How Often Should You Schedule House Cleaning?
How Often Should You Schedule House Cleaning?
Maintaining a clean home doesn’t just make your space look good—it also promotes a healthier, more comfortable living environment. But how often should you schedule house cleaning? The answer isn’t the same for everyone. Factors like household size, lifestyle, and specific needs can all affect how frequently your home needs a cleaning service.
In this guide, we’ll break down cleaning frequencies based on various types of households. Whether you're a single professional living in a small apartment or a busy family with kids and pets, we’ll help you determine the best cleaning schedule for your home.
Cleaning Frequency Based on Household Size
The number of people in your household plays a major role in determining how often you should schedule cleaning services. Larger households tend to generate more mess, while smaller households may not require as frequent attention. Let’s take a look at the ideal cleaning schedule for different household sizes.
Single-Person Households
For those living alone, cleaning tends to be a bit easier, with less mess and fewer areas to maintain. As a single person, you’re likely able to stay on top of basic cleaning tasks like tidying up after yourself. However, it’s still important to deep clean your home regularly to maintain a healthy environment.
Recommended Cleaning Frequency: Monthly or Bi-Weekly.
Why: With only one person in the home, cleaning may not need to be as frequent. Basic cleaning tasks like vacuuming, dusting, and wiping down surfaces can often be done weekly, while a professional cleaning service can be scheduled once a month or every two weeks to handle deep cleaning like bathroom sanitation and floor care.
Small Families (2-3 people)
In small families, whether you have a partner or a young child, there’s more traffic in the home, which means more mess and more wear and tear on surfaces. Between toys, homework, pet care, and daily routines, your house can quickly get cluttered and dirty.
Recommended Cleaning Frequency: Bi-Weekly or Weekly.
Why: Bi-weekly cleaning works well for a smaller family, but if you have pets or young children who tend to create messes, weekly cleaning might be the better option. Professional cleaners can help tackle tougher tasks like scrubbing floors, cleaning the kitchen, and sanitizing bathrooms.
Larger Households (4+ people)
Larger households, especially those with multiple children or several adults, require more frequent cleaning. With more people comes more activity, more dirt, and more things to clean up. In these cases, having a professional cleaning service can help maintain order and cleanliness.
Recommended Cleaning Frequency: Weekly.
Why: In a large household, it’s important to clean regularly to keep up with the increased mess. A weekly cleaning schedule helps manage high-traffic areas like kitchens, living rooms, and bathrooms. Regular professional cleaning can also address areas like bedrooms, laundry rooms, and the overall organization of your home.
Factors Affecting House Cleaning Frequency
While household size is a major factor, there are several other elements that can impact how often you need to schedule cleaning services. Here are some key considerations that might increase or decrease the cleaning frequency you need.
Pets and Their Impact on Cleaning Schedule
Pets are wonderful companions, but they can also contribute to a lot of extra cleaning. From fur shedding to muddy paw prints, pets create messes that need regular attention. Whether you have a dog, cat, or any other furry friend, their presence significantly affects your cleaning needs.
Why It Affects Your Cleaning Frequency: Pets often shed fur, leave footprints on floors, and sometimes create additional messes with food or playtime. Additionally, pet odors can build up quickly, especially in high-humidity areas like bathrooms or kitchens.
Recommended Cleaning Frequency: Weekly or Bi-Weekly.
For households with one or two pets, a weekly cleaning is often necessary to stay on top of shedding, hair buildup, and cleaning pet areas like crates or beds.
In homes with multiple pets, bi-weekly cleaning may not be enough, and more frequent cleanings are advised to maintain a fresh environment.
Children and Busy Lifestyles
For families with children, the cleaning needs go up. Kids tend to create more mess with their toys, food, and constant movement through the house. This makes it harder to maintain a tidy home, and cleaning tasks can quickly pile up. Moreover, kids are more likely to spill things or leave crumbs behind, requiring more frequent touch-ups.
Why It Affects Your Cleaning Frequency: Toys, snacks, and even just the daily hustle and bustle of family life can cause significant mess in living areas, playrooms, and kitchens. The amount of cleaning also depends on how old the children are—toddlers may create more messes, while older kids may do their part in tidying up.
Recommended Cleaning Frequency: Weekly.
Families with young children often need a weekly cleaning schedule to manage the mess from playtime, eating, and other activities. A cleaning service can help with regular tasks like wiping down high chairs, sanitizing the bathroom, and cleaning the kitchen after meals.
