How often should you clean your apartment?

1. 61

   rlahaposted 12 years ago

   I live in a one bedroom with my husband.  I tend to clean when I am in the mood to clean as does my husband.  How often should you clean your apartment? I try to at least clean the bathroom once in 10 days and the rest of the apartment maybe once in 2 weeks.  Is that acceptable or is that less or more?  When we clean, we clean to the best of our abilities, and we literally come home after a long day at school/work to eat dinner, relax and then go to sleep.

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      frugalfamilyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You should never clean your own apartment. Hire someone else to do it! If you can't do that, find a friend and trade:) Keep cleaning supplies close by in the restroom, so it can be fixed up on the fly:)

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         rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         We don't have enough money to hire someone unfortunately. I would love to someday, but right now that won't work.  Thanks for the tips though!

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   2. 69

      sassydeeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      well it depends on what you mean by clean, because i try to at least vaccum my room and living room once a day and i dust every other day i wash clothes 2-3 times a week and i wash the dishes everyday. i like to relax in a clean house or else i wouldn't be able too relax..

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      MelissaVsWorldposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You should straighten up after yourself, as should your husband, immediately.  At least once per day you should run the vacuum, dust, and ensure all dishes are done, as well as at least spraying a disinfectant in the tub/toilets/sinks.  The remainder of cleaning should be done at least once a week.  I own a four bedroom house with finished "mother-in-law" suite in the basement, and I do this every single day.  I'm not even a neat-freak.

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         John Holdenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Oh yes you are

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   4. 75

      JamaGeneeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      How often to clean is a personal choice.  I personally choose not to until the mood strikes, at which time I do a much better job than if I were doing it by the calendar. For some reason, the mood seems to strike when I first wake up, before I've had the first cup of coffee.  Before I'm awake to realize I'm doing housework.
      
      A friend and her first husband both worked full-time, but theirs was a "housework is women's work" marriage. So every Saturday morning, she white-glove cleaned their 2 BR top to bottom while Hubby sat on his duff and "supervised". Her second husband was raised by a working mom who believed all 3 of her sons should share the housework. That husband didn't mind sharing the housework!  According to him, he made half the mess, so he should do half the cleaning, but many times, he'd do it all... just because he felt like it.  We wanted to clone him.
      
      Another couple had no set schedule or division of tasks.  Whichever felt like cleaning, did. Overall, it worked out pretty even, although the husband seemed to enjoy the deep cleaning (ceiling fans, shampooing carpets, etc) more than the day-to-day stuff. Both their sons were introduced to vacuuming and dusting as soon as they could walk!
      
      A wife of a third working couple did the cleaning on Thursday evening while Hubby did the grocery shopping. That way they had the whole weekend to do "fun" stuff...or nothing at all.
      
      In the end, though, whatever you and your husband agree on and what works in your situation is what should determine how often the cleaning should be done.

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   5. 0

      Crystarposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I live in a bungalow & we have maids to help us with the household chores. But my dad don't allow them to clean our private rooms. We have to clean them up ourselves. I was lazy then. But now I'm used to it. I clean my room everyday. I feel fresh and happy entering a clean house. That's what i call home sweet home.

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   6. 61

      couturepopcafeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There are three stages to apartment cleaning but only one reason.
      
      The reason is you clean when you know your mother is coming over.
      
      The stages are as follows:
      
      1) when the furniture is visibly dusty, you wipe the dust off with your hand  as you're passing by. It's ok if the dust falls to the floor because at some point you may vacuum. Sometimes you'll need to take two swipes.
      
      2) when you feel crunchy bits on the carpet when you walk barefoot, that's when you vacuum. It's best never to walk barefoot as this saves a lot of vacuuming.
      
      3) when things get so bad you can't stand it yourself, move. As this is not actually a step in cleaning, there are really only two steps. But you may need to clean the new apartment which is always easier because there's no furniture in it.

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      1. 61

         rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         LOL I've never gotten to the point of number 3, but 1 and 2? For sure I have! Thanks!

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2. 0

   The Writers Dogposted 12 years ago

   I live in a two bed house on my own. My place gets cleaned - by me - at least twice a week. More often if I am having company.

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   1. 61

      rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Twice a week? Wow. I am lucky if I have time to clean once a week.  Thanks though!

