The internet is rammed with hints, tips and hacks to clean just about everything as social media fuels our apparent new obsession with cleaning our homes.
Leading the way is Mrs Hinch, AKA Sophie Hinchliffe, who has skyrocketed to fame over the past few years and now has nearly five million Instagram followers and is the subject of many more millions of posts from followers sharing their own ways to clean their homes.
While there is no shortage of information on how to clean, how often to clean is a much more vexed subject, with users of websites such as Mumsnet getting into regular skirmishes about how often towels should be washed and toilets should be cleaned.
Read more: Mrs Hinch reveals 'personal life stumbles' as she steps back from social media
While some people follow methods such as Gemma Bray's The Organised Mum Method (OMM) or the American Flylady method to keep cleaning schedules on track, many more families have a more ad-hoc approach to keeping their homes presentable, and bathrooms specialist Tradebase has come up with its own definitive list of how often you should try to clean each room to maintain a hygienic and healthy living environment.
It will come as no surprise to learn that Tradebase's data revealed that the top three busiest rooms in a house are the kitchen, the bathroom, and the living room. The kitchen hosted an average of 2.5 hours of activity per day, followed by the bathroom with 1.5 hours of activity per day, and the living room with one hour of activity per day. The data showed that the kitchen is the most critical room to keep clean, followed by the bathroom and the living room.
The cleaning frequency for different surfaces and items in each room varies, and TradeBase recommends a specific cleaning frequency for each surface to prevent the spread of germs and maintain a healthy living environment.
Tradebase's suggested cleaning schedule is:
Toilet: Daily (One deep clean a week)
Kitchen Worktops: After every use (Two deep cleans a week)
Kitchen Sink: Everyday Rinses (One deep clean a week)
Bathroom Sink: Everyday Rinses (One deep clean a week)
Oven: Once a month
Microwave: Once a week
Cutting board: After Every Use
Shower/bath: 2-3 times a week
Refrigerator Handles: Once a week
Door Handles: Once a Week
Light Switches: Once a week
Remote Controls: Once a week
Kitchen Floor: Once a week (One deep clean a month)
Bathroom Floor: Once a week (One deep clean a month)
Coffee tables/Side table: Once a week
Shelves: Monthly
"Our data shows that certain rooms in a house are much busier than others and require more frequent cleaning to maintain a hygienic and healthy living environment. By following our recommended cleaning frequency, homeowners can ensure that their homes are clean and safe for their families," a TradeBase spokesperson said,
Harvey Ghinn from TradeBase said: “The kitchen is a place where food is prepared and cooked, making it a breeding ground for bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. Dirty kitchen surfaces, utensils, and appliances can quickly become contaminated with bacteria such as Salmonella and E.coli, which can cause food poisoning and other illnesses. Regular cleaning of kitchen surfaces and utensils can help prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and ensure that food is safe to eat.
"The bathroom is a high-moisture environment that provides an ideal breeding ground for mold and mildew. These can cause respiratory problems and allergies, making it essential to clean bathroom surfaces, including sinks, toilets, and showers/baths, regularly. The living room is a place where family members and guests spend a lot of time, making it more susceptible to collecting dust, dirt, and allergens. Frequent cleaning of living room surfaces such as coffee tables, shelves, and remote controls can help to reduce the buildup of allergens and ensure a clean and healthy living environment”
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