How often do you deep clean?

[sgilmarti89]

My partner just came back from Walmart with $300 in cleaning supplies. He does this every new year and I'm wondering if this is something people actually do.

To give you a sense of how "deep" the cleaning goes ...

Every surface is wiped down with a wet wipe first, then vacuumed (twice!), then wiped again with a disinfecting solution. When I say every surface, I mean, literally every surface.

All sheets are boiled (yes, boiled!) to kill off things like dust mites, then washed, then ironed. Anything textile related is steam cleaned. Curtains are pre-washed to get rid of grime, then sent to the dry cleaners.

He insists on tossing out fabric chairs and getting new ones since the dust buildup is impossible to remove (this is actually true, I guess).

Even the fridge gets deep cleaned. Every item is removed, then the entire fridge wiped.

I don't even want to get started on the bathroom because when he is done, I would feel comfortable licking ice-cream off the toilet bowl.

Do people actually do this? I come from a household with much more relaxed cleaning standards. He's not like this the rest of the year. He just likes to do it once every year and he says it's much easier to maintain then to let things go to crap. But it is expensive and a little stressful.

[livesoft]

Never.

[stan1]

LOL, I'd find that an unexpected business trip came up that required me to be away when this happened. Or a lonely aunt or long lost family friend who needed to be visited.

[FeesR-BullNotBullish]

This seems extreme, but once a year should be tolerable. If you want something to make you think "well, it could be worse", then I recommend a show on Netflix called "Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners." Be careful about letting your partner see this because it might inspire him to deep clean more often!

[yangtui]

never

[JoMoney]

... I would feel comfortable licking ice-cream off the toilet bowl.

Do people actually do this? ...

No.

[UpperNwGuy]

As long as your partner does most of the work, why complain?

[BL]

Wow! I could use him at my house!

I would try to avoid things that need to be replaced annually-- like fabric chairs.
Maybe curtains if both washed and drycleaned.
Maybe it depends on whether you can afford it.

Certainly deep cleaning is not bad; maybe it is the old Spring Cleaning that used to happen a century ago. Destroying and replacing sounds a bit over the top.

Nobody is perfect. Some things are worth putting up with, but some not so much. Your life. I doubt you can change him.

[Jack FFR1846]

This is what I envision people without kids and 23 hours a day of free time doing.

I ain't got no time for this. We vacuum 4 times a year, whether it's needed or not.

[DrGoogle2017]

I live longer when there’s dirt around me. Hey at least that’s my motto.

Edit to add, we do clean the carpet once a year. Is that OCD enough?
But we do clean out the fridge once a year. But the toilet is not clean at the lick ice cream level. I often hear people like to brag that their toilet is so clean that they can eat off the floor. Who would do that? Crazy if you ask me. This would fall into crazy things I read on the internet.

[Turbo29]

... I would feel comfortable licking ice-cream off the toilet bowl.

Do people actually do this? ...

No.

FYI, Your Kitchen Is Probably Dirtier than a Toilet Seat
https://www.foodandwine.com/articles/fy ... oilet-seat

[canderson]

This is impressive OCD behavior.

[likegarden]

We never do that every year. We also have no animals and do not wear street shoes inside the house.
We also never get sick from the house, so such deep cleaning is not needed in our house.

[Blake7]

I'd rather just move (worked great when I was renting).

[Kenkat]

We keep a fairly clean house compared to many I see, but we do not take it to this level. If someone else is willing to do the work and as long as you are not throwing out high value stuff, I don’t see a problem if you partner wants to do it.

[ResearchMed]

My partner just came back from Walmart with $300 in cleaning supplies. He does this every new year and I'm wondering if this is something people actually do.

To give you a sense of how "deep" the cleaning goes ...

Every surface is wiped down with a wet wipe first, then vacuumed (twice!), then wiped again with a disinfecting solution. When I say every surface, I mean, literally every surface.

All sheets are boiled (yes, boiled!) to kill off things like dust mites, then washed, then ironed. Anything textile related is steam cleaned. Curtains are pre-washed to get rid of grime, then sent to the dry cleaners.

He insists on tossing out fabric chairs and getting new ones since the dust buildup is impossible to remove (this is actually true, I guess).

Even the fridge gets deep cleaned. Every item is removed, then the entire fridge wiped.

I don't even want to get started on the bathroom because when he is done, I would feel comfortable licking ice-cream off the toilet bowl.

Do people actually do this? I come from a household with much more relaxed cleaning standards. He's not like this the rest of the year. He just likes to do it once every year and he says it's much easier to maintain then to let things go to crap. But it is expensive and a little stressful.

Nope, certainly not us!

Tossing out fabric covered chairs?
Does that mean all "seating furniture" is replaced annually?
At one year of age, I hope you are trying to sell them (if not online, to a used furniture or consignment shop?) or get some type of value back.

