12 things you only have to clean once a year

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Hate dedicating whole weekends to housework? Who doesn’t! Thankfully, some jobs only require doing every 365 days. Tick them off your list now and you won’t have to think about them for a whole year.

• Light bulbs

A heavy coating of dust and grime can mean your rooms are looking dimmer. First, make sure they’re switched off and cool to touch. Unscrew, then simply wipe with a lint-free cloth and screw back on. Voila! It’s instantly brighter.

• Carpet deep clean

A thorough onceover with your vacuum is great, but once a year, a deeper clean is required. Rent a carpet cleaner or, better yet, call in the professionals who will bring their own machine system. The same applies to upholstered furniture. Vacuum, then remove and clean covers or get the professionals to do it.

• Window frames

Wipe around the frame with a brush, then spray and wipe the glass with a solution made up of two teaspoons of dishwashing detergent and ½ cup of white vinegar in a bucket of warm water. After scrubbing, use a squeegee to wipe away the suds horizontally.

• Top kitchen drawer

You know the one. Otherwise known as the “man drawer”, it’s where meds, batteries, tape measures, Allen keys and coins tend to randomly end up. Take it out and organise so you know where everything is and only keep the essentials.

• Washing machine

Leave it for too long and your washing machine will start to harbour mould and unpleasant smells. Cleaning it keeps it fresh – and your clothes fresh, too.

Create a paste by combining ¼ cup of bicarbonate of soda and ¼ cup of water. Pour this paste into the detergent container and pour 2 cups of white vinegar into the drum. Run a normal load at the hottest water setting to break up mineral deposits and mould growth. When the cycle is complete, open the machine and rub around the opening with water and a clean scouring sponge.

Not cleaning your washing machine can lead to mould and unpleasant smells. Photo: Stocksy

• Tumble dryer

Wash out your lint filter with some soapy water and wipe down the drum with a damp cloth. Then clean and inspect your dryer exhaust. This is very important, as dust building up around here can cause electrical fires. Unplug and carefully vacuum around, behind and under the machines – where lint tends to lurk – and remove any build-up inside the vent using a brush, air compressor or long vacuum hose.

• Gutters

Though it can take a couple of hours, cleaning your gutter is important if you want to maintain the integrity of your roof. Go around with a ladder, scooping out the gunk and flushing it out with the hose sprayer. Try to do it in autumn, when your garden gets the heaviest leaf accumulation.

• Outdoor furniture

Before summer BBQ season commences, freshen up your outdoor tables and chairs. If plastic, aluminium or wrought iron, wipe with a cloth dampened with soapy water (two teaspoons of mild dishwashing detergent in a bucket of warm water), then hose down. If wicker or teak, use a soft scrub brush dampened with an oil-based soap, paying extra attention to dirt stuck in the crevices, then hose down.

Before summer BBQ season commences, freshen up your outdoor tables and chairs. Photo: PavelGr

• Curtains and drapes

As well as clearing away dust every couple of weeks with your vacuum brush attachment, give them a yearly deep clean. Remove, then hand wash, machine wash or steam clean, depending on the material.

• Garage and shed

Set aside a weekend and ring in your loved ones if necessary. Throw out anything old or broken, set aside things to be donated and use a wet/dry vacuum to clear dust, cobwebs, leaves and small debris. Then organise by usage – placing the things you use most within easy reach.

• Under and around heavy items

Call in a strong mate to help you move your couch, bed, stove and fridge. The collection of dust (and crumbs) you find under there will shock you.

• Pantry and cupboards

What’s on the cull list? Any double-ups (consolidate those four baking sodas you happen to have), anything expired, and any cans or dry goods that you may want to donate to a local food bank. Once clear, wipe down the shelves before putting things back, doing a mental checklist of what’s running low for your next supermarket shop.