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JLeslie's avatar

Do you clean your home every day?

Asked by JLeslie (65714points) October 5th, 2016 from iPhone

For the purposes of this Q cleaning does NOT include cleaning the kitchen after eating.

Cleaning does include everything from putting things away, sorting through papers, going through paper mail, laundry, changing linens, putting away clothes, and cleaning the bathroom. Basically, everything that involves organizing, throwing away, wiping something down, or scrubbing.

How much time do you spend cleaning daily? Or, weekly if you don’t clean every day.

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27 Answers

jca's avatar

For me, the only times the entire house is clean at once is either when I’m having company or when I’d have the cleaning lady come.

On my own, I’m usually doing a little here and there. Load the dishwasher, unload it, throw in laundry, hang laundry, dry laundry, put clothes away, wipe stuff in the bathroom (wipe the sink, wipe the toilet, wipe the tub, wipe the floor), same with kitchen (counter, etc.), clean the floor, change the sheets, it goes on and on but I don’t do all of it each day. Some things are on an as needed basis (like sheets or floors) and some are just every few days (wipe the sink, wipe the toilet, throw in laundry). It’s hard to quantify when it’s like that.

Earthbound_Misfit's avatar

No. There are four adults living here and none of us are neat freaks. I’ve made up a spreadsheet with daily, weekly, monthly and annual tasks on it. I’m waiting for an opportunity to bring it out! The house is clean, but like @jca, we do a bit here and there.

Mimishu1995's avatar

In my ideal world, I would only clean the house when I felt like it. But mom is too neat for that kind of attitude, so I either clean when I want to or when she starts yelling. I mostly clean the floor and going through my desk. I enjoy the work more when I actually intend to do it, not when I’m forced to.

And there’s that cleaning tradition before New Year too. That is when the entire house is cleaned in the truest sense. Each year I turn everything in our bedrooms up and clean them. The desks, the beds, the wardrobes… I have to make sure no dirt is around or the family gets “back luck”. I also have to sort out stuff to throw away too.

ucme's avatar

Ahem…we have sta…oh, you know

LornaLove's avatar

I’ve always wondered about this, about how other people clean and decide what is clean and tidy for them. As I suffer from bipolar it’s hard to keep a regime. I more or less clean every day though. That includes, vacuuming, tidying up, wiping surfaces, cleaning the bath and bathroom in totality. I make the bed every day too. (At times I wonder why though, no one ever sees it, however, I do like a nice bed to sleep in).

I’d rather clean the house than say for example, shower early, wash my face etc., I seem to value a clean house more than a clean me at times.

JLeslie's avatar

@Earthbound_Misfit and @jca Cleaning a bit here in there counts. I didn’t have in mind a full clean when I asked the Q, just any cleaning at all and how often. Some days I do nothing, except for cleaning the kitchen after I cook and eat. Most days I do something, even if it’s just ten minutes of straightening. Once a week I do a more massive clean, but I almost never in one day do the whole house to neat as a pin with everything washed and vacuumed.

I want to clean every day at least 25 minutes to keep up better. I did it years ago, but can’t seem to get in the habit again.

Earthbound_Misfit's avatar

I mentioned I have made a spreadsheet. It’s still a work-in-progress, but I’m happy to share it with you. There are apps too. I figured I’m going to decide on one that works best and allocate tasks to people (including myself) to make sure we keep on top of things. I do like my house to be tidy and clean. I don’t like housework much. I agree with the ‘little often’ process. I think it works really well.

jca's avatar

@JLeslie: Because I do a little here and there but it’s not on a regular schedule, it’s on a whim or an as needed basis, it’s really hard for me to quantify. Even if it’s needed, with me being away so much, being a single mother, etc. it’s often low on my priority list.

canidmajor's avatar

It needs cleaning????

