Your Cleaning Guide for 2024 (Month-By-Month Calendar)

With the new year comes a fresh start, and many homeowners get a burst of motivation to clean their homes in January.

In fact, the beginning of 2024 is the perfect time to declutter our living spaces and transform them into organised sanctuaries—why not start the year as it means to go on?

But cleaning and organising an entire home can be overwhelming. If you don’t know where to start, this cleaning calendar will help guide you through the process.

We’ve broken down all the essential deep cleaning tasks on a month-by-month basis, ensuring that you can keep your house in top condition without cleaning taking over your life.

 

January: The Great Declutter

The beginning of the year is the ideal time to start decluttering your living spaces and your mind.

Take down those lingering Christmas decorations, and while you’re at it, clear out any excess items that you have accumulated over the past year.

Start with high-traffic areas like the living room and kitchen. Evaluate each item’s value and purpose using the Swedish Death Cleaning Method—if it doesn’t spark joy or serve a practical function, consider parting ways with it.

Make it a family activity, involving everyone in the. This lightens the workload and ensures that everyone’s needs and preferences are considered.

With the main rooms down, extend the decluttering to the kids’ rooms. With the influx of new toys and clothes during the festive period, creating space for the new by donating unused items can be a valuable lesson in generosity for children.

January sets the tone for the rest of the year, and a tidy, clutter-free home puts you off to a great start.

 

February: Tackling Hidden Spaces

With the decluttering done, February gives us a chance to clean the forgotten areas of our homes and address the spaces that accumulate dust and grime unnoticed.

When was the last time you cleaned inside your radiators, hoovered under the bed, or cleaned behind the sofa?

For cleaning under larger pieces of furniture, move them to one side and vacuum up all the from underneath.

Invest in a flexible dusting tool to tackle other hard-to-reach places. Bend it as required to reach every nook and cranny effortlessly and wipe away dust and grime. It can clean behind radiators, along curtain rails, on top of door frames, and more.

 

March: Freshening Up Fabrics

With spring fast approaching, it’s time to turn your attention to fabrics.

Upholstery, rugs, blinds, and curtains often go unnoticed in our cleaning routines, but research shows that neglecting fabrics like rugs and carpets can lead to health risks due to the accumulation of dust mites, bacteria, and mould.

Choose a room to begin with and start by vacuuming or washing fabric blinds and curtains, paying particular attention to areas that often escape notice.

Plump up loose cushions and throws, allowing them to air out in the sunlight. Hoover floor rugs and take them outside for a thorough beating, eliminating any loose dirt or debris.

March is also a great time to turn your attention to the fabric clothes in your wardrobe. With warmer weather on the way, you can rotate your summer and winter clothing.

Store your winter clothes and hang up your spring clothes, ready to be worn on sunny days.

 

April: Wiping Your Windows

With spring well underway, April encourages us to let the sunshine into our lives by giving our windows a makeover.

The brighter days illuminate even the tiniest streaks on the glass, making it an ideal month to focus on achieving crystal-clear windows.

Invest some time in learning how to clean your windows effectively. The residue left by winter weather can be stubborn, so you need to use the proper techniques.

Clean the outside and inside of the windows, working from top to bottom. Don’t stop at the glass panels either—extend your cleaning efforts to window sills, frames, and blinds.

 

May: Garden Revival

With the arrival of Bank Holidays and barbecue season, turn your focus on outdoor cleaning.

Sweep away dead leaves from your decking and patio, then go in with a pressure washer. You might also want to apply a fresh protective coat of stain to decking and wooden fences.

Your patio is just the beginning, and you’ll also want to clean the gutters, remove pesky weeds, and spruce up your garden.

Don’t neglect your shed either! Declutter and give it a deep clean to ensure your gardening tools have a tidy home.

If you plan on hosting any BBQs in 2024, now is also a great time to clean off all burnt-on residue ahead of summer garden parties. TikTok is full of barbecue cleaning hacks, but @lynsey_queenofclean’s method using onions – yes, onions – is a must-try this year.

@lynsey_queenofclean BBQ Cleaning hack ♨️ Onions are acidic and will pick up the grease that’s left behind, as well as any small specks of dirt. We use this method regularly and it really helps keep our BBQ in good shape.  Do this tip straight after cooking when grills are still hot  We tend to do this when we have got left over onion from cooking.  TAG a friend that needs to try this 👯‍♀️ Do you do this too?  #bbqhack #bbqcleaning #bbqcleaner #queenofclean #summerhacks #tipsandtricks ♬ Hot Barbeque – Album Version – Jack McDuff

 

 

June: DIY Maintenance

As we reach mid-2024, June calls for a focus on maintenance tasks beyond your standard cleaning routine.

