How to Clean a House in Singapore
How to clean a house in Singapore: clear up, work top to bottom and dry before wet, room by room, with a weekly routine for humid HDB flats and condos.
Below is the order we use, what to clean in each room, the extra jobs Singapore's weather brings, and a daily, weekly and monthly routine. If you'd rather hand some of it over, the last section shows which of our services covers which job.
How to clean a house: the order that saves time
Cleaning takes longer when you do a job twice. Dust from the shelves lands on a floor you've just mopped, or a wet cloth smears crumbs you could have vacuumed up. Four habits prevent that.
- Clear before you clean. Pick up clothes, dishes, toys and post first, and put each thing back where it lives, or into one basket to sort later. You can't wipe a surface you can't see.
- Work from the top down. Start high, with the aircon cover, the fan blades and the tops of cabinets and shelves, then do tables and counters. The floor comes last, because everything above it drops onto it.
- Do the dry jobs before the wet ones. Dust and vacuum first, then wipe and mop, or the wet cloth turns the dust into a grey paste.
- Spray, then wait. Spray the bathroom and the hob first and go and do something else while the cleaner loosens the grime, so you scrub less. The label says how long to leave it.
Work in one direction too, from the room furthest from the front door back towards it. In an HDB flat or a condo that usually means the bedrooms first, then the bathrooms and the kitchen. The living room comes last, so you never walk across a floor you've just mopped.
What you need
You don't need a cupboard full of products. For most homes this is enough:
- microfibre cloths, a few of them, in two colours so the toilet cloth never touches the kitchen
- a duster with a long handle for fan blades and the tops of cabinets
- a vacuum cleaner, or a broom and dustpan
- a mop and a bucket, or a flat mop with a spray head
- an all-purpose cleaner, a bathroom cleaner and a glass cleaner
- a scrub brush, a toilet brush and an old toothbrush for corners and grout
- rubber gloves and bin bags
Never mix bleach with another cleaner. Bleach reacts with any product that contains ammonia or an acid, vinegar included, and gives off toxic gas, as Health Canada warns. Open the windows or run the fan while you clean, and follow each product's label.
Room by room
Bedrooms and the living room
- Clear the surfaces and open the windows to air the room.
- Dust from the top: the aircon cover, the fan, shelves, the TV and the tops of frames.
- Wipe the switches, door handles and remote controls. They're touched the most and cleaned the least.
- Change the bedsheets. Shake out or vacuum cushions and the sofa.
- Vacuum the floor, under the bed and along the skirting, then mop.
House dust mites live in mattresses, upholstered furniture and curtains, and they thrive in Singapore all year round, says NHG Health. Washing the sheets every week and vacuuming fabric helps, and an allergic household may want the mattress and sofa cleaned properly once in a while.
The kitchen
- Load or wash the dishes first, so the sink is free.
- Spray the hob and leave it while you do the rest.
- Wipe the cabinet doors and the counter tops, top to bottom, crumbs into your hand or a bin.
- Wipe the outside of the fridge, the microwave, the rice cooker and the kettle.
- Come back to the hob and scrub it. Clean the sink and the tap last, and dry them so they don't spot.
- Take out the rubbish and wipe the bin's lid.
- Mop the floor, starting at the far end.
Once a month, clear out the fridge and wipe the shelves, and degrease the cooker hood. The oven and microwave can wait for a proper clean every few months, unless you cook with them every day.
The bathroom
- Spray the shower area, the basin and the toilet, and leave them while you clear the counter.
- Wipe the mirror and the taps.
- Scrub the shower area and the tiles, rinse, and pull the water down with a squeegee.
- Clean the basin, then the toilet, outside first and the bowl last.
- Wash the floor and leave the window open or the fan on.
In Singapore the bathroom is usually where mould starts. Squeegee the walls after the last shower of the day and keep the room aired, and it has less chance to grow.
Floors, last of all
Vacuum or sweep the whole home in one go, then mop it in one go. Change the mop water when it turns grey. For tiles and vinyl, a damp mop with a little floor cleaner is enough. Too much water leaves streaks and takes longer to dry.
Jobs Singapore adds
Most cleaning guides are written for cooler, drier countries. A home here needs four more things on the list.
Humidity and mould
Air the home every day when it isn't raining. Leave wardrobe doors open now and then, keep a gap between furniture and the wall, and don't dry laundry in a closed room. Wipe black spots on silicone and grout as soon as you see them, with a mould cleaner used the way its label says.
Mosquitoes
Water left standing anywhere at home can breed them. The government's B-L-O-C-K steps fit neatly into a cleaning routine:
- Break up hardened soil in plant pots.
- Lift and empty flowerpot plates.
