Ultimate Household Chores List: By Day, Week, Month And Season

Because you don’t want to miss a thing.

The whole thing about chores is that they’re really not very fun. And when we say fun, we mean like in the traditional way. Some people really enjoy chores. They get a thrill from organizing. The satisfaction of having streak-free stainless steel appliances and completely transparent windows is enough to get them through the week. But most people find fun elsewhere. You know, going dancing or playing board games or taking a bike ride or enjoying a cocktail on a sunny patio.

• Clean your stovetop and knobs.
  • Stovetop grease splatters often have impressive range, so be sure to hit the backsplash, cabinets and countertops surrounding your stove post-meal, as well.
  • We give you permission to clean the burners less often (see our weekly cleaning schedule + checklist), unless you get them majorly filthy and they could present a fire hazard for your next meal (or at the very least, a smoky situation that will leave your house a stinky mess).
• Wipe out any exploded items from the microwave.
  • It’s tempting to just close the microwave door and walk away, but stop right there. If your microwave looks like a murder scene, give it a wipe before the mess has time to sit and harden. You’ll be glad you did.
• Wash out pet food bowls regularly.
  • Do their dishes, just like you’d do your own.
• If you see sticky, greasy fingerprints on stainless steel items and appliances, hit them with a spritz of your diluted white vinegar, and buff them clean with a microfiber rag.

Bedroom

• Make your bed like an adult.
  • Are your sheets clean? When’s the last time you washed your duvet? Your pillow cases? Fluff those decorative pillows.
• Mind your bedside table.
  • Again with the water glasses! Limit yourself to just one, and bring the rest into the kitchen to clean.
  • If it’s dusty, dust it. You’re breathing all that stuff into your lungs while you sleep.
• You’ve probably got a laundry situation somewhere in here. Whether it’s dirty clothes on the floor or cleanish clothes you intend to wear again in the near future, tend to it, and don’t let it grow out of control. You’ve got dressers and closets for a reason.

Bathroom

• Be sure to always run the exhaust fan when showering or taking a bath, then let it run for about 30 minutes afterward to eliminate lingering humidity that could cause future mold or mildew to develop.
• Wipe any toothpaste splatter from the sink basin or faucet hardware.
• Spot treat countertop stains from makeup, lotion, hair products or toothpaste.
• Is the toilet paper roll empty? Change it.
• Don’t let dirty clothes (especially sweaty gym clothes) sit in piles on the bathroom floor, adding potential humidity to the room.
• Use a Swiffer Dry Mop to get rid of loose dust bunnies and hair balls on your bathroom floor.

Weekly cleaning schedule + checklist

Living areas

• Sweep, mop + dust.
  • Uh oh, is that too much work? If you do these things regularly and often, it’ll be a breeze. Pick one day of the week to do these chores, and stick to it.
  • We like to use Swiffer 2-in-1 Dry + Wet Mop to streamline this scenario. The dry mop collects and traps dust, hair and debris from the floor, then the wet mop pad allows you to easily mop without having to mess with a bucket. You can just dispose of both the dry and wet mop pads when you’re done.
  • Use a Swiffer Duster to hit your walls, blinds, electronics, shelves, baseboards and doors. Its dust-lock adhesive material actually grabs debris, instead of just moving it around or sending it airborne.
  • There’s even a Swiffer Dusters Heavy Duty Super Extender model for reaching ceiling fan blades, light fixtures, hard-to-reach corners and the tops of bookcases.
• Vacuum your couch.
  • Got pets? Definitely do this weekly. Be sure to get beneath the pillows, in the crevices and zippers, plus the arms and sides.
  • Hit the couch, pillows and blankets with some Febreze Fabric spray to freshen up the scene.
• Launder your pet’s bed.
  • You can also wash their toys with white vinegar to neutralize dog-breath smells.
• Dust (that’s right!), and water your plants.
  • Careful not to let standing water settle in the bases of your plants’ pots.
• Organize and wipe down your coffee and end tables.
  • Hooray for decluttering! Untangle cords, sort mail and toss unnecessary stuff.

Kitchen

• Sweep + mop.
  • Kitchen floors can get grimy fast, but they’re usually the easiest to clean.
• Wipe down the exterior of your cabinets.
  • We like to keep a diluted white vinegar spray under the kitchen sink for wiping down everything from countertops and cabinets to stainless steel appliances and stovetops.
  • Don’t let grease smears sit and sauces congeal. Be proactive!
• Clean your stove burners.
  • Yes, it’s time to address those crusty, burnt bits lingering beneath the burners. You’ll be glad you did next time you go to cook a meal and the stove is pleasantly smoke-free.
• Clean out and organize your pantry and fridge.
  • Toss anything questionable, expired or stinky.
• Wipe out your kitchen sink with some white vinegar and baking soda.
• Assess your dishwasher and garbage disposal. Does everything smell okay?
  • If your dishwasher smells funky, run it on an empty cycle with some Cascade Dishwasher Cleaner or a bowl of white vinegar.
  • If your garbage disposal smells funky, toss some ice cubes into it, and run it to clean the blades. Then throw in some citrus peels, and turn it on to freshen up any odors.
• Wipe down the exterior of your stainless steel appliances, like the microwave, dishwasher, fridge and oven door and handles.
  • Hit them with a spritz of diluted white vinegar, and buff off any greasy fingerprints with a microfiber rag.
• Take out the trash and recycling (and compost, if applicable).