Do you have sofa's?

Not meaning to give him ideas... are your mattresses and pillows in totally sealed/non-porous covers?
Does he "boil" blankets or comforters?

I used to move every few years, and that was also a good way to get "clean", in terms of dust under hard to move furniture, etc. When I was younger, I did do "better" cleaning than now, but nothing like the described activity.
(And of course, when there are little children around, the opportunities for cleaning are almost endless.)

Curtains are washed and *then* sent for dry cleaning?
(Aside from the duplication, doesn't that first action destroy the even shaping of the curtains? I used to make curtains out of flat sheets that matched my nice bed linens, and those could obviously be washed. But regular store-bought drapes?)

Also, you mention that "he just likes to do it...". Does that mean HE does it, or do you get recruited, too?

RM

[unclescrooge]

Cleaner may not always be better.

I won't post here to avoid running afoul of the medical advice prohibition but those who are interested can Google "hygiene hypothesis" and allergies and if you really want a shocker "hygiene hypothesis" and leukemia.

I don’t need to google. I used to live next to a doctor, he’s so fussy about his kids and food. Guess who ended up more sick than us?

Humans evolved in dirt and filth. Many doctors realize this and aren't as fussy.

My toddler oftens throws his sandwich on the floor if it's not up to his exacting sandwiches. It goes right back on his plate, even if the dog sniffed it.

[DrGoogle2017]

Cleaner may not always be better.

I won't post here to avoid running afoul of the medical advice prohibition but those who are interested can Google "hygiene hypothesis" and allergies and if you really want a shocker "hygiene hypothesis" and leukemia.

I don’t need to google. I used to live next to a doctor, he’s so fussy about his kids and food. Guess who ended up more sick than us?

Humans evolved in dirt and filth. Many doctors realize this and aren't as fussy.

My toddler oftens throws his sandwich on the floor if it's not up to his exacting sandwiches. It goes right back on his plate, even if the dog sniffed it.

Apparently not this doctor. He kept his kids in door a lot, while lots of us in our neighborhood got to run around freely.

[Broken Man 1999]

Hey, dust mites have to live too!

The idea OPs partner has is fine so long as they don't drag anyone else in to it. Better very clean than very dirty.

With no kids in house except grandchildren visiting, and no pets, means deep cleaning isn't necessarily needed.

Broken Man 1999

ETA: Having spent much time in hospitals, I worry more getting nasties there than at home.

[ClevrChico]

Nothing like that! Maybe every decade or two prior to a move.

Otherwise, it's clean for company.

[jeff1949]

I'm still hung up on the fabric chair deal. We have oak and fabric chairs in our dining room and I've had them for over 20 years. Blows my mind to think someone would throw them out annually! Yikes!

[totallystudly]

sounds like he needs a hobby

[Cycle]

I just live in an autoclave and run it once per day.

[TxAg]

My partner just came back from Walmart with $300 in cleaning supplies. He does this every new year and I'm wondering if this is something people actually do.

To give you a sense of how "deep" the cleaning goes ...

Every surface is wiped down with a wet wipe first, then vacuumed (twice!), then wiped again with a disinfecting solution. When I say every surface, I mean, literally every surface.

All sheets are boiled (yes, boiled!) to kill off things like dust mites, then washed, then ironed. Anything textile related is steam cleaned. Curtains are pre-washed to get rid of grime, then sent to the dry cleaners.

He insists on tossing out fabric chairs and getting new ones since the dust buildup is impossible to remove (this is actually true, I guess).

Even the fridge gets deep cleaned. Every item is removed, then the entire fridge wiped.

I don't even want to get started on the bathroom because when he is done, I would feel comfortable licking ice-cream off the toilet bowl.

Do people actually do this? I come from a household with much more relaxed cleaning standards. He's not like this the rest of the year. He just likes to do it once every year and he says it's much easier to maintain then to let things go to crap. But it is expensive and a little stressful.

We don't go through that much trouble, but I like his style (except getting rid of the chairs)

[LilyFleur]

oh my goodness!
The smell from all those cleaning products is not good for you. (The scents are worse for you than the smell of the chemicals.)
I do have and always plan to have a sofa and chair with washable slipcovers. I wash them every couple of years.

[JBTX]

No....

[123]

He undoubtedly flosses daily as well.

[annielouise]

It's certainly extreme compared to most people and, perhaps, some of it is counterproductive. It's probably not actually OCD since it happens only once a year.

If I had to guess, I would say he grew up (1) in a dirty home because I did and it is hard to find a good balance when you grow up without any cleaning habits or (2) with parents who did this exact same thing.

I do have a deep cleaning system. I do one room at a time and make sure all closets, cabinets, drawers are cleaned. I move furniture. I clean fixtures, windows, curtains/blinds, walls and ceilings if needed. Items get washed or dry cleaned or steamed or vacuumed (whatever makes sense). I get rid of clutter. I do this all year long.

