Owning a home and finally having your own place may be a milestone for many. However, this momentous achievement in life is attached to a myriad of responsibilities.

As a homeowner, it is inevitable to have a lot of responsibilities on your plate. From paying your property mortgage to buying all the essential furnishings of your house, it can be pretty easy to overlook one of the most pivotal tasks: home maintenance.

However, it is imperative to keep your house in tiptop condition. After all, if you want its inhabitants to stay healthy, you should consider the general cleanliness and upkeep of your homes. On top of ensuring that your furniture, home appliance, and security systems remain operational longer, you need to make sure that your living areas and your rooms are more comfortable to use. Like people, our homes need to operate on a maintenance schedule for their upkeep as well. That said, making it a point to check on your home appliances, plumbing, thermostat, security, and electrical systems will go a long way in preventing any breakdowns and costly repairs. As a result, you can save money on needless restoration expenses and keep your home looking its best.

In any case, use the maintenance checklist below to help you with your seasonal home updates, repairs, cleaning, along with a few weekly tasks. Always remember to revisit the list each month and at the beginning of a new season to keep your homes looking fresh and in optimal working condition. However, if any of the jobs call for skills and talents that go beyond what you are capable of, consider availing of professional services. With the list of regular home maintenance tasks below, you can ensure that your house and lot in Cavite or elsewhere will always be ready to accept guests.

WEEKLY HOME MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST

a.) Vacuum the floors

If you have carpets and rugs in your living area, be sure to vacuum them each week. A neglected carpet can easily be a host to a myriad of microorganisms, dirt, dust, mites, and at times, even mold. They may not be so easy to see, but they are there. If you intend to sell your home, keep in mind that buyers can quickly see and smell whether or not you have regularly and thoroughly paid attention to cleaning the floors. Your home’s value is on the line, so invest in a quality and effective vacuum that can keep your floors clean.

b.) Wipe down your stovetop and vent

Regardless of how frequently you prepare and cook meals in a week, your stovetop and vent are both designed to catch grease. As a result, it does not take long before it starts to look a little grody and greasy. Thankfully, you can easily prevent an alarming buildup by wiping it down and regularly de-greasing the vent. To do this, you need to detach the filter from the hood and soak it in a cleaning solution before beginning to brush off any grease.

c.) Clean window sills

Be sure not to forget your window tracks! If you are putting your property up for sale, know that interested buyers are bound to glance out of the window at some point of their tour. That said, you need to ensure that your windows are thoroughly cleaned—including the window sills! If they happen to look down, they would most certainly not want to see a collection of dirt, dust, and dead bugs. You do not need to worry, though; the windows are fairly simple enough to clean; just use a microfiber cloth to wipe them off. However, if your windows have a lot of buildups, sprinkle baking soda over the track and sill and spray it with a liquid combination of water and vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes before coming back to scrub it with a toothbrush to loosen up the grime.

d.) Mow the lawn

A wild and unkempt-looking yard can deter interested buyers or turn off guests the moment they pull into your driveway. As mowing the lawn is one of the more considerably heavy tasks, it is understandable if it is one of the maintenance chores you would rather forego. A good rule of thumb to follow is to mow the lawn at least once a week. In this way, you do not have to burden yourself with the cumbersome task every few days and still have a presentable lawn.

e.) Check for mold

Mold can grow rather quickly, so you should be diligent and a little thorough when checking for signs of mold in your home. Mold and mildew thrive in damp environments such as laundry rooms and bathrooms. Exposure to these can cause sneezing and coughing. In extreme cases, it may even exacerbate allergies and asthma. All those considered, checking and monitoring appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines that use large quantities on a weekly basis is paramount.

f.) Clean out your fridge

It can be quite easy to overlook taking out spoiled food from the fridge, but having a clean refrigerator should form part of the weekly home maintenance tasks in your routine. A clean fridge smells fresh and clean, and it helps you see its contents better. In this way, updating your grocery list will be quick and easy. Apart from taking spoiled food out, removing everything from your fridge and wiping down its entire interior with a multi-surface spray and soft, cotton cloth is recommended. However, if your fridge needs extra care, use Soft Scrub with bleach on a sponge to remove stubborn stains and sticky spills. After that, you can wipe the residue with a damp sponge. Be sure not to forget the outside of your fridge and wipe down the sides, clean under the magnets, sanitize the handles, and vacuum underneath.

g.) Disinfect kitchen appliances, tools, and other accessories

The kitchen is where germs can quickly transfer from one place to another. With that in mind, be sure to clean and disinfect faucet handles. Also include the cleaning of oven-door handles and cabinet handles on a weekly basis. You may want to give your kitchen towels and sponges a thorough cleaning once a week. Lastly, do not forget to take out the trash in the kitchen trash can and rinse it with a cleaning solution.

h.) Clean the mirrors

Keep your mirrors shiny by including them in your weekly cleaning. Get rid of those bathroom mirror spots as well as the spots on your shower doors and water fixtures. You can do this by using a dryer sheet that has been used in the laundry. Dampen the sheet and wipe off those stubborn spots, soap scum, and residues.

i.) Clean litter boxes and pet bowls

Your pets’ stuff needs some TLC too. To ensure that pet bowls remain clean, give them a thorough washing every week. Also, be sure to clean out litter boxes as well. In this way, you can mitigate veterinary bills by ensuring your pets are eating from safe and clean pet bowls.

j.) Charge your wireless security cameras and doorbell

If you do not have a hard-wired security system, be sure to charge them each week to keep them working. It may be an easy task to miss, but you would not want to have your security system running without juice, especially during a time when you may need them. That said, make a mental note to charge these every week.

THE BOTTOMLINE

It is understandable to find the home maintenance tasks above a little burdensome, but while they may be taxing, they are important to do. At the end of the day, performing these regular tasks can save you money and the hassle in the long run. Moreover, taking care of your house and surrounding property helps you protect one of your life’s most significant investments insomuch that you do not have to spend so much on repairs and replacements. Also, taking care of your house ensures that your biggest and most important asset is in good shape should you ever decide to put it on the market.

Remember, it only requires a little bit of prevention coupled with an effort to keep your investment in excellent shape today and for years to come.