.S. I love the smell of a clean bathroom, I really do.

If we teach our children when they are young to keep the bathroom sink free from toothpaste goop, life is good in the home. If they never learn to clean a sink the toothpaste goop will be there for years. Trust me, I have cleaned a lot of homes for people. Teach a child to be proud of their bathroom by learning the skills to keep it clean.

I remember one of my awesome sons-in-law showing some toddlers (my cute grandkids) how to replace the toilet paper roll in a bathroom. He had them practice by pushing the toilet paper holder together to release it to remove the old roll and place a fresh new roll of toilet paper on the holder.

No one likes to go into the bathroom to use it and find the toilet paper roll is empty. Need I say more?

Wipe down fingerprints on doors.

Keep a bucket of cleaning supplies in every bathroom.

Every bathroom should have a toilet bowl cleaner tool.

Clean the faucets as directed by the manufacturer. Don’t use any chemical cleaners or pads that may scratch or tarnish the surface.

Stock the cupboard with extra toilet paper.

Stock the cupboard with extra bars of soap and toothpaste.

Sink, scrub it until clean.

Countertops, scrub until clean.

Mirror, make it shine and be spotless.

Toilet, clean the entire toilet inside and out down to the floor.

Empty garbage cans and replace the liner.

Clean the floor and moldings.

Replace the toilet paper if needed.

Replace the soap in the bathtub/shower if needed.

Scrub the bathtub/shower, including the soap dish.

Wash the bath towels and hand towels.

Replace the light bulbs if needed.

Wipe TV remotes with Clorox wipes if applicable.

Wipe the light switches with Clorox wipes.

My Bathroom Cleaning Products:

I wrote a post a month ago about cleaning bathrooms and shared these tips:

Toilet bowl cleaner: Lysol Cling Gel Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Ocean Fresh Scent, 24 Ounce (Pack of 4) I use this product to spray under the toilet rim and let it soak as directed on the bottle. Next, I use the pumice stone shown below on my list of cleaning supplies.

Pumice stone: U. S. Pumice HDW-12 Pumice Scouring Stick (4 pack)

A few years ago, I remember someone saying to me, “Well, won’t that pumice stone scratch the toilet bowl”? Yes, it sure could, but I would rather see a clean toilet bowl than the brownish-black stuff that won’t wash off under the toilet rim. That’s totally gross, in my opinion.

So, I use elbow grease and scrub under the toilet rim with a wet pumice stone with the Lysol Cling Gel Toilet Bowl Cleaner sprayed under the rim. Now, I have never had to do this on my toilets, but if you have a rental or older toilet, you may need to do this in order to make them white again.

Clorox wipes: Clorox Disinfecting Wipes Value Pack, Scented, 225 Count (Packaging May Vary)

These wipes are what I use to wipe down the top of the toilet tank, the toilet tank, the lid, and the toilet seat. I use about 5-6 Clorox sheets per bathroom every week. I use them on the countertops and the top rim of the bathtub.

I also use these to clean the grout that may be yellowed by pee at the bottom of the toilet bowl tank next to the floor. The grout can get pretty bad if not cleaned weekly. I call that ring around the toilet! I even use them on the floor.

Window cleaner: Sprayway Glass Cleaner – 6 Cans

I used to buy a popular window cleaner. Even though it said it was streak-free, my windows always had streaks. I prefer these cans because they work great. Costco sells a really good brand as well.

I am fussy about clean mirrors and faucets. I typically share a can or two with friends and all but one keeps asking me where to buy it. I love clean windows and mirrors. I buy my glass cleaner by the case, yep 12 cans!

Shower cleaner: Scrubbing Bubbles Shower Cleaner Mega Foamer 3 Pack

This stuff cleans the shower walls really well, and I mean really well. I sometimes still have to use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Cleaning Pads with the cleaner if the stains are hard to get out.  Make sure the product is safe for your shower walls.

Bathroom counter cleaner: Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaner Aerosol Color Change (Pack Of 2)

This stuff cleans the bathroom countertops really well, and I mean really well. I sometimes still have to use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Cleaning Pads with the cleaner if the stains are hard to get out. Make sure the product is safe for your countertops.

Towel Rack:

Here’s the deal about towel racks. We need to make it as easy as possible for people to hang up their towels, whether it be hand or bath towels. Hooks work the best because they literally ensure the towels are in fact hung up to dry.

No one likes to fold them into thirds to hang them on the towel bar, in my opinion. I did away with towel bars years ago. I only have towel bars with hooks in both bathrooms now. Towel Racks

Garbage Cans: InterDesign Kent Bathware, 10-Inch Waste Can, Bronze

If you get a nice sturdy small garbage can and use garbage bags it makes life so much easier when you empty them. I promise. Empty them as needed. Target sells great little garbage cans that are not very expensive.

Garbage Bags:

You can buy 4-gallon garbage bags at your local supermarket or online. I tie a knot in one corner and slip it over the can. They work great and keep the garbage cans clean. 4-Gallon Garbage Bags

Toilet Bowl Cleaner Set:

I have one of these sets in each bathroom so they are ready to use when I clean the bathrooms on Sunday. I don’t use them as the video shows.

