Weekly Cleaning Checklist for a One-Bedroom Apartment

How to use this checklist

Work through it once a week, room by room. Tick as you go; the boxes on this page remember your ticks on this device. Clean top to bottom and dry to wet: tidy and dust first, wipe second, vacuum third, mop last.

Before you start (5 minutes)

• Open the windows.
• Put a load of bedding or towels in the washing machine.
• Take a bag round every room and clear rubbish and recycling.
• Put things back where they live.

Kitchen (15 minutes)

• Clear and wipe all counters.
• Wipe the hob and the front of the oven, fridge and microwave.
• Wipe inside the microwave.
• Clear out old food from the fridge and wipe any spills.
• Clean the sink and taps.
• Empty the bin, wipe the lid and put in a new bag.

Bathroom (15 minutes)

• Spray the shower, bath and basin and leave the cleaner to work while you do the rest.
• Clean the toilet, inside and out.
• Wipe the mirror and taps.
• Rinse and wipe the shower, bath and basin.
• Change the towels.
• Check for mould in corners and seals; wipe it off early.

Bedroom (10 minutes)

• Change the bedding.
• Dust surfaces and the headboard.
• Put away clothes from chairs and the floor.

Living area (10 minutes)

• Dust surfaces, shelves and the TV with a damp microfibre cloth.
• Vacuum the sofa and cushions.
• Straighten throws and cushions.

Floors, everywhere (10 to 15 minutes)

• Vacuum every room, including under the bed's edges and behind doors.
• Mop hard floors with a mop that suits them; no steam on wood or laminate.

Finish (5 minutes)

• Hang the washing to dry, near an open window or with the fan on.
• Wipe the door handles and light switches.
• Close the windows.

The daily ten-minute reset

Every evening: wash up, wipe the counter and hob, put things back, and open a window for a few minutes. It is what keeps the weekly clean to an hour.

What to do next

Choose tools that make this faster: robot vacuum or cordless stick and best steam mops. Pets add a few jobs; see best products for pet hair. The apartment cleaning guide covers the monthly jobs.

Adapting the checklist

• With pets: add brushing the pet, washing its bed, and running a rubber broom over rugs before vacuuming.
• With housemates: split the rooms and rotate weekly, so nobody always gets the bathroom.
• With a robot vacuum: let it do the floors on a schedule and spend the time on the bathroom instead.
• Short on time: do the kitchen and bathroom one day and the rest another.

Your basic kit

A vacuum, a mop that suits your floors, microfibre cloths, a multi-surface spray, a bathroom cleaner, a toilet brush and rubber gloves. Keep them together in one caddy so the whole clean starts in one place.

How long it should take

In a small apartment, a full weekly clean usually takes one to two hours. Split it into short sessions if that is easier: bathroom and kitchen one evening, floors and dusting another. Daily habits such as wiping the hob and doing the dishes make the weekly clean much quicker.

Make it stick

Clean on the same day each week, and put the checklist where you will see it. Tick items off as you go.