rewrite this title Daily Upkeep Vs Deep Clean: How Often Should You Deep Clean With Kids? – Penny Pinchin’ Mom

Parents, tell me I’m not alone. Rewind to Saturday, and I’ve cleared my calendar, booked the kids for four different activities, made a large coffee and sent my husband and the kids away for the day so I could do the least rewarding household task: Deep Cleaning.

I spent the whole day doing all the things that can’t possibly get done on a daily or weekly basis. My feet hurt, my back was tired, my hands looked like raisins and I was ready to call it a night by 5pm. Even though I was exhausted, I felt considerably lighter. The mental list that had been running in my head for the last month was finally empty and I was hopeful for a good night’s sleep. 

This satisfaction was short-lived when I walked into my house on Tuesday only to notice applesauce splatter on the buffet, a mystery caked on substance on the kitchen floor and sticky handprints on the front door. The rage and defeat that bubbled inside me was ready to fly out but I really did NOT want to do this cleaning again. I decided maybe my problem wasn’t my house but my brain telling me I need to do these deep cleans constantly to keep a “clean” house. 

So, I did what I love to do and went online to look for actual research about How Often Should You Deep Clean with Kids?

What the Data Says

The short answer to all your burning questions is that most experts seem to recommend deep cleaning your house every three months if you have kids, while deep cleans for kid-free and pet-free homes can go about four to six months in-between cleans. If you’re reading this, you probably don’t fall into the second category, and you are unfortunately looking at a once-a-quarter deep clean schedule. 

Along with kids and their chaos (and fun) comes germs, mess and unpredictability. A lot of us have probably fallen victim to the daycare germs that have been brought home on hands and inside noses. 

Cold and flu season can be brutal on families which makes the need to deep clean once a quarter even more important. Even if your kids aren’t in school, they can still spread germs from the library, playgrounds and churches! Yes, as parents we are frequenting these places as well, but we have more mature immune systems and also don’t touch every single cracker box in the snack aisle.

When we come home from these outings, we’re touching door knobs, light switches etc that we don’t even realize are holding germs. If you’re anything like me, your high-touch surfaces are only getting cleaned when someone starts to get sick. 

Aside from the invisible mess that comes with kids, there’s the very visible ones to consider. Snacks, art supplies, muddy shoes etc. are all obvious things that add to a messy house. I also cannot be bothered to clean an applesauce splatter off my buffet at 7:30 in the morning as I’m rushing the kids out the door to school. 

I always say, I’ll get that later, and then later never comes and it only gets addressed on the dreaded deep cleaning day.

Standard Cleaning vs. Deep Cleaning

So, what even is deep cleaning? I could get into a cleaning rabbit hole without ever leaving my primary bathroom and I certainly don’t have time for that as a busy mom. Let’s talk about a standard clean. 

This is the weekly maintenance cleaning that is needed for your house to feel some level of tidy and not overrun by dust bunnies. Dishes, floors, bathrooms, trash and counters can all be added into this category. The list will vary for some families that might spend more or less time at home but realistically we all have similar weekly cleaning lists.

Deep cleaning is the things that aren’t easily done in a quick 30-minute pickup or wipedown. The things that don’t get instantly dirty after a clean but somehow accumulate dust and grime over longer periods of time. It especially includes the things that get invisibly dirty like carpets. I promise you I vacuum my carpets weekly but when I get them shampooed, that water is one of the scarier things I’ve seen. 

There are some deep cleaning tasks that are great for DIY like dusting, baseboards, even some appliance cleaning. However, some tasks can be worth calling in a pro (shout out to the white grout in my shower). I swear some cleaners have magic cleaning products that look exactly like the ones under my sink but are secretly something much more powerful inside.

A Realistic Cleaning Checklist for Parents

When deep cleaning, it can be easy to get distracted by the other daily messes going on around your house that you can’t seem to remember what actually needed cleaned that day. I’ve created a deep cleaning checklist that blends what works for me along with what cleaning experts say should be included in these quarterly cleans. I prefer a room by room approach because I get an extreme amount of satisfaction when I can close the door of the room I’ve finished and pretend it will stay like that for days to come.

Kitchen

Inside the fridge (yes, including the mystery jar in the back)

Behind and under appliances, where crumbs and dropped snacks migrate

Inside cabinets, especially lower ones kids can access

Small appliances –  blender, toaster, high chair tray if you’re still in that stage

Bathroom

Grout and tile, especially in tub/shower areas

Toothbrush holders and cups (genuinely gross if you haven’t looked lately)

Inside cabinets and under the sink

Kids’ rooms and playroom

Toy bins: dump them out, wipe them down, and be honest about what can go to donation

Washable stuffed animals through the laundry

Under the bed (you know what’s under there)

Closet edit, especially if it’s seasonal changeover time anyway

High-touch surfaces throughout the house

Light switches, doorknobs, remotes, cabinet pulls

These get missed in weekly cleaning and matter most for germ control

Seasonal extras, if you have the bandwidth

Air vents and filters

Mattress protectors and bedding rotation

Window sills and tracks

Signs It’s Time to Deep Clean Sooner Than Planned

In my house, there is no high-touch surface or stuffie that doesn’t get cleaned when Norovirus enters the chat. Sicknesses, seasonal allergy flares, new babies etc are all reasons to deep clean sooner than you planned. Sometimes we have messier phases like potty training which requires more cleans than normal and that’s okay. If you’re getting exhausted by a constant rotation of germs and cleaning supplies, this might be a good time to call in a professional and give yourself some rest. 

Another time of the year where deep cleans might become more frequent are holidays. Having lots of people in your house can lead to extra germs and extra messes. The influx of traffic can dirty your floors quicker and bring around germs you aren’t normally exposed to. I personally use this time of the year as an opportunity for a professional cleaning. Not only is it needed more often but I’m loaded down with gifts, end of year tasks and school closings that I truly need the extra help. 

This is usually when I pull up Homeaglow and just book someone. No calling around, no guessing who’s trustworthy, just browsing profiles and picking a time that works before I lose my mind over holiday chaos. I hate the actual task of outsourcing because it requires logistics, research and scheduling which makes me want to rip my hair out so this has been my secret weapon to actually getting a cleaning scheduled instead of pushing it off.

Small Habits Between Deep Cleans 

Those quick daily/weekly resets are the key to being able to go three months in between deep cleans. Not only does it make the starting point not feel so daunting, but it makes the deep clean easier to accomplish. Below are some of my favorite ways to make a quick tidy less boring, including ways for your kids to get involved:

10 minute timer at the end of the night for a “closing shift” style tidy

Drop zone baskets outside kids rooms for them to put all their random clutter into before bed

One load of laundry every day to keep it from piling up

Podcast / Audio book + a vacuum can be a dangerous way to get those dust bunnies out of sight

Final Notes

I want to remind you that “regularly” doesn’t mean “constantly.” A realistic quarterly rhythm along with small weekly habits is truly enough to keep your house in order. You don’t live in a hotel and truly no one expects it to feel that way. 

Don’t be afraid to lean on cleaning services for those deep cleans especially in the busy times of the year when your time is needed elsewhere like getting gifts, planning holiday meals and scheduling play dates. 

You’re still a good parent for wanting to spend your Saturday at your kids dance recital instead of cleaning the baseboards.