English | español
Cleaning the inside of your home on a regular basis is important. It helps prevent roaches and other pests as well as unnecessary wear and tear.
After every meal
- Put away all food in tightly covered containers.
- Rinse dishes after use and stack in dish pan or dish washer.
- Wash or soak utensils used for cooking.
- Wipe up any spills on the floor.
Daily
- Wash the dishes, sink and counters.
- Sweep the floor.
- Clean the stove top. Cleaning after every use can help to prevent baked-on dirt.
- Pick up any trash and empty the trash can.
Weekly
- Mop the floor.
- Disinfect counters and cutting boards using a bleach water solution.
Every other month
- Clean the range hood filters.
- Clean the oven and microwave.
- Clean the refrigerator and defrost if required.
After use
- Run exhaust fans after showers or baths for at least 20 minutes.
- Rinse the sink and tub after use.
- Wipe up spills on the floor.
Weekly
- Wipe down the sink and tub area with an all-purpose cleaner.
- Clean the toilet bowl.
- Wipe the toilet seat and outside of the toilet bowl with an all-purpose cleaner.
- Wash the floor with all-purpose cleaner.
- Clean the tub with a low abrasion cleaner.
Every other month
- Check for mold and clean if needed. Scrub mold with a concentrated bleach-water solution.
Always
- Use door mats near all outside doors.
Immediately
- Pick up food and any other spills.
Weekly
- Vacuum carpeting weekly or more if needed, especially in high traffic areas.
- Mop any hard-surfaced floors.
Why worry?
It's important to prevent and get rid of roaches because they:
- Contaminate or damage food.
- Damage wiring.
- Contribute to allergies.
Start with prevention
Here are some simple things you can do to prevent roaches in your home.
- Keep roaches away from items you will move to your new home.
- Keep roaches away from food sources by doing the following.
- Keep food in tightly covered containers.
- Clean dirty dishes at least daily. Do not leave dirty dishes out overnight.
- Take garbage out daily.
- Fix leaky faucets and pipes.
Getting rid of roaches
To get rid of roaches:
- Use roach traps to determine where roaches are living.
- Apply insecticides near where roaches are living.
- Apply insecticide with care to keep it away from pets, children, dishes and food.
Related resources
Everyone deserves a safe and healthy home — National Healthy homes Partnership — Download this 12-page consumer guide that includes the basic principles of healthy homes with helpful action steps, checklists, graphics, and links for supplemental information.
A healthy home for everyone: A guide for families and individuals — Centers for Disease Control — A room-by-room guide for families.
Reviewed in 2018