A clean home is something we all aspire to, but it’s easy to get carried away with cleaning. Over-cleaning wastes time, money, and even reduces the lifespan of your possessions. Here are 12 ways you may be overdoing it when cleaning your home.
Cleaning the Air Ducts Too Frequently
Air ducts only need cleaning every 2-5 years unless there is a specific issue like rodents or mold. Yearly cleaning of air ducts is overkill for most homes. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends skipping duct cleaning altogether if no one in the home has allergies or asthma [1].
When to clean the air ducts:
- Every 2-5 years for preventative maintenance
- When moving into a new home that has questionable ductwork
- After any remodeling or construction that could have released dust into the ducts
- If there are pest problems, mold, or excess dirt in the ducts
- When diagnosing or treating allergies and asthma
Cleaning air ducts stirs up dust, so it’s best to minimize this chore. Consult an HVAC professional to assess if ductwork needs cleaning before doing it routinely.
Disinfecting Surfaces That Don’t Require It
Disinfecting is only necessary for surfaces that have come into contact with germs and pathogens. Disinfecting on a daily basis is overkill because it can lead to antibiotic resistance over time [2].
When disinfecting is helpful:
- Countertops used to prepare raw meat, fish, and poultry
- Cutting boards, especially if they have had contact with raw meat
- High chairs and table surfaces used by small children
- Bathroom surfaces like sinks, counters, toilets, and showers
- Surfaces touched by someone who is sick
For general cleaning, soap and water are all you need for most surfaces. Target disinfecting to high-risk areas to avoid overusing harsh chemicals.
Scrubbing All Floors on Your Hands and Knees
Scrubbing floors by hand can be tiring and time-consuming. For most floors, a mop is sufficient for routine cleaning. Getting on your hands and knees to scrub should be occasional, not constant.
When scrubbing by hand makes sense:
- For spot treating stubborn stains and dirt
- Cleaning grout lines on tile floors
- Cleaning corners and baseboards where dirt accumulates
- Hardwood floors to protect the wood over time
Save your knees by using a hand scrub brush just for problem areas. Mopping floors regularly keeps them clean without intense effort.
Running Self-Clean Cycles Too Often
Modern ovens have a self-cleaning cycle that incinerates food spills with very high heat. However, this intense process can wear down an oven over time when used excessively [3].
How often to self-clean the oven:
- No more than once every 3-6 months for light use ovens
- Once every 2-3 months if the oven gets daily heavy use
Doing a full self-cleaning cycle every month is overkill. Regularly wipe out spills after cooking. Use the mildest oven cleaning method that works before defaulting to self-clean.
Over-Washing Clothes
Doing laundry too often wastes water, electricity, and wears out clothing prematurely. Clothes that aren’t heavily soiled don’t need to be washed after one wearing.
When clothes truly need washing:
- Socks and underwear after each use
- Shirts, pants, and dresses that are stained or smelly
- Jackets, sweaters, and jeans after several wears if not dirty
- Towels and sheets weekly
Use your judgment instead of routinely washing clothes. Spot treat stains to get more use between washes. Hang clothes to air out odors. Only launder when truly dirty.
Running the Dishwasher Half Empty
It’s economical and efficient to run full loads in the dishwasher instead of small loads. The machine uses about the same amount of water and electricity whether full or not.
When to run the dishwasher:
- At the end of each day when the interior is full
- After dinner parties or when entertaining guests
- When you’ve run out of clean dishes between full loads
Wait until there’s a full load instead of wasting water and money on small loads. Scrape food instead of pre-rinsing to conserve water as well.
Replacing AC Filters Too Frequently
Air conditioner filters only need replacing every 2-3 months for most homes. Replacing them monthly is overkill, wastes money, and risks damaging HVAC systems by disturbing them too frequently [4].
When it’s time to swap the AC filter:
- About every 60-90 days for standard pleated filters
- After 3 months for electrostatic and reusable filters
- When the filter looks very dirty or clogged
- When airflow seems reduced
Mark the install date on new filters. Set calendar reminders for 60 or 90 days later. Let filters last a full season before replacing.
Vacuuming Daily
Daily vacuuming is excessive, especially for homes without shedding pets or young children. Frequent vacuuming can damage carpets and is a chore that’s easy to overdo.
Vacuum frequency for clean carpets:
- Every 3-5 days for homes with pets or kids
- Once a week for homes with mostly adults
- Once every 2 weeks for lightly used formal spaces
Spot vacuum high traffic areas as needed instead of vacuuming everywhere daily. Adjust schedule based on your home’s needs.
Sanitizing the Washing Machine Monthly
Washing machines only need sanitizing every 3-6 months for most families. Doing this chore monthly exposes your washer to excessive moisture that can damage components.
When to sanitize the washing machine:
- Every 3-6 months as routine maintenance
- After sickness has spread through the family
- If laundry isn’t getting fully clean despite detergent
- When the washer has a foul odor you can’t eliminate
Vinegar or bleach kills bacteria and prevents musty washer smells. But limit this chore to only when truly needed.