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3. 70

   davenmidtownposted 12 years ago

   I live in a two bedroom 800 sqft apartment and something needs to be cleaned everyday.  I do a full clean 1 time per week and vacuum twice per week and the kitchen gets cleaned everyday.

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4. 73

   alipuckettposted 12 years ago

   I live in a 2 bedroom, 1100 sq ft house, and I clean twice per week.  On Wednesdays, I do a light cleaning, just picking up and straightening.  On Saturdays, I do a deep clean.  For a one bedroom apartment, you might only need to clean once per week, but it really depends on how tidy you like your space.  For the most part, if you clean up throughout the week as you make messes, it makes things easier when it comes time to dig deep.    Best wishes to you!

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      rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for the tips!

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5. 72

   seanorjohnposted 12 years ago

   At least twice. Once when you move in and secondly when you depart.

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      WriteAngledposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      
      
      Definitely my favourite reply!

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         EmpressFelicityposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Ah, I see you're both members of the Quentin Crisp school of cleaning
         
         We live in a flat that's on two floors. I hoover once or twice a week and scrub the kitchen floor every couple of weeks, but small everyday cleaning tasks (like clearing the cats' litter trays) need to be done every day. Have to admit that like ol' Quentin, I let things like dusting slide.

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   2. 61

      rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Haha! I like this answer! Unfortunately, we are planning to stay a long time here.... so it should get cleaned a little more don't you think?

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         seanorjohnposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I suppose you could throw in a spring clean every 10 years. But is it worth the effort?

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         1. 61

            rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            That would be too much effort. If I could clean once in a few months I'd be happier... (cleaning up clutter is fine, but actual cleaning is gross).

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      frugalfamilyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, you get my vote for the best answer too!

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6. 80

   Laura Schneiderposted 12 years ago

   I hear you and agree, rlaha. However, cleaning the "gross" things once a month probably means you're not cleaning often enough and you might find things to be less "gross" the more often you cleaned them. Couple things you could try to  get the cleaning done more often:
   
   (1) wear thick rubber gloves that are long and wear a dust mask or respirator mask to keep out dust or dust and smells--your very own housecleaning costume!
   (2) price hiring maids to come every week or two to clean those gross spots (look in the yellow pages for both the big chains and the little sole proprietors, or ask neighbors). For safety's sake, I'd recommend NOT putting up an ad in a public place asking for help cleaning--you want an established service with references that you check, not an invitation for a burglar to come in and "case the joint".

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   1. 61

      rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you! I will have to wear the gloves and work on cleaning more myself as we can't afford to hire someone to come in and clean our apt.  Thanks though!

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7. 64

   prettydarkhorseposted 12 years ago

   one in weekdays and another on weekend - thorough cleaning vacuum like that
   
   small tasks like dishes etc -- as it requires

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   1. 61

      rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      We do our dishes and clean up clutter on a regular basis, but trying to clean big things like the bathroom and living room with vacuums and mops are kind of tough for us to do every day.  Thanks!

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8. 0

   Muldaniaposted 12 years ago

   It depends how much you are in the home.  People who work and are rarely  at home will need to tidy less.  People who spend a lot of time in, will make a lot more mess.  It also depends on how many live in your home and whether you have children.  Personally, I tidy my home in jubilee years.

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   1. 61

      rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks! We are hardly ever home and so I think it is safe to clean whenever we feel like it needs to be dealt with.

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         wheelinalloverposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         When we had 12 people living here cleaning only stopped when everyone was sleeping. Dishes has to be done at least three times daily or we wouldn't have anything to eat on, or silverware to use. The dining room floor had to be cleaned after every meal, the children ranged in age from 2 to 8.
         
         On weekends lately we have been up to 11 again. Now though it seems like two people are doing all the work. Now the children range in age from 5 months to 9 years. On weekends there are usually 7 children. We find that anywhere the baby is has to be cleaned multiple times a day.
         
         In our case we have to pass state inspections so things can't be left undone. The house also must be safe for wheelchair travel 24 hours a day. In spite of this there is usually an hour or so a day, mostly because of children that the wheelchair can't be moved. The children love "fixing" the wheelchair using toy tools which they have a tendency to leave behind when they are finished.

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         1. 61

            rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Wow.  Thanks for stopping by!

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   Inkdropposted 12 years ago

   i think you should clean your apartment once a week, and yes i do it on every sat....

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   1. 61

      rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Okay. Thanks for your input!

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         Inkdropposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         welcome.............

