Your Handy Apartment Cleaning Checklist

With this handy cleaning checklist, your household chores will feel more manageable and you'll enjoy the satisfaction of a systematic approach to cleaning.

Using a cleaning checklist like this one can help you keep an apartment tidy. You can post the checklist on a dry-erase board, laminate a paper copy to use over and over again, or print out a new one each week. The important thing is to have an easy reference to walk you step-by-step through what needs to be cleaned, wiped, vacuumed or scrubbed. So prepare to get your apartment cleaning down to a fine science. Pens or pencils at the ready!

There are certain chores that you’ll want to do daily to keep control of dirt and germs such as:

Kitchen

• Clean all dishes. 
• Wipe up kitchen surfaces – stove, counters and sinks. 
• Clean trouble spots on the floor. 

Bathroom 

• Wipe up counters and clean the sink. (Disposable cleaning wipes make this fast!) 
• Use another wipe on the toilet seat and base. Give the bowl a quick scrub with the toilet brush. 
• Use a Swiffer on the floor to collect hair. 
• Squeegee your shower right after use and/or use a shower spray such as Method Shower Spray to keep mildew and soap scum at bay.

Bedroom 

• Make your bed. 
• Put away clothes. 
• Keep your nightstand and dresser surfaces uncluttered.

Living Room

• Clean the clutter off the sofa, and fluff pillows.
• Sweep up crumbs and dust bunnies with a hand-held vac.
• Create order on your coffee table and entertainment center surfaces by putting away books, DVDs, etc.

Weekly Chores — Don’t forget to:

• Dust all rooms and surfaces. Pre-moistened furniture wipes make this job easy.
• Vacuum or mop (dry or wet) all floors and stairs.
• Clean out the fridge and wipe it down.
• Clean bathrooms thoroughly.
• Change all linens.
• Take out the trash in every room.

Monthly Chores — It’s time to:

• Wipe down woodwork, walls and tiles in kitchen, bathrooms and other high-traffic areas.  
• Clean windows throughout your home. 
• Dust window treatments. 
• Clean inside appliances (and empty out toaster crumbs). 
• Do a deep dusting—behind furniture, in ceiling corners, on ceiling fans and on vents. Also vacuum upholstered furniture. 
• Spot clean carpet.

That’s not so hard, right? With your handy cleaning checklist, your household chores will feel more manageable and you’ll enjoy the satisfaction of a systematic approach to cleaning. You can adjust this chore list to your liking, of course, but it offers good guidelines on keeping a spic-and-span apartment.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock / hans magelssen