IN THIS POST
– Monthly Home Maintenance Checklist
– Quarterly Home Maintenance Checklist
– Yearly Home Maintenance Checklist
Buying a home may be a huge milestone, but owning and maintaining it is a much bigger responsibility than most first-time buyers even realize. Apart from taking care of daily chores and cleaning, you also need to dedicate some time towards maintenance and repairs. Whether you have just moved into a new house or have been residing there for several decades, you must follow a home maintenance checklist to ensure your investment remains safe and secure for years to come.
Following a home maintenance checklist is just like scheduling your medical check-up. A property maintenance checklist can help you avoid pricey home repairs down the road, just like visiting a doctor for a check-up can help keep you in perfect shape. Ultimately, you’ll manage to save a lot of money by preventing more than a few emergencies.
In order to help you out, we’ve put together a monthly, quarterly and yearly home maintenance checklist that will keep your house or apartment in perfect shape.
Monthly Home Maintenance Checklist
Here are some of the most important tasks that must be a part of your monthly home maintenance checklist.
- Inspect plumbing for any leaks
- Check electrical wiring
- Clean the range hood
- Vacuum upholstered furniture
- Clean out your refrigerator
- Replace or clean your vacuum bag
- Make your stove sparkle
- Clean your washing machine
Let’s discuss these house maintenance tasks in advance.
Inspect Plumbing for Any Leaks
Look for leaking pipes around the kitchen sink, toilet and bathroom sink. Sometimes, leaking pipes go unnoticed for months or years, causing severe water damage which often results in rot. However, you can simply avoid going through all that trouble by looking for any signs of water in your kitchen and bathroom. If you find any sign of water in a place where it shouldn’t be, call a plumber.
Remember, even a tiny leak in your plumbing can cost you thousands of rupees in repairs if left unattended.
You can also check out these DIY plumbing repair tips for some inspiration.
Check Electrical Wiring
It is important to add an electrical check-up to your monthly home maintenance checklist in order to avoid any unpleasant incidents.
The best way to go about it is to turn off the main switch and carefully open the lid of your electrical panel. Then turn on your torch and examine the interior of the panel. If a switch looks burned or scorched, or if you spot any loose wiring, request professional help as soon as possible.
As you may already know, loose wires can cause a short circuit, which can be a huge fire hazard.
Here are some useful house fire prevention and safety tips that all property owners must know about.
Clean the Range Hood Filter
Did you choose the best range hood for your kitchen? That’s great. Now you only need to clean it on a regular basis for it to function properly.
If you cook in your kitchen on a daily basis, you may have already started noticing a film of grease and grime forming on the surface of your brand new range hood. Apart from making the exterior of your range hood look filthy, grease also clogs the filter which often causes the exhaust fan to malfunction.
To make sure the exhaust systems keep working properly, you must remove the filter and clean it thoroughly before reinstalling it. Similarly, use a suitable cleaning solution to get rid of grease on the exterior of your range hood.
This should be a part of your home repair checklist on a monthly basis.
Vacuum Upholstered Furniture
Reupholstering your furniture is not exactly cheap. If you want to make your couches and cushion seats last a bit longer, it is suggested you vacuum them at least once a month. This task is important for the maintenance of your house as it will get rid of any dust and debris settled in the fabric of your furniture, making it appear cleaner and healthier.
In case you see any stains forming on the upholstery, make sure to wipe the surface with a microfiber cloth before using a suitable cleaning solution to remove the stain. For instance, one of the best ways to clean fabric upholstery is to spray it with a solution of 3/4 warm water, 1/4 cup vinegar and 1 tablespoon of mild dishwashing liquid. After letting it rest for a minute or two, scrub the soiled area with a soft cloth until the stain disappears.
Here are some simple hacks to deep clean upholstery that you must check out.
Clean Out Your Refrigerator
A dirty refrigerator can become the breeding ground for bacteria in your home, which can directly affect your health. In order to make sure your fridge remains functional for a very long time, you must clean it from the inside and outside once a month, preferably when it’s on the emptier side.
All you need to do is turn off your fridge, empty it out, discard items that have expired or seem mouldy and clean the shelves and egg crate with a cleaning solution of baking soda and hot water. You must also clean the rubber seal of your refrigerator with a cloth dipped in a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar.
