This Is How Often You Should Clean Your House, According to Science

Keep your home spick and span with this cleaning schedule.

It's a contentious subject that couples and housemates alike are faced with on a weekly basis: How often should you really clean your house?

Maybe you just clean whenever you think about it, or whenever you get a spare 10 minutes. But to ensure a healthy and hygienic space, there are some general guidelines you should follow.

Maintaining a clean and organised home is not only essential for a pleasant living environment but also contributes to overall well-being.

Some things should be cleaned daily, while others can be cleaned once every few months. From bedding to floors, here's how often you should aim to clean everything in your home.

Bedding – once a week

While most of the bacteria found on your bed and in between your sheets are purely environmental and generally harmless, excess oils and dirt attach to your bed linen while you sleep, which can contribute to acne and dandruff, according to microbiologist Jason Tetro and cleaning expert Becky Rapinchuk. Give your sheets a clean once a week, once a week to ensure you’re saying a final adios to all your little bacteria friends. If you have pets living in your home, consider washing your sheets every 3-4 days.

The sink - once a week

Bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli in your sink can be a breeding ground for contamination and sickness. Even if your sink looks clean, microbiologist Lisa Yakas says you should be giving your kitchen sink a good wipe down with a disinfectant at least once a week, and if you're working with raw meat, it should be cleaned immediately after.

Carpet and rugs – once a week

According to research by Philip Tierno Jr., a microbiologist and immunologist at New York University, carpet can be four thousand times dirtier than your toilet seat. Vacuum your carpet every week and get a professional in to steam clean every six to twelve months.

Bathroom – once a week

Tetro explains that bacteria powerhouse, E. coli can be found within six feet of the toilet and sink – so basically in every corner of the bathroom. If you regularly disinfect your bathroom then you're fine, but if you've been a bit slack, this is your wake-up call! Also, if you have a shower curtain, research says that needs to get a once-over weekly as well to avoid possible skin, eye and throat irritation.

Towels – every third use

Even if you give your bath towel its best chance of drying completely before its next run through the washing machine, there is still enough time for bacteria to form.

According to the Cleaning Institute, towels should be washed after every third or fifth "normal" use, or sooner if you notice an unpleasant smell or persistent dampness.

Door handles – once a week

Something the majority of us tend to neglect when it comes to cleaning our homes is door handles and knobs.

The good news is that door handles and knobs don't need to be cleaned too often, with a quick once-over weekly sufficient to remove harmful bacteria. Pay special attention to doors in the bathroom and kitchen, and ramp up the cleaning routine if someone is or has been sick in the house.

Refrigerator – every month

Left alone to consume spills and fill to the brim with expired produce, a refrigerator can become a nightmare, fast. The salad drawer can actually contain up to seven hundred times the healthy amount of bacteria safe for humans, according to Paul McDonnell of Microban Europe. Stay on top of things by purging old bottles and wiping up spills, and each month conduct a total clean of the interior. You'll feel better, I promise.

Oven – once a month

Regular cleaning keeps your oven in good condition and helps prevent the accumulation of burnt residues and unpleasant odours.

The experts in the kitchen lab at CHOICE, recommend giving your oven your oven a thorough clean every month. If you're an avid cook, you may need to clean it more regularly, and if you rarely use your oven or only for light cooking, you may only need to clean it every three to six months.

Kitchen surfaces – daily

Wiping down and sanitizing kitchen surfaces after using them ensures germs from food prep don't end up in your next meal. According to the Australian Institute of Food Safety, kitchen surfaces should be cleaned every day.

Dishwasher – once a month

It might seem odd to clean something that is cleaning other things, but your dishwasher really does need to be attended to. In a medically reviewed article on WebMD it's recommended that month, you toss in a cup of baking soda on the bottom and set 1/2 cup of white vinegar in the top rack; then run a regular cycle.

Keep your home spick and span with this cleaning schedule.

This Is How Often You Should Clean Your House, According to Science

Keep your home spick and span with this cleaning schedule.

Bedding – once a week

The sink - once a week

Carpet and rugs – once a week

Bathroom – once a week

Towels – every third use

Door handles – once a week

Refrigerator – every month

Oven – once a month

Kitchen surfaces – daily

Dishwasher – once a month

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