Special Events or Occasions
Hosting gatherings, parties, or even having family and friends over can increase your cleaning needs. These events often leave behind extra messes, such as spilled drinks, food crumbs, and trash. Even after the event is over, your house might need a more thorough cleaning to get it back to normal.
Why It Affects Your Cleaning Frequency: Special occasions or gatherings naturally lead to more dirt and clutter than usual. Cleaning up after an event can be time-consuming, and trying to tackle it on your own after a party may feel overwhelming.
Recommended Cleaning Frequency: As needed.
After hosting events, it’s a good idea to book a cleaning service to handle the post-party cleanup. This ensures that all areas, including dining areas, living rooms, and bathrooms, are thoroughly cleaned, and any residual mess is dealt with quickly.
How Cleanliness Standards Affect Your Schedule
Everyone has different standards for cleanliness. Some people prefer a minimalist, "tidy" look with minimal clutter, while others want their space spotless and highly organized at all times. Your own cleanliness preferences and expectations will influence how often you should schedule professional cleaning services.
Minimalists vs. People Who Enjoy Tidy Spaces
Minimalists generally keep fewer items in their homes and prefer to maintain a simple, uncluttered environment. With fewer possessions, there's less to clean and maintain, so these households may not require as frequent cleaning. However, even minimalist homes need routine dusting, floor care, and occasional deep cleaning.
Why It Affects Your Cleaning Frequency: If you enjoy a minimalist lifestyle, cleaning might be easier and less frequent because there are fewer items to clean and organize. But regular maintenance is still important, especially for dust accumulation or cleaning appliances.
Recommended Cleaning Frequency: Monthly or Bi-Weekly.
For minimalist households, a professional cleaning service can be scheduled monthly or bi-weekly to handle deep cleaning tasks like floor washing, window cleaning, and bathroom sanitation, while keeping everything looking fresh and tidy.
Health Considerations
For those with health issues like allergies, asthma, or respiratory conditions, maintaining a clean home becomes even more important. Dust, pet dander, and other allergens can trigger symptoms and impact your overall well-being. Regular cleaning helps reduce these triggers and ensures a healthier indoor environment.
Why It Affects Your Cleaning Frequency: Frequent cleaning helps minimize the buildup of allergens and dust, keeping the air quality in your home safe. In particular, vacuuming with a HEPA filter, dusting regularly, and wiping down surfaces will help create a healthier living space.
Recommended Cleaning Frequency: Weekly or Bi-Weekly.
For homes where health is a priority, weekly cleanings can help control dust, allergens, and pet hair. This ensures that allergens are kept at bay and that surfaces are regularly disinfected to maintain a clean and safe environment.
How Seasonal Changes Impact Your Cleaning Schedule
As the seasons change, so do your cleaning needs. Different weather conditions can bring about new messes or cleaning challenges that you may need to address more frequently. Understanding how the seasons affect your home can help you adjust your cleaning schedule accordingly.
Spring and Fall Deep Cleans
Spring and fall are the ideal times for deep cleaning your home. These seasonal transitions often involve changes in weather, which means new types of dirt and debris are brought into the house. Spring cleaning is a time to refresh your home after the cold winter months, while fall cleaning prepares your home for the upcoming winter chill.
Why It Affects Your Cleaning Frequency: In spring, the melting snow and rain can track mud into the house, while in fall, fallen leaves, dust, and pollen can build up. These seasonal changes require thorough cleaning to address things like window washing, deep carpet cleaning, and dust removal in corners and behind furniture.
Recommended Cleaning Frequency: Seasonal deep cleans (once a season).
A deep clean in the spring and fall helps reset your home and address areas that may have been neglected during the year. Tasks might include cleaning vents, washing windows, or dusting baseboards that accumulate over time.
Summer and Winter Maintenance Cleaning
During the summer and winter months, cleaning needs can be impacted by the weather. Summer brings in pollen and dirt from outdoor activities, while winter may involve more mud, snow, and dirt tracked in from boots and shoes. Both seasons have unique cleaning challenges that should be addressed regularly.
Why It Affects Your Cleaning Frequency:
Summer: Dust, pollen, and dirt can build up quickly, especially if you have windows open or are spending more time outdoors.
Winter: Snow and wet weather mean more dirt, salt, and moisture inside, which can affect floors, carpets, and furniture.
Recommended Cleaning Frequency: Bi-Weekly or Weekly.
