Tips for maintaining your Apartment Kitchens
You’ve done the hard work of saving for and securing, your own brand new apartment and now you get to sit back and enjoy it all. Everything is fresh and new including your shinny new apartment kitchen. But how do you keep it that way? Just as regular oil changes keep your car engine purring nicely, keeping up with regular apartment maintenance tasks will help your home run smoothly and reduce future headaches and wasted money.
Apartment Maintenance Checklist
It can be intimidating to think about the various tasks required to keep your new home in order, especially if you’re a first-time homeowner. There’s a pretty long list, but the good news is that you can do the majority of it on your own without much experience, and spread the load across the year.
A home maintenance calendar is a good idea to keep things in order, maximise your time and reduce overwhelm when the weekend rolls around. Every apartment has its own requirements and your timing will be determined by your schedule, so this isn’t a black and white list. It will, however, give you a good idea of what needs doing to keep your apartment happy for years and years to come.
Seasonal Cleaning Checklist:
Summer – Check grout in the apartment kitchen/bathroom, check and clean your dryer exhaust vent, check for signs of any insect problems around the apartment.
Autumn – Before the colder months hit Autumn is a great time to clean heating ducts and have the hot water system checked.
Winter – Tighten handles/knobs on cupboards, check interior walls for chipping paint surfaces, check all deadbolts and locks on doors, check caulking around showers/bathtubs/windows.
Spring –. Throw out anything nonpractical that does not bring you happiness with a good spring clean. Areas to target during your spring cleaning may include refrigerator, kitchen cupboards and wardrobes. Also, Spring is a great time to get ready for summer by having you air-conditioning cleaned/serviced.
Weekly Cleaning Checklist:
- Clean stovetop
- Vacuum floors and mop
- Dust benchtops
- Wash bed linen
- Clean and maintain bathrooms
- Empty all wastebaskets
Monthly Cleaning Checklist:
- Check fire extinguishers
- Clean range hood filter
- Clean dishwasher
- Clean bathrooms thoroughly including grouting
- Check all interior lights are working and replace accordingly
- Clean windows
- Wipe down walls and doors for
- Clean oven (this may be a weekly occurrence depending on usage)
Quarterly Cleaning Checklist:
- Test smoke detectors (change batteries when the clocks change for daylight savings)
- Give your house a deep clean – appliances, blinds, dusting everything
- Have carpet professionally cleaned (more frequently if you have pets)
- Steam clean curtains and couches
- Remove showerheads and clean sediment
Tips for Saving on Home Maintenance
As with saving for anything, a plan and discipline are required. A great rule of thumb is to decide on a particular portion of your household income to be regularly directed into a ‘rainy day’ (or maintenance) account, that can’t be easily drawn upon. Also, be sure to buy cleaning products in bulk where possible, and choose good quality tools and equipment upfront, so that you’re not wasting money on things that break easily or don’t do the job properly.