Happy New Year!

[LilyFleur]

My partner just came back from Walmart with $300 in cleaning supplies. He does this every new year and I'm wondering if this is something people actually do.

To give you a sense of how "deep" the cleaning goes ...

Every surface is wiped down with a wet wipe first, then vacuumed (twice!), then wiped again with a disinfecting solution. When I say every surface, I mean, literally every surface.

All sheets are boiled (yes, boiled!) to kill off things like dust mites, then washed, then ironed. Anything textile related is steam cleaned. Curtains are pre-washed to get rid of grime, then sent to the dry cleaners.

He insists on tossing out fabric chairs and getting new ones since the dust buildup is impossible to remove (this is actually true, I guess).

Even the fridge gets deep cleaned. Every item is removed, then the entire fridge wiped.

I don't even want to get started on the bathroom because when he is done, I would feel comfortable licking ice-cream off the toilet bowl.

Do people actually do this? I come from a household with much more relaxed cleaning standards. He's not like this the rest of the year. He just likes to do it once every year and he says it's much easier to maintain then to let things go to crap. But it is expensive and a little stressful.

Upon reflection, I would rather have a partner who does this than one who feels comfortable living in a filthy and cluttered house and lets the animals pee and poo in the house. Yep, some people actually live like that.

[inbox788]

All sheets are boiled (yes, boiled!) to kill off things like dust mites, then washed, then ironed. Anything textile related is steam cleaned. Curtains are pre-washed to get rid of grime, then sent to the dry cleaners.

He insists on tossing out fabric chairs and getting new ones since the dust buildup is impossible to remove (this is actually true, I guess).

I'm not sold on these new washer/dryer steam/sterilizing/hygiene cycles, but it may be less trouble than boiling sheets and less expensive than throwing out all the items. Also, you can steam clean carpets and some furniture, and that may achieve some of what you want, though it's still disruptive, and it may not satisfy the need to deep clean. You can spend $50, $500 or hire a professional. Besides the $300 in cleaning supplies, how much is the annual cost of everything? How many hours of labor? Yours? His? Others?

https://blog.yaleappliance.com/bid/8382 ... ws-ratings

https://www.amazon.com/PurSteam-Handhel ... 06XHXFHWG/
https://www.amazon.com/Bissell-Hard-Sur ... 001EYHAGS/

https://www.amazon.com/Dupray-Steam-Cle ... B0195GOPQY

Anyway, as extreme as it sounds, it's probably still cheaper than weekly therapy sessions.

[DrGoogle2017]

My partner just came back from Walmart with $300 in cleaning supplies. He does this every new year and I'm wondering if this is something people actually do.

To give you a sense of how "deep" the cleaning goes ...

Every surface is wiped down with a wet wipe first, then vacuumed (twice!), then wiped again with a disinfecting solution. When I say every surface, I mean, literally every surface.

All sheets are boiled (yes, boiled!) to kill off things like dust mites, then washed, then ironed. Anything textile related is steam cleaned. Curtains are pre-washed to get rid of grime, then sent to the dry cleaners.

He insists on tossing out fabric chairs and getting new ones since the dust buildup is impossible to remove (this is actually true, I guess).

Even the fridge gets deep cleaned. Every item is removed, then the entire fridge wiped.

I don't even want to get started on the bathroom because when he is done, I would feel comfortable licking ice-cream off the toilet bowl.

Do people actually do this? I come from a household with much more relaxed cleaning standards. He's not like this the rest of the year. He just likes to do it once every year and he says it's much easier to maintain then to let things go to crap. But it is expensive and a little stressful.

Upon reflection, I would rather have a partner who does this than one who feels comfortable living in a filthy and cluttered house and lets the animals pee and poo in the house. Yep, some people actually live like that.

They are both extreme aren’t they. What about the normal average household?

[CaliJim]

keep things relatively clean as you go and full depth cleaning is superfluous

[White Coat Investor]

Wow! I could use him at my house!

I would try to avoid things that need to be replaced annually-- like fabric chairs.
Maybe curtains if both washed and drycleaned.
Maybe it depends on whether you can afford it.

Certainly deep cleaning is not bad; maybe it is the old Spring Cleaning that used to happen a century ago. Destroying and replacing sounds a bit over the top.

Nobody is perfect. Some things are worth putting up with, but some not so much. Your life. I doubt you can change him.

Exactly. Send him over. Once a year it clearly isn't OCD, even if it might be overkill. Throwing chairs out every year seems expensive though.

[DrGoogle2017]

Yeap, send him over here, as long as he does the cleaning, I’m good.