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10. 60

    Disturbiaposted 12 years ago

    I guess how much you "should" clean really depends on your lifestyle, the size or your residence, and how many people live there. I don't mind cleaning because I find it theraputic (It gives me a feeling of accomplishment), and it can be good exercise. So I clean every day.

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    1. 61

       rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Hi Disturbia. 
         That's great that cleaning is therapeutic for you. Sometimes when I am upset or bored I do pick up a little bit.  However, I don't go all out and vacuum or mop.

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          Inkdropposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          besides sat i mostly do the cleaning work when i am alone, no one to disturb just me and my house............

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             rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

             That's good .

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       Express10posted 12 years agoin reply to this

       I agree with Disturbia. I clean daily because I am a neat freak and like to know that everything is clean and looks good. I don't like dust and clutter. I understand all people don't have this ability but dedicating just 10 or 15 minutes daily can make a big difference in cutting down the time of deep cleans.

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       1. 61

          rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          Hi Disturbia.  I clean the clutter but don't clean the dust as often as I should.  I guess I need to start.

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11. 94

    habeeposted 12 years ago

    Your home should be cleaned on the third Sunday after the full moon of each month that begins with the letter "D." Gotta get ready for Santa!

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    1. 61

       rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Hahaha! That's a great piece of advice! Thanks!

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12. 61

    im28beyondposted 12 years ago

    if everything's messy, I clean the house on the spot. but if there's nothing really unusual, I cleaned during the weekends only. Yeah, I'm lazy!

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    1. 61

       rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       I know how you feel im28beyond.  I do the same thing.

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13. 84

    Tams Rposted 12 years ago

    Basic cleaning everyday for dishes, wiping down counters and coffee tables, etc. Weekly deep cleaning for moving couches and vacuuming under things as well as cleaning bathtubs, mirrors, etc. Dusting a couple times a week seems about right if you don't live in an area where dust builds quickly.

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    1. 61

       rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       My husband and I do the dishes almost everyday, but we don't really wipe down or dust things unless they look dusty.  Thanks though. .

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14. 69

    Diane Insideposted 12 years ago

    I live in a one bedroom apartment as well. I clean up after myself as I go. I live alone now so it is very easy to do.  I run the vacuum once a week and do other cleaning like bathtub, toilet, sink once a week. 
    
    I make my bed every morning as soon as I get up and do laundry about once or twice a week depends.
    
    I think if you clean up after yourself as you go it cuts down on the need to clean very often. Of course it is easier since I live alone.

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    1. 61

       rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Hi Diane Inside. 
         Thanks for your input. I usually clean things if they seem dusty or dirty. We usually do dishes almost everyday so that keeps down some dust.

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15. 58

    christianajohanposted 12 years ago

    I clean my apartment about twice a week. But a gradual cleaning is better. What I mean is that in every day cleaning, I have scheduled a room and type of cleaning (light, moderate, heavy).

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    1. 61

       rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Wow. Maybe I need to clean more frequently...

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16. 60

    petersavageposted 12 years ago

    A good idea is to make a routine out of it. Once a week sounds about right.

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       rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks petersavage.

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    Dawn Conklinposted 12 years ago

    I feel like I am always cleaning!! I clean often but it never looks like it.  We have 2 kids and a cat so it never seems to end.  The kitchen floor gets cleaned at least once a week (I mean thoroughly on my hands and knees scrubbing), but swept daily.  Vacuuming is done as needed which is usually every other day.  My kitchen counters are cleaned a few times a day-I cook a lot.  The bathroom gets scrubbed as needed, which can be more often with kids then when you do not have kids.  Toothpaste makes a great paint on the sink and wall next to the sink, well according to my kids

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    1. 61

       rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Hi Dawn Conklin.  I know what you mean! It seems like you have a handful with those kids and the cat!  Thanks for your input!

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    e-ideannposted 12 years ago

    i think once a week is good.

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    1. 61

       rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks e-ideann.

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    GmaGoldieposted 12 years ago

    My personal guidelines are this:
    
    Never clean on the weekend - life is simply too short.
    Never clean on the same night as laundry.
    Always clean before company.
    Always include music while cleaning - headphones or your ipod are needed in   
       an apartment.
    Always make it a weekly item - my choice - Thursdays.

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    1. 61

       rlahaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       NIce guidelines! I will keep them in mind!

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