- Overturn pails and wipe their rims.
- Change the water in vases.
- Keep roof gutters clear and put BTI insecticide in them.
The aircon
A dusty filter spreads dust and makes the unit work harder. Rinse the filters every few weeks if you use the aircon daily, and wipe the cover when you dust. We suggest a service every 3 to 6 months, depending on how much you use it and how dusty or damp the room is. Our aircon servicing guide explains which service a unit needs.
Windows and grilles
Dust from traffic and building works settles on sills and grilles quickly. Wipe the inside of windows and the sills once a week. Never lean out of a high-rise window to clean the outside.
A routine that keeps the house clean
Little and often keeps a home cleaner than one big session a week. This routine suits a typical HDB flat or condo. Pets, small children or cooking every day mean doing some of it more often.
| How often | What to do |
|---|---|
| Every day | Wash the dishes and wipe the counters and hob. Put things back where they live. Sweep or vacuum the kitchen and the busiest spots. Empty the kitchen bin. Air the home. |
| Every week | Change the bedsheets. Dust every room from the top. Vacuum and mop all the floors. Clean the bathrooms, toilet bowls included. Wipe the outside of the appliances, switches and handles. Wipe the windows inside and the sills. |
| Every month | Clear out and wipe the fridge. Degrease the cooker hood. Rinse the aircon filters. Wash the cushion covers and wipe the skirting. Check for mould behind furniture and in wardrobes. |
| A few times a year | Service the aircon. Clean the oven and microwave properly. Clean the mattresses, sofa and curtains. Give the whole home a thorough clean, before Chinese New Year if you keep that custom. |
You can also spread the weekly jobs over the week: the bathrooms one evening, the floors another, the sheets at the weekend.
How to clean faster
- Keep your cloths and sprays in a small caddy or bucket and carry it from room to room, so you aren't walking back to the store room.
- Do one job across the whole home. Dust every room, then vacuum every room, then mop. You pick up each tool once.
- Spray first and come back later. Scrubbing straight away is the slow way.
- Give each room fifteen minutes on a timer and move on when it rings.
- Clean as you go. Wipe the hob while the kettle boils, and squeegee the shower right after you use it.
Professional housekeepers work the same way. They follow a fixed list for each room, carry their tools with them, and go top to bottom and dry before wet.
When to get help with the cleaning
When there isn't time for the routine, here's what each of our services covers.
General cleaning
One of our housekeepers comes for 3 or 4 hours, or a 5-hour part-time session. Our housekeepers are our own in-house team, trained before their first booking.
| Area | What every option covers |
|---|---|
| Hall and bedrooms | Vacuum and mop, dust the furniture |
| Bathroom | Shower area and bathtub, toilet bowl, sink, floor |
| Kitchen | Cabinets and counter tops, the sink, the outside of the appliances, the floor |
The 5-hour session adds ironing and folding. You can add the fridge, the oven, windows, aircon or home disinfection to the same visit. Cleaning supplies and tools are an add-on too, so book it if you'd rather we bring them.
A regular housekeeper
If you want help every week or every fortnight, read our guide to hiring a part-time helper in Singapore. Our monthly plans bundle several visits a month.
The bigger jobs
Spring cleaning is the whole home in one visit, cabinets inside and out, booked by home size. Deep cleaning is for one thing that needs machines or special agents: the kitchen appliances, the toilets, the floors, a sofa or the mattresses.
You book on our website, in our app, on WhatsApp or by phone, anywhere in Singapore, Sentosa and Tuas included. The price shows before you pay, and cancelling more than 24 hours ahead is free.
If the routine has slipped, start from a clean home and keep it up from there. Book a general cleaning and pick a session and a date.
Questions
How can I clean my house fast?
Clear the clutter first, then do one job across the whole home: dust everything, vacuum everything, then mop. Spray the bathroom and hob before you start so the cleaner has time to work. A timer of fifteen minutes a room keeps you moving.
What order should you clean a house in?
Top to bottom and dry before wet. Dust high surfaces first, then wipe tables and counters, and do the floors last. Start in the room furthest from the door and finish near it.
How do professionals clean a house?
They work from a fixed list for each room, carry their tools with them, and go top to bottom and dry to wet. They spray first and let the product work, so they scrub less.
How often should I clean my house?
Dishes, counters and the busiest floors every day. Bathrooms, bedsheets, dusting and all the floors every week. The fridge, cooker hood and aircon filters every month. In Singapore's damp, air the home daily too.
Do I need to provide cleaning supplies for a housekeeper?
For our general cleaning, tools and supplies aren't included unless you add them. Book the cleaning supplies and tools add-on and the housekeeper brings what's needed.