Bedroom

• Wash your sheets, pillow cases and duvet.
• Spot clean your mattress, if necessary.
  • Moisture can accumulate on your mattress while you’re sleeping, whether it’s sweat or otherwise. Let the mattress air out while you’re washing the sheets.
    • You can make an assortment of DIY mattress cleaning solutions with isopropyl alcohol, baking soda or hydrogen peroxide to spot treat stains with a spray bottle.
    • Always let the mattress air dry completely before putting sheets back on.
• Dust your dressers, shelves, windowsills and bedside tables.
• Sweep + mop.
• Mind the laundry.
  • If it’s out of hand (again), take care of it. And actually put it away. We see you.

Bathroom

• Launder your towels and bath mats. Replace them with fresh linens.
• Sweep + mop.
• Clean out your sink and countertops. Don’t forget to wipe down the faucet and handles, too.
• Wipe down your mirrors.
  • We’ve got a great recipe for a DIY glass cleaning solution.
• Clean your shower, including the faucet, hardware, walls and/or doors, plus the curtain and liner. A little white vinegar goes a long way.
  • If your shower drain is clogged, tend to that ASAP. No store-bought drain declogger on hand? All you’ve got to do is pour some boiling water down the drain, followed by some white vinegar and baking soda, then some more boiling water.
• Take out the trash.
• Scrub your toilet bowl. Maybe even hit the outside of the toilet, including the flusher, any attachments and the back. Then sanitize the entire area with a ready-made cleaner, like Microban 24.

Monthly cleaning schedule + checklist

Living areas

• Dust everything from top to bottom.
  • Use a Swiffer Duster to hit your walls, blinds, electronics, shelves, baseboards and doors. Its dust-lock adhesive material actually grabs debris, instead of just moving it around or sending it airborne.
  • You can use the Swiffer Dusters Heavy Duty Super Extender model for reaching ceiling fan blades, light fixtures, hard-to-reach corners and the tops of bookcases.
  • Vents
  • Bookshelves
  • Artwork
  • Frames
  • Screens (including your TV)
  • Plants
  • Speakers
  • Record players or stereo systems
• Wash the windows, windowsills and ledges.
• Dust and wash doors.
• Wash the walls and baseboards.
  • Walls actually absorb and trap all sorts of smells.
• Vacuum everything.
  • Couches
  • Chairs
  • Curtains
  • Love seats
  • Chaise lounges
  • Pet beds
  • Anything that’s upholstered
• Shampoo rugs or carpets with a steam cleaner.
  • Or if you’re feeling lazy, sprinkle baking soda all over your carpet, let it sit overnight to neutralize any smells and vacuum it up in the morning. We’ll give you a hall pass on this one.
• Wash cushions and throw pillow covers.
  • Be sure to read the care instructions first.
  • If you can’t wash them, hit them with some Febreze Fabric to freshen them up a bit.
• Disinfect all the things that get touched often.
  • Remote controls
  • High-touch items
  • Doorknobs
  • Light switches
• Clean your screens.
  • Televisions
  • Laptops
  • Kindles
  • iPads
• Declutter + organize.
  • Clear off tables and shelves.
  • Bring unused cups (and rogue dishes!) into the kitchen.
  • Put your shoes away. For real.

Kitchen

• Deep clean the stovetop + burners.
  • Remove and soak stove grates in a bath of dish soap and water.
  • Break out the beloved Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to get rid of grease and burnt-on food.
• Clean the oven, both inside and out.
  • If you’re going to run your oven’s self-cleaning cycle, preclean by wiping (or scraping, if necessary!) out any caked-on burnt stuff in there—or you might risk starting a fire.
• Clean your microwave, both inside and out.
  • Don’t forget the door and handle.
• Clean and descale your coffee maker.
• Clean out your fridge and freezer.
  • Vacuum beneath refrigerator.
  • Degrease cabinets, and wash the walls (especially that backsplash near the stove!).
    • Clean both the inside and outside of cabinets, doors and shelves.
  • Clean out and organize your pantry.
    • Throw away expired items.
  • Empty the toast tray in your toaster.
  • Disinfect high touch areas.
    • Cabinet handles
    • Light switches
    • Sinks
    • Countertops
    • Sink faucet handles
    • Refrigerator handle
• Clean your garbage disposal.
  • Toss a few fresh lemon peels down the drain to freshen its smell.
  • Ice cubes in the garbage disposal help knock bits of clinging-on food from the blades.
• Clean your dishwasher filter.
• Wash your dishwasher.
  • Run an empty cycle with Cascade Dishwasher Cleaner to eliminate limescale, grease or odors.
• Clean stainless steel appliances.
  • Mr. Clean Clean Freak Mist works great to eliminate fingerprints and grease from stainless steel.
• Clean your kitchen blinds.
• Wash the windows.
• Wipe down walls and baseboards.
• Clean and sanitize trash and recycling receptacles.

