Things You Should Clean Monthly

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It always astounds me the amount of things I’ve learned as a homemaker and mom of 15 years. Collecting a list of things you should clean monthly (but probably don’t) makes me cry the most.

There are so many things we just forget to clean, even with a house cleaning list! We’re busy keeping kids alive and feeding them, so these items just don’t get the deep cleaning they deserve.

Wait. I Have To Clean That?

That was totally me each time I realized these items not only needed to be cleaned monthly, but needed to be cleaned at all.

OK, it makes sense that the fridge and oven need to be cleaned. But, the washing machine? The GARBAGE CANS?! Stop the humanity!

But yes, there are tons of things out there we really should be cleaning more than once or twice a year.

How Can I Get All Of These Cleaned?

As soon as I looked at this final list of things you should clean monthly, I got overwhelmed. And I’m the one that actually cleans these things monthly!

When thinking about how to help you tackle this list, I had to remember that I don’t do this all at once. I also don’t do it by myself.

Look at this list, and see what items you can delegate to other family member throughout the month.

Only clean one or two items per week. There are 4 or 5 weeks in a month, so spread out the work.

8 Things You Should Clean Monthly

Below is the small list of items you should clean monthly, at least. Some of these things might need to be cleaned twice a month, but the minimum for them all is once a month.

The Refrigerator

This might be my favorite thing to clean monthly because we tend to have an empty fridge at the end of every month.

Since we do once a month grocery shopping, that empty fridge begs for a good cleaning right before I fill it up with food.

Be sure to take all the drawers out, and give them a cleaning in the kitchen sink. To see a Youtube video of how I give our fridge a wipe-down, click the photo below.

Washing Machine

This might be the grossest thing I clean monthly. Actually, we’re supposed to clean our washing machines at least twice a month.

When I mentioned this on Instagram, I had many people comment that they clean their clothes with bleach, vinegar, or extra cleaners to sanitize the clothing.

My response? That’s great, but what are you using to actually clean the washer? Those cleaners were made for the clothes, not the machine.

Our washing machines clean dirty things. Where do you think the dirt goes? Blech.

Our washer has a “clean washer” button on it, but I still use affresh washing machine cleaning tablets twice a month.

I have 3 active kids, a pet, and a husband who works a job that gets his work clothes FILTHY 5 days a week. We need to call in the big guns.

I get the affresh tablets through Amazon Subscribe and Save, so we get a small discount on them. Click here to get them on Amazon for your washing machine.

Garbage Cans

I am not ashamed to say that cleaning garbage cans is a chore I pass onto my kids.

If you are a larger family like us, this is definitely a kid-friendly task. Have them soap up the garbage cans, especially the kitchen one. Then, let them spray the cans with the hose.

We even do this with our larger cans we put out for garbage and recycling pick-up. Those things can get filthy, so it helps to have them on a cleaning schedule.

Area Carpets

Area carpets can get pretty dirty fast, but the best part is that they are easy to clean. If your area rug can fit in the washing machine, go to town.

Some carpets need to be cleaned the old fashioned way; placed over a fence and hit with something flat, like a broom. Either way, get those carpets cleaned at least once a month.

Baseboards

This one hurts my heart because I always thought only crazy people actually clean their baseboards. So, thinking about cleaning them monthly made me immediately roll my eyes.

But, this definitely needs to be something you at least wipe down once a month. Don’t wait until spring cleaning or fall cleaning to get this done!

Purse and Wallet

The cleaning of your purse and/or wallet isn’t more of a “spray lysol inside and wipe down” thing. This is a cleaning where you organize the insides.

Take out any garbage, remove grocery receipts and scan them in Fetch for points, and make sure any money is properly put away. Yes, that includes gift cards. Put it where you can find it when you need it!

Want to get 2000 points just for signing up for Fetch Rewards? Use my code J5KYY after you download the app!

Kitchen Cabinets

When was the last time you cleaned your cabinets? We don’t realize how much we use our cabinets on a daily basis, so a good wipe down of the outside and inside once a month makes sense.

This will also help you keep an eye on the items you have in your cabinets, so you won’t have any wasted food or schedule extra pantry challenge months.

Reusable Grocery Bags

Tell the truth. When was the last time you washed your reusable grocery bags? It’s OK; most people forget to wash them.

Giving the cloth ones a wash in the washing machine, and soaking the plastic ones in hot, soapy water once a month will ensure you are keeping those germs at bay.

What do you think of this list? Are there items on here that you already clean monthly? Other items we should clean monthly? Let us know in the comments!