Earthbound_Misfit's avatar

I know @canidmajor! Who’d have thunk it?

jca's avatar

My kitchen and dining room floor really need a cleaning. For me to do it the way I want to do it, it will take 45 minutes. I know it can be done faster, but I’m into doing it a certain way when I do it. When am I going to have the energy and the time to do it? Not today. It’s the day of my mom’s funeral, burial, luncheon and hanging out with family. Not tomorrow. My daughter will be in school and I’ll be off but wanting to do some errands while she’s in school. Not Saturday when I’m in a sewing group and then going to friends’ in the evening. Not Sunday, probably I’ll want to rest a little and then do something with my daughter. Monday? Maybe, maybe not. Tuesday, back to work. This is my life.

ZEPHYRA's avatar

Tidy up generally yes. Major clean up not on a daily basis! I have an aunt who literally lifts the house off its foundations to clean up ;) You can basically see your reflection on her shining floor. That woman spring cleans every day and I wonder where she gets those loads of energy from. Funny thing is her house is a pleasure to be in. The whole atmosphere is so refreshing!

I DO want to spend more time cleaning thoroughly but I have to be up at dawn to get everything done.

jca's avatar

I used to have a cleaning lady and she’d spend a few hours every two weeks to clean the house pretty thoroughly. For me to do the same, without her “go go go” energy, would probably take at least 5 hours. I just don’t have 5 hours every other weekend to spare. Between errands and other chores, recreation plus a little down time, I’m done. Once about 8 pm comes, I’m done, so the window of opportunity is about 12 hours on both Saturday and Sunday.

Earthbound_Misfit's avatar

@jca, spending time with your daughter is a million times more important than a pristine house. In the future, you will not look back and say “I wish I’d cleaned my house more”. You will look back and wish you’d spent more time with your daughter. You’ll have plenty of time to scrub the floors etc. when she’s grown up.

JLeslie's avatar

Yeah, I’m not looking to specifically schedule certain chores. I like to be a little haphazard about it, I just need to spend a little more time than I do.

@jca When I worked full time, some of the retail years, I had someone come and clean every two weeks during Christmas season and into “Florida’s season.” It was great, my husband lived coming home to everything tidy. The best part was while they were cleaning I straightened up all the stuff laying around and did the laundry, and it was all done at once. I just hate cleaning alone.

Love_my_doggie's avatar

Yes, every day. I have a dog and cat within a compact, urban condo, so I vacuum daily.

I recently bought a Roomba ($45 used, from a neighbor who no longer needed it). I love the device! It does a very thorough job, and I let it do its thing while I do my thing.

Coloma's avatar

I have always done the daily dishes, trash out, scoop and sweep around cat litter box and various little tidy chores. I vacuum once a week and sweep/mop my kitchen 2x a week, on average. I don’t mind a little dust but I hate dirty dishes in the sink and trash that needs to be taken out. I use a small trash can and take out a small bag daily. I think it’s gross to have a big kitchen trash can that sits there filling up for 3,4 or 5 days before being taken out. Ick!

anniereborn's avatar

About all I do on a regular basis is laundry, trash and litter boxes.

Aster's avatar

Is this a joke question?

Earthbound_Misfit's avatar

Why would you think it is a joke question @Aster?

Aster's avatar

Cleaning house everyday. lol

Earthbound_Misfit's avatar

Some people do clean their house every day. Some people clean their house from top-to-bottom every day (see @ZEPHYRA‘s answer). I’d imagine there are a number of people who do this. I’m not one of them, but I don’t think it’s an unusual thing.

syz's avatar

Fuck, no.

JLeslie's avatar

Having the house perfectly clean every day sounds impossible to me. Impossible and exhausting. I couldn’t do it without obsessing about it and leaving other things undone.

Love_my_doggie's avatar

Superb answer, @Aster. I wish I could upvote more than once.

Coloma's avatar

^ Hahaha…good one @Aster

I had a minor meltdown this morning when I had to brush my monster kitty ‘Myles” 3 times in 20 minutes when he kept dashing off and rolling in the dirt and weeds again. He knows he gets his “brushies” before coming in the house after his morning 1.5–2 hours outdoor time but today he leapt off the patio chair 3 freaking times and was covered in dirt and weeds. I do clean my cats every day, yes. lol

rojo's avatar

We pick up every day, sweep if needed and do a real clean once a week.

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