Leaky taps, squeaky floorboards, clogged drains, and electrical issues are just some of the smaller problems that might have cropped up over the first six months of the year.

Tackle these issues now to stop them from turning into major (and expensive) repairs.

Most of these minor home repairs can be tackled with DIY methods—our guides or YouTube are great places to learn DIY skills.

June is also a great month to give dirty walls a wash or scuffed skirting boards a fresh lick of paint, so tie your apron and get your paintbrushes out.

 

July: Reaching New Heights

As the heat rises in July, it’s time to redirect our cleaning focus to the higher places within our homes.

Zone in on forgotten areas like the tops of bookcases, kitchen cupboards, wardrobes, and bathroom cabinets. These spaces are often neglected and accumulate dust and clutter throughout the year.

Remove loose particles with a handheld vacuum before wiping with a damp cloth, ensuring these often-neglected areas are as clean as the rest of your home.

Declutter the shelves while you’re at it to make weekly cleaning easier. And for even easier upkeep, House Digest reveals how you can clean around your clutter using nothing but a Swiffer pad!

 

August: Focusing on Floors

With increased foot traffic during the warmer months, our floors can quickly become breeding grounds for germs. August is therefore the perfect time to leverage the power of steam cleaning, which effectively kills 99% of bacteria and viruses.

Invest in one of the best steam cleaners to tackle carpets and hard floors with minimal effort.

Opt for a model with a large water tank to avoid frequent refills, and choose a design with a rotating head and a hand-held optional function for efficient and quick cleaning. Use it after vacuuming and mopping to eliminate bacteria and germs.

Carpets are also due a refresh in August, helping you to eliminate stains and odours. You can use a steam cleaner for this, but specialised carpet cleaners will boast better results.

Bissell recommends deep cleaning carpets twice per year, so make one of those times August 2024.

 

September: Showing Your Sofa Some Love

As summer subsides, September invites us to prepare for cosy evenings indoors.

Often neglected during the summer hustle, sofas can accumulate fluff, crumbs, and greasy marks over time. Take this month to show your sofa some love and set the stage for cosy nights in.

Start by thoroughly vacuuming all surfaces of your sofa, using a brush attachment to remove loose dust and hairs.

Get into nooks and crannies with a narrow nozzle, removing hidden dirt from between the cushions.

If your sofa covers are machine-washable, launder them yourself. For fixed covers or non-washable upholstery, use a steam cleaner to kill bacteria and freshen up fabrics.

 

October: Bedding and Bedroom Refresh

October marks the beginning of the transition to colder weather, making it the perfect time to refresh your bedroom for the autumn and winter seasons.

Take this opportunity to swap your summer duvet for one with a higher tog count—you’ll want a cosy sleep environment for colder nights.

At the same time, dive into a thorough bedroom cleaning session. Launder all your bedsheets and pillowcases, including spare sets.

Learn how to wash pillows and duvets, as these often-overlooked items can harbour dust mites and sweat.

Vacuum and turn your mattress, paying attention to your bed base and the neglected space underneath.

These cleaning tasks ensure that fluff and dead skin cells are banished, contributing to a healthier sleeping environment.

According to Forbes, washing bed linens is “a critical component of maintaining a restful sleep space,” so help yourself rest easy this winter with a thorough bedroom refresh.

 

November: Kitchen Appliance Overhaul

With the festive season on the horizon, November is the ideal time to ensure your household appliances are ready for the upcoming holiday bustle.

Set aside an afternoon to learn how to clean essential appliances, ensuring they operate efficiently and hygienically during the festive period.

Start by cleaning your fridge-freezer to create space for the increased grocery loads that come with Christmas celebrations.

Deep clean the oven and hob, making them more hygienic and ready for holiday cooking sessions. Don’t forget your dishwasher, either—limescale, dirt, and detergent residues can build up, leading to potential issues if not corrected.

By dedicating time to your appliances in November, you contribute to a seamless and stress-free holiday season in a well-maintained kitchen. Addressing these areas now will ensure they run efficiently during the busiest time of the year.

 

December: The Final Detox

As the year draws to a close, December beckons a final cleaning and detox session to prepare your home for the festive season and the arrival of the new year.

This grand finale focuses on cleaning the high-traffic areas of your home, ensuring they are welcoming for holiday guests.

Carry out a deep clean of the bathroom and kitchen, paying attention to every nook and cranny.

Utilise effective grout-cleaning techniques to achieve a pristine appearance in these crucial spaces.

If you have a porch area for coats and shoes, organise and freshen it up, as it serves as the first impression for arriving guests.

Ready to get started? Bookmark this laundry and cleaning calendar for 2024. With these manageable monthly tasks, you’ll stay ahead of the cleaning game while enjoying a tidy and organised living space throughout the year.

Here’s to a cleaner, cosier, and more organised year ahead!