Dusting Daily
Dusting is a chore that’s easy to overdo. Dusting once a week is usually sufficient for most homes without dust-generating pets or hobbies. Frequent dusting also risks knocking knickknacks off shelves!
Reasonable dusting frequency:
- Once a week for homes without excess dust
- Twice a week for pet owners, craft rooms, etc
- Once a month for vaulted ceilings or tall bookcases
- Seasonally for ceiling fans and light fixtures
Minimize dusting to conserve energy and limit wear on treasured objects. Focus just on visible dust accumulation.
Cleaning Bathroom Mold Weekly
Cleaning mold inside showers and sinks weekly is overkill. Mold needs moisture, soap scum, and food to grow, so thorough monthly cleanings prevent it.
When to scrub away bathroom mold:
- Monthly as part of deep bathroom cleaning
- After travelers stay who don’t wipe down after showers
- If mold growth exceeds normal grout discoloration
- If family members have mold allergies
Use preventative bathroom cleaning products to limit mold growth between monthly scrubbings. Reduce moisture and mold will have trouble thriving.
Wiping Down Walls Monthly
Walls only need wiping down every 3-6 months in most homes without small children or heavy dust issues. Monthly wiping of walls, ceilings, and doors is overkill.
When wall wiping makes sense:
- After remodeling or painting when drywall dust is present
- After soot damage from fires or smoking
- When marked by kids or pets
- Every few months to reduce allergens for sensitive family
Spot clean marks as they happen. Clean walls seasonally or as truly needed instead of monthly.
Cleaning Under Appliances Frequently
Major appliances only need moving to clean underneath them 1-2 times per year. More frequent cleaning is unsafe and risks damaging floors and the heavy appliances themselves.
Reasonable appliance under-cleaning schedule:
- Once a year for refrigerator and ovens
- Every 2 years for washer, dryer, dishwasher
- When replacing an appliance
- During major seasonal cleanings
Use extended attachments on the vacuum to routinely clean near appliances instead of moving them. Only lift and pull when thorough cleaning is truly overdue.
Conclusion
A clean home is welcoming and healthy, but over-cleaning is a waste of time and money. Focus cleaning efforts on high-traffic areas, visible dirt, and tasks that truly impact health and hygiene. Minimalism with cleaning prevents burning out on chores and keeps your home tidy.
Frequently Asked Questions about Over-Cleaning
How can I tell if I’m over-cleaning my home?
Signs you may be over-cleaning include:
- Feeling like you clean all the time but the house is never clean
- Spending more than 2 hours a day on cleaning
- Using harsh chemical cleaners multiple times per week
- Finding cleaning tiresome or feeling burned out
- Getting comments from family or guests about your cleaning or using too many chemicals
What are the disadvantages of over-cleaning?
Over-cleaning has many downsides including:
- Wasting money on unnecessary cleaning supplies and equipment
- Taking time away from more meaningful activities
- Exposing family members and pets to harsh chemical fumes
- Causing wear and tear on carpets, furniture, appliances by cleaning too aggressively
- Disturbing healthy dust mites and bacteria that are part of the indoor biome
How can I reduce time spent cleaning?
Tips to minimize cleaning time include:
- Focus on what needs cleaning rather than a rigid schedule
- Only launder and change linens when truly dirty
- Clean as you go instead of letting messes pile up
- Use labor-saving tools like dishwasher and vacuum
- Stick to weeknight quick cleans and deeper weekend cleans
- Declutter to reduce dusting and storage maintenance
- Assign chores so everyone contributes to lighten the load
What is a reasonable amount of time to spend cleaning each week?
- 1 hour or less per day for daily tidying of lived-in spaces
- 5 hours per weekend for deeper cleaning tasks like bathrooms, floors, laundry
- 10-15 hours total weekly for cleaning for the average 3-4 bedroom home
The right amount of time depends on your home’s size, residents, and needs. But aim for the lowest reasonable amount of cleaning time instead of overdoing it.
How often should you wash sheets and towels?
- Wash sheets every 1-2 weeks or when visibly dirty.
- Wash towels every 3-4 uses or weekly for cleaning towels.
- Wash bath towels after a couple uses if they smell or look dirty.
- Wash kitchen towels daily or when dirty since they contact food. Consider using paper towels for some kitchen tasks.
Adjust laundry frequency based on use, storage space, and how soiled items become. Don’t overwash just to have laundry to do.
In summary, being aware of over-cleaning tendencies helps avoid wasting effort. Focus cleaning on high impact areas and tasks that benefit family health the most. Decluttering and cleaning as you go daily also reduces chore time. Establish a reasonable cleaning routine tailored to your home’s unique needs.
Sources
[1] https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/should-you-have-air-ducts-your-home-cleaned
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/ AntibioticResistance/index.html
[3] https://www.consumerreports.org/self-cleaning-ovens/do-self-cleaning-ovens-really-work-a36255173/
[4] https://learnmetrics.com/change-ac-filter/