How Often Should You Clean Your Home?
Maintaining a clean home isn’t just about appearances – it’s about keeping your family safe, comfortable, and happy.
Recent survey data from the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) found that nearly 9 in 10 Americans (87%) feel their best, both mentally and physically, when they have a clean home. Of course, a “clean” home can mean different things to different people.
[side note: If you want to learn more about the connection between cleaning and mental health, watch our podcast interview with mental health expert Samar Tehrani]
Some households prioritize weekly or even daily cleanings. Others are fine with the occasional month-to-month sweep.
The question is, how often should you really clean your home?
Well, the answer depends on a range of factors. If you’re trying to build a safe, effective home cleaning schedule, here are some things to consider.
How Many People Live in Your Home?
Your home’s number of occupants significantly influences how often you’ll need to thoroughly clean things, especially the floors. More people means more activity, more messes, and more germs.
Frequent standard cleanings not only keeps things tidy but also lowers stress levels. If your home has been feeling chaotic and crowded lately, a deep clean might be the trick to defusing pent-up tension.
Do You Have Children?
Children bring many things to a home: joy, laughter, and of course, truckloads of dirt and germs.
From sticky fingerprints to mud-tracked, crumb-covered floors, little ones keep your home in a constant state of disarray. If you have children in the house, you’ll likely need to clean more regularly.
Infants and toddlers require extra attention due to their tendency to explore with their mouths and play on the floor. If you have a little one crawling or toddling about, you may want to deep clean your floors as often as once per week.
Do You Have Pets?
Just like children, pet ownership is marked by many amazing benefits – but it also comes with an increased exposure to dirt and germs.
For example, if you have a household dog, it likely tracks in its fair share of contaminants. Furthermore, all pets can have an impact on air quality, releasing hair, dander, and saliva that can trigger respiratory reactions.
That’s why we usually recommend that pet owners clean their homes daily, if not weekly. Doing so helps you stay on top of dirt buildup and ensure your home smells fresh and clean all the time.
Do You Often Host Events or Guests?
If you’re a big fan of hosting parties and having friends over, your home needs to be in top shape more often. A clean home leaves a positive impression and ensures that everyone feels comfortable and welcome.
You can choose to schedule cleanings as needed before big events, but depending on how often you host gatherings, you may wind up implementing regular cleanings weekly or more frequently.
What Is Your Occupation?
Your job (and hobbies) can significantly impact how quickly your home gets dirty.
For instance, occupations like construction work or outdoor labor can cause you to track in high levels of dust, dirt, and grime. If you work in a hospital or medical setting, you may risk bringing home more germs and viruses than the average person.
Understanding how your job affects your living space can help you tailor your cleaning schedule accordingly. Additionally, your occupation can influence how much free time you have, which in turn impacts how often you dedicate time to cleaning your home.
Do You Wear Shoes Inside the House?
Shoes retain more than just dirt; they harbor bacteria, toxins, and even fecal matter. Recent studies show wearing outdoor shoes inside can spread everything from E. coli bacteria to heavy metals and pesticides.
It’s typically best to encourage a shoe-free policy if you want to keep your home clean. If people still wear shoes inside your house, remember to clean your floors daily or every other day, especially in high-traffic areas.
The Minimum Recommendation
According to Angi, most people perform the bulk of their household cleaning tasks once a week – but that doesn’t always encompass a “deep” clean.
At a minimum, we recommend conducting a thorough clean at least once every month to reduce the buildup of germs, dust, allergens, and mold. Preferably, you’ll do things like sweep, mop, and dust at least once per week.
Does that feel like a tall order? If so, it’s time to find some help.
Stay on Top of Your Home with GiGO Clean
Figuring out how often to clean your house can feel daunting, and if you’re especially busy, downright impossible. That’s where GiGO Clean comes in.
Our application was designed to make scheduled cleaning less of a hassle, more convenient, and affordable for all kinds of families. The GiGO Clean platform connects users with vetted professionals who deliver top-quality service.
With flexible scheduling, secure payments, and satisfaction guaranteed, GiGO Clean makes it easier than ever to stay on top of regular household cleaning.
Download the app today and experience the difference a truly clean home can make in your life – every day.