During summer, more frequent cleaning is necessary to stay on top of outdoor dirt and pollen. In winter, weekly cleanings can help reduce the buildup of mud and moisture, especially in entryways and living areas where wet boots are often removed.
When to Call in a Professional Cleaning Service
While regular cleaning is essential to maintaining a clean home, there are times when it’s better to call in the professionals. Professional cleaning services can handle tasks that might be too time-consuming or difficult to do on your own, ensuring a higher level of cleanliness and attention to detail.
When You’re Short on Time
Life can get busy, and sometimes you just don’t have the time to clean your entire home. Whether you’re working long hours, traveling, or simply overwhelmed with other responsibilities, a professional cleaning service can step in and give your home the attention it needs.
Why It’s Needed: When your schedule gets packed, cleaning can easily fall to the bottom of the to-do list. Hiring a professional ensures your home remains clean and organized without sacrificing your time.
Recommended Cleaning Frequency: As needed.
If you're facing a busy schedule and can't fit in your usual cleaning routine, booking a cleaning service when you're pressed for time can be a real relief. You can schedule cleaning services on a one-off basis to ensure your home is always in great shape, even when you're too busy to handle it yourself.
When DIY Isn’t Enough
Sometimes, even with the best of intentions, DIY cleaning just doesn’t cut it. There are areas of your home—like carpets, upholstery, or windows—that may require professional equipment or expertise to clean effectively. Professional cleaners use high-quality tools and techniques to handle these more challenging tasks.
Why It’s Needed: Certain tasks, such as deep carpet cleaning, removing stubborn stains, or washing windows, require specialized tools and knowledge to do effectively. You might not have the right equipment, or the cleaning task may simply be too big to tackle on your own.
Recommended Cleaning Frequency: Occasionally, based on need.
Calling a professional for tasks that go beyond regular maintenance—like a deep carpet clean or window washing—will ensure these areas are properly cleaned and maintained.
Schedule Your Cleaning Service Today!
A clean home is not just about appearances—it’s about creating a healthy, comfortable environment for you and your family. Whether you’re looking for a routine cleaning service or a deep clean for special occasions, we’ve got you covered. Regular professional cleaning will help maintain the beauty and cleanliness of your home, saving you time and effort.
If you’re in Garfield, Glen Rock, Hawthorne, Hillsdale, Ridgewood, Wood-Ridge, or Wyckoff, don’t wait!
Contact New Jersey Cleaning Services today to schedule your next cleaning. Our team of professionals is ready to take care of your home, so you can focus on what really matters.
Book your cleaning now and enjoy a spotless, stress-free home!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some of the most common questions we receive about house cleaning frequency. These answers will help you determine when to schedule cleaning services and how to best maintain your home.
How do I know when my house needs a cleaning?
It’s easy to spot when your house is due for a cleaning. Look for visible dust, dirt, or pet hair on surfaces or floors, dirty dishes in the kitchen, or clutter in common areas. If your home feels unorganized or smells stale, it's time for a clean. Regular maintenance cleaning helps avoid these build-ups and keeps your space looking fresh and tidy.
Tip: If you're unsure whether it’s time for a cleaning, ask yourself: Do you feel at ease in your home, or is the mess starting to distract you? A clean house helps you feel comfortable and reduces stress.
Can I clean my house less often?
Yes, you can clean your house less often, but it depends on your lifestyle. If you don’t mind a bit of clutter and dust, a less frequent cleaning schedule might work. However, a deeper clean will still be necessary periodically to keep your home in good condition and prevent the buildup of allergens, dirt, and grime.
Tip: If you're trying to clean less often, maintaining a tidy space daily can help keep things under control and reduce the amount of cleaning needed.
How long does a cleaning session typically last?
The length of a cleaning session depends on the size of your home and the type of cleaning you need. For a standard cleaning, it can take between 1-2 hours for an apartment or small home. Larger homes or more detailed cleaning tasks (like deep cleaning or post-construction cleaning) can take longer, sometimes up to 4-6 hours.
Tip: If you're unsure how long your cleaning will take, consult with the cleaning service to get an estimated time based on your home size and cleaning needs.
How often should I deep clean my home?
Deep cleaning is typically recommended at least once or twice a year, depending on how much dirt and clutter your home accumulates. Homes with pets or children may require more frequent deep cleanings to keep everything in tip-top shape. During deep cleans, professionals tackle areas like carpets, behind appliances, and inside cabinets.
Tip: Schedule a deep clean in spring or fall, aligning it with seasonal changes for maximum effectiveness.