Bedroom

• Clean your mattress, if necessary.
  • Moisture can accumulate on your mattress while you’re sleeping, whether it’s sweat or otherwise. Let the mattress air out while you’re washing the sheets.
    • You can make an assortment of DIY mattress cleaning solutions with isopropyl alcohol, baking soda or hydrogen peroxide to spot treat stains with a spray bottle.
    • Always let the mattress air dry completely before putting sheets back on.
• Dust everything from top to bottom.
  • Dressers
  • Lamps (replace burnt-out bulbs, if necessary)
  • Bedside tables
  • Artwork
  • Knickknacks
  • Headboard
  • Shelves
  • Frames
• Vacuum your curtains and/or wash the blinds.
• Wash windows, windowsills and ledges.
• Rotate your mattress.
• Clean out and organize bedside table drawers.
  • Trash old receipts, dead batteries, etc.
• Shampoo any rugs or carpets, especially if you’ve got pets.

Bathroom

• Dust from top to bottom.
  • We recommend the Swiffer Dusters Cleaner Starter Kit, which traps and locks in dust and hair particles. Plus you can toss the dust pad when you’re done.
  • Be sure to get all ceiling fans and vents.
  • Don’t skip the walls and baseboards.
• Disinfect and sanitize doorknobs, light switches, hard surfaces and high-touch areas.
  • We love Microban 24 Bathroom Cleaner.
• Scrub your shower, bathtub and sink.
  • Scrub the grout.
  • Clean the showerhead.
  • Clean shower doors.
  • Clean faucets, handles, hardware and drains.
• Clean window treatments.
• Dust and wash your blinds.
• Wash the windows.
  • Don’t forget the windowsills and ledges.
• Organize the medicine cabinet, shelves, drawers and closets.
  • Trash expired makeup.
  • Wipe out shelves and inside drawers.
  • Vacuum linen closet floor.
• Deep clean the toilet.
  • Sanitize:
    • the nearby floor
    • toilet seat
    • back of toilet/shelf
    • hinges
    • flusher
    • attachments
• Wash out toothbrush caddy. (Just throw it in the dishwasher.)
• Wipe down baseboards.
• Sanitize the trash can.
• Clean light fixtures.

Seasonal chores

Outdoor season chores

• Clean out gutters and downspouts.
• Clean your window screens.
• Sweep and power wash:
  • Decks
  • Porches
  • Patios
• Check weather strips and caulking:
  • Doors
  • Windows
• Clean your grill.
• Clean patio furniture and outdoor pillows.
• Clean out and organize the garage.
  • Sweep.
• Replace furnace filter.
  • This should be done every three months.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Replace batteries, if necessary.
• Sweep out the chimney.
• Check for mold and mildew near AC units and pipes, beneath sinks and in the basement.
• Clean out and wash cars.

Indoor seasonal chores

• Clean out your closet.
  • Donate clothes that no longer fit to a thrift store or friend.
  • Take your shoes out of the closet, and actually sweep and vacuum the closet floor.
• Deep clean kid’s stuff.
  • Sanitize plastic toys.
    • Add a couple drops of bleach to a gallon of water, soak them overnight and let them air dry.
  • Hand wash soft toys.
    • You can use a hair dryer to fluff their fur back up afterward.
• Organize kid’s stuff.
  • Donate things that aren’t being used and/or no longer fit.
    • Clothes
    • Books
    • Toys
• Deep clean your pet’s stuff.
  • Vacuum + launder your pet’s bed.
  • Throw out any especially gross toys, and replace them with fresh ones.
  • Neutralize potent pet smells.
    • Sprinkle baking soda on everything, let it sit overnight and vacuum it up in the morning. It works great on upholstery, pet beds, soft toys, etc.
  • Spray Febreze AIR Heavy Duty Pet Odor Eliminator around the pet zones for a burst of freshness.

OMG, you made it. Rejoice! If you’re keeping to this schedule, your home is immaculate. Now go put your feet up, we insist.

Stay on top of chores by downloading our daily, weekly, and deep cleaning checklists!