I just use the brush/wand with the cleaning solution squirted on it and swish it around the toilet bowl. Next, I squeeze the brush with the cover and get as much water out of them after scrubbing the toilet bowl.

Then I let it dry until next week. Then I use the Clorox wipes to wipe down the toilet parts as indicated above. This is how I clean my bathrooms in 10 minutes every week, literally 10 minutes. Don Aslett Cleaning Set

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Cleaning Pads: Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Cleaning Pads, 8-Count Box

I use these cleaning pads to clean the bathtub and shower walls. You wet them and start scrubbing. Love it! Just so you know, these cleaning pads will remove washable chalk paint in the tubs and shower.

I tried everything and this is the ONLY thing that will remove it. I also use these on rentals where the toilets have really dirty grout on the bottom of the toilet next to the floor. Yep, they work on pee stains.

If your showers are really grimy, this tool works great. I use them when I go help people clean their showers/bathtubs.

Bedrooms:

I do know that if my bed is made-up daily I feel like my day has started off right. Yes, I make my bed every day as soon as I wake up. It’s a habit I love. I also love looking at my bedroom with all the pillows piled on top of the quilt. My husband would love only two pillows, the ones we sleep on. I love decorator pillows, it’s who I am.

I change my quilt every three months. The bed skirt stays the same, but the quilt and shams are changed out. I can’t afford to replace my furniture, but I will say I love a new look in my bedroom every few months.

My bedroom is my sanctuary, very neat and tidy. I open the window shutters to let the sunshine come in and it always brightens my day, literally. Sunshine makes me happy, what about you? Some things you should consider doing at your house:

Make your bed every day.

Wipe down fingerprints on doors.

Change and wash the sheets weekly.

Empty garbage cans and replace the liner.

Vacuum the carpet or clean the floor, empty vacuum container as needed.

Wipe the moldings down monthly.

Wipe the fan blades monthly.

Clean the lights monthly.

Dust lamps if applicable.

Vacuum lampshades if applicable.

Dust the dresser, side tables, or other furniture.

Keep all lateral counters clear of clutter.

Make your bedrooms a sanctuary.

Make your bed daily.

Replace the light bulbs if needed.

Wipe TV remotes with Clorox wipes if applicable.

Wipe the light switches with Clorox wipes.

Kitchen:

I love having my kitchen ready for me to do whatever I need to do first thing in the morning. Yes, I put my kitchen to bed at night so it’s ready for all my projects, like making bread or making recipes for my blog the following day.

My husband is extremely patient because sometimes I have four projects going on all at the same time. Just picture a camera, a tripod, or lights in a very small kitchen.

It still works, but it’s a bit tight for doing what I need to do. My kitchen is extremely organized because it’s very small. I have all the baking items in one area. The spices are right where I need them. You do what you have to do when you have a very small kitchen. I am adamant about downsizing, let me just say that.

Some things I try to do in my kitchen to keep it clean, organized, and as healthy as possible:

Wipe down fingerprints on doors.

Keep the kitchen sink empty.

If you use a dish put it in the dishwasher, if you have one. If not, wash the dish and put it away.

Empty garbage cans and replace the liner.

Clean the inside of the refrigerator, discard food that is not edible.

Wipe down the large and small appliances.

Replace the kitchen dishrag three times a day, after each meal.

Replace the kitchen hand towels at least once a day. We try to save on paper goods by using clothe towels as much as possible.

Refill the paper towel holder if applicable.

Keep the lateral counters free of clutter.

Clean the floors.

Wipe down the bar stools and chairs.

Wipe down the table so it’s clutter-free and clean for the next meal.

Wipe the countertops.

Check the toaster and clean the crumb trays.

Replace the light bulbs if needed.

Wipe TV remotes with Clorox wipes if applicable.

Wipe the light switches with Clorox wipes.

Hallways:

I can still picture children walking down the hallways with their arms outstretched touching both sides of the hallway walls. I can also picture them learning to wash down the handprints they left on those very walls.

Life is good when kids learn what it takes to maintain a house or an apartment. It doesn’t matter if you are buying or renting, we need to teach the next generation how to respect the home we live in.

Wipe down fingerprints on doors.

Wipe down the moldings. Hallway moldings tend to gather a lot of dust and dirt based on the heavy foot traffic each day.

Vacuum the carpet or clean the floors, empty the vacuum container as needed.

Dust the lights.

Replace the light bulbs if needed.

Wipe the light switches with Clorox wipes.

Dining Room:

My dining room is not a typical “don’t touch” dining room. My table is large and can seat ten people comfortably. I had to add a glass top to the wooden tabletop because my one of granddaughters used some magic markers on the top. I can’t have anything I have to worry about at my house.

I cleaned off as much of the magic marker that I could, and then ordered and had a glass top delivered to protect my table. Now my table works great for fancy meals, simple meals, sewing, and crafts. Life is good when you have family and friends to break bread with, right?