Make sure your fridge is completely dry before turning it on.
You can also take a look at how to deep clean other electronic appliances in your home to maintain a healthy environment.
Replace or Clean Your Vacuum Bag
You cannot maintain a house with dirty cleaning appliances. A lot of homeowners don’t pay attention to carrying out regular maintenance of their vacuum cleaners, which often leads to performance issues. Since most of us rely on these machines to clean floors, curtain and upholstery among other items, it is imperative to empty or change their dust bags at least once a month (or when they are 2/3rd full).
If the machine is not functioning properly or is emitting an unpleasant odour, it is a clear indicator that dust and debris have clogged up the pores in the bag. This, in turn, would reduce the suction ability of your cleaning appliance.
Make Your Stove Sparkle
There is a good chance you wipe the grease and gunk off your stoves on a daily or weekly basis. However, you still need to deep clean your stove at least once every month to ensure its surface remains shiny and the burners continue to work without any issues.
One of the best ways to get rid of burnt food and grease stains is to spray your stoves with WD-40 after covering up the burners with plastic wrap. Let the chemical cleaner sit for about 10 minutes before carefully wiping it off with a paper towel. In case you are a fan of DIY cleaners, using a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice will also do the trick.
You can also deep clean your gas stove burners by removing them from the stovetop and washing them with detergent and lukewarm water. Then, coat them with a thick paste of baking soda and water. Let the burners sit for about 20 minutes before washing off the paste and drying them with a kitchen towel.
Make sure to add this task to your general home repair and maintenance checklist for a flawless-looking kitchen.
Clean Your Washing Machine
Make sure to clean and sanitize your washing machine from both inside and outside at least once a month.
Although we may not realize it, washing machines are extremely prone to mould infestation. If you don’t want your laundry to smell unpleasant and become a health risk, you must add it to your home maintenance plan. The easiest way to clean your washing machine is to turn it onto the hottest water setting using the longest wash cycle.
You must also clean the gasket, dispenser, filter and other components of your washing machine. Since every machine has different features, you can refer to the instruction manual of your appliance for further guidance.
It is important to mention that you can alter or add to this monthly home maintenance checklist as needed. Weekly cleaning chores, such as wiping your cabinets and cleaning the mirrors, can also be done on a monthly basis if your home doesn’t require a lot of dusting and cleaning.
Quarterly Home Maintenance Checklist
Now that we have discussed how to maintain a house on a monthly basis, let’s take a quick look at the tasks that must be added to your quarterly home maintenance checklist.
- Clean the exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen
- Fix any loose door handles, cabinet knobs and racks
- Check and tighten all deadbolts and locks on your windows and doors
- Repair caulking around toilets, bathtubs and showers
- Remove the showerheads in your bathroom at least once every 3 months to clean the sediment
- Repair cracked and chipped tiles around your home
- Regardless of whether you have a gas or electric cooking range, you must add cleaning its oven to your quarterly home maintenance checklist
- Deep clean your tile floors
Yearly Home Maintenance Checklist
Here is a quick overview of yearly home maintenance checklist that all homeowner’s need to follow:
- Get a professional termite inspection at least once a year
- Inspect sidewalks and driveway for cracks. Here is a guide on repairing concrete cracks that might come in handy
- Fix cracks in your home’s ceiling
- Check the seals of your windows and doors to make sure they remain insulated
- Touch up the exterior paint of your house if needed
- If you spot any dead power outlets around your home, hire a professional to fix them
- Wax or polish the wooden furniture in your home to make it look brand new
- Wash the carpets and rugs to get rid of dirt, dust, debris, pet hair and dander
- Inspect staircases for loose threads or spindles
- Lubricate the hinges of your doors, cabinets and windows
By following these checklists, you will only be prolonging the life of your home.
You can also check out our seasonal home maintenance checklists of winter and summer months by heading over to Zameen Blog – the best home improvement and real estate blog in Pakistan.
If you have any suggestions or feedback regarding our tips on maintaining your house, feel free to write to us on blog@zameen.com. Moreover, you can subscribe to our newsletter on the right to receive the latest updates about construction and property trends in the country.