Wipe down fingerprints on doors.

Dust the lights or fans.

Dust all other furniture as applicable.

Dust lamps if applicable.

Vacuum lampshades if applicable.

Wipe down or vacuum the couches or chairs monthly.

Vacuum the carpet or clean the floor, empty the vacuum container as needed.

Replace the light bulbs if needed.

Wipe TV remotes with Clorox wipes if applicable.

Wipe the light switches with Clorox wipes.

Family Room:

The family room is our living room at my house, but I realize some families have both. I would put this room to bed at night so the room is ready for all the wonderful family memories you will make the next day.

Dust the coffee table.

Dust the side tables.

Dust all other furniture as applicable.

Dust lamps if applicable.

Empty garbage cans and replace the liner.

Vacuum lampshades if applicable.

Vacuum the carpet or clean the floor, empty the vacuum container as needed.

Replace the light bulbs if needed.

Wipe TV remotes with Clorox wipes if applicable.

Wipe the light switches with Clorox wipes.

Living Room:

I used to have a living room and a family room when my girls were growing up. I now only have a living room. I must admit it took me a long time to get used to the home downsizing idea. I wish I could shout from the rooftops to live with a small house and make do.

Please put your living room to bed at night so you are ready to make memories in a clean and organized living room the next day. Trust me, it’s a great habit to have. Let’s teach the next generation how to clean their house.

Wipe down fingerprints on doors.

Dust the coffee table.

Dust the side tables.

Dust all other furniture as applicable.

Dust lamps if applicable.

Vacuum lampshades if applicable.

Vacuum the carpet or clean the floor, empty the vacuum container as needed.

Replace the light bulbs if needed.

Wipe TV remotes with Clorox wipes if applicable.

Wipe the light switches with Clorox wipes.

Pantry or Food Storage Closet:

Please remember to rotate your food and replace the food items you need as you use them. The less you shop the more money you will save because you’ll not be tempted to impulse purchase. Trust me, stock your pantry and you will save money. Cook from scratch and you’ll know what is in the food you are preparing.

Clean the floor.

Wipe down fingerprints on doors.

Wipe shelves as needed.

Keep it orderly and watch for expired cans.

Keep a list of items that need to be replaced.

Replace the light bulbs if needed.

Wipe the light switches with Clorox wipes.

Home Office:

I learned something very important when I worked at a bank years ago. We were trained to always have a clean desk. Period. I have my files organized so I can find things in minutes. It’s important that I know where things are placed because I have a very small desk where I work on my blog here at home.

You may spend a fair amount of time at your desk each day. It’s important to stay on top of things so you can be as efficient as possible.

Dust the desk.

Wipe down fingerprints on doors.

Organize papers, keep the work areas as clutter-free as possible.

Empty garbage cans and replace the liner.

Dust lamps if applicable.

Vacuum lampshades if applicable.

Replace light bulbs as needed.

Clean the fans or lights.

Vacuum the carpet or clean the floors, empty the vacuum container as needed.

Wipe the moldings down.

Wipe TV remotes with Clorox wipes if applicable.

Wipe the light switches with Clorox wipes.

Front & Back Doors:

I like to think of my front door as a wonderful “welcome” door to my home. I love to hang a wreath that makes me smile. I reuse the same ones over and over. I love clean doors, it’s who I am. All you need is a little elbow grease and soapy water and the door is clean before you know it. I call the front door a teaching tool if the kids clean it they are aware of the dirty hands that make it less than appealing when coming home and opening the grimy door.

Wipe down fingerprints on doors.

Vacuum the entryway and outside mats.

Replace light bulbs outside as needed.

Shutters or Blinds:

I love clean shutters or blinds. I don’t like dust, and shutters and blinds love to collect dust, need I say more?

Clean quarterly.

Windows:

I used to work outside the home and tend to stay pretty busy. We hired someone to clean the windows outside every month. I don’t keep any screens on my windows because it’s easier to wash windows if the screens are removed. Mark and I cleaned the windows inside. Now we wash the windows inside and outside ourselves.

Clean windows inside and out at least quarterly.

Garage:

You may think I am strange, but I LOVE my garage clean. I sweep it monthly and keep everything in its place.

Sweep or hose the garage floor as needed.

Clean garbage cans with Clorox every month.

Vacuum rugs/mats coming into the house.

PRINTABLES: you can cut and pass these out to those you want to help teach the skills to clean their house. How To Clean Your House

Final Word

I feel strongly that if we teach our kids and grandkids to be respectful of our furniture, they will be respectful of other families’ homes. I still remember singing the song about no more monkeys jumping on the beds. Did you sing that song when you were little? Let’s teach the world to keep a clean house and be ready for the unexpected. May God bless you in your efforts. We are training the next generation by example, let’s teach them “How To Clean Your House.” May God Bless this world, Linda

CDC Center for Disease Control Cleaning & Sanitizing

WEB-MD Clean House Faster

Copyright Images: Cleaning Supplies AdobeStock_135138938 by kucherav