Btw, I avoid curtains for a reason, only have plantation shutters. Some areas, I have nothing. It lets in a lot of light and I’m happy with my open plan.

[Jimmie]

My toddler often throws his sandwich on the floor if it's not up to his exacting sandwiches. It goes right back on his plate, even if the dog sniffed it.

How can you expect your toddler to eat a sandwich that the dog won't even eat?

[LilyFleur]

My partner just came back from Walmart with $300 in cleaning supplies. He does this every new year and I'm wondering if this is something people actually do.

To give you a sense of how "deep" the cleaning goes ...

Every surface is wiped down with a wet wipe first, then vacuumed (twice!), then wiped again with a disinfecting solution. When I say every surface, I mean, literally every surface.

All sheets are boiled (yes, boiled!) to kill off things like dust mites, then washed, then ironed. Anything textile related is steam cleaned. Curtains are pre-washed to get rid of grime, then sent to the dry cleaners.

He insists on tossing out fabric chairs and getting new ones since the dust buildup is impossible to remove (this is actually true, I guess).

Even the fridge gets deep cleaned. Every item is removed, then the entire fridge wiped.

I don't even want to get started on the bathroom because when he is done, I would feel comfortable licking ice-cream off the toilet bowl.

Do people actually do this? I come from a household with much more relaxed cleaning standards. He's not like this the rest of the year. He just likes to do it once every year and he says it's much easier to maintain then to let things go to crap. But it is expensive and a little stressful.

Upon reflection, I would rather have a partner who does this than one who feels comfortable living in a filthy and cluttered house and lets the animals pee and poo in the house. Yep, some people actually live like that.

They are both extreme aren’t they. What about the normal average household?

I guess I fall into the "normal average" (slightly more neat and clean than average, though). My point, though, is that the OPs partner probably is not going to change, so why not be grateful for his deep cleaning?

[MathIsMyWayr]

I bought a carpet shampoo cleaner years ago and try to clean carpets when I feel like doing. I clean a section of the house at a time. I am always amazed at the amount of dirt in the waste water it collects. I always think of replacing carpets with hardwood floors. Floor carpets may be the dirtiest thing in a house.

[DrGoogle2017]

My partner just came back from Walmart with $300 in cleaning supplies. He does this every new year and I'm wondering if this is something people actually do.

To give you a sense of how "deep" the cleaning goes ...

Every surface is wiped down with a wet wipe first, then vacuumed (twice!), then wiped again with a disinfecting solution. When I say every surface, I mean, literally every surface.

All sheets are boiled (yes, boiled!) to kill off things like dust mites, then washed, then ironed. Anything textile related is steam cleaned. Curtains are pre-washed to get rid of grime, then sent to the dry cleaners.

He insists on tossing out fabric chairs and getting new ones since the dust buildup is impossible to remove (this is actually true, I guess).

Even the fridge gets deep cleaned. Every item is removed, then the entire fridge wiped.

I don't even want to get started on the bathroom because when he is done, I would feel comfortable licking ice-cream off the toilet bowl.

Do people actually do this? I come from a household with much more relaxed cleaning standards. He's not like this the rest of the year. He just likes to do it once every year and he says it's much easier to maintain then to let things go to crap. But it is expensive and a little stressful.

Upon reflection, I would rather have a partner who does this than one who feels comfortable living in a filthy and cluttered house and lets the animals pee and poo in the house. Yep, some people actually live like that.

They are both extreme aren’t they. What about the normal average household?

I guess I fall into the "normal average" (slightly more neat and clean than average, though). My point, though, is that the OPs partner probably is not going to change, so why not be grateful for his deep cleaning?

I see your point, but OP needs to understand the norm, otherwise why feed the beast in this case. You might not change anybody but that doesn’t mean you want to encourage this behavior further. Maybe this person comes from some countries that have bugs problem, who knows, it’s odd that we live in America, not a third world country, and to have to boil sheets. I wonder how OP’s partner deal with traveling, sleeping in hotels, using pillows that have been used by other people. So many scenarios I could think of.

[RickBoglehead]

The OP's partner sounds like someone with a disorder like OCD. Boiling sheets, tossing out fabric furniture, vacuuming hard surfaces after wiping and then wiping again. Clearly some type of a psychological illness. No, it's not normal.

My wife cleans the house, not me (we divide tasks, cleaning isn't on my list). Our house is immaculate. People comment whenever they visit. My wife does normal cleaning, dusting, vacuuming. Nothing obsessive.

[inbox788]

My toddler often throws his sandwich on the floor if it's not up to his exacting sandwiches. It goes right back on his plate, even if the dog sniffed it.

How can you expect your toddler to eat a sandwich that the dog won't even eat?

So what if the dog sniffed it? I'm more worried about what's on the floor! The floor doesn't lick the toddler all over the face. Then again you don't know what else the dog is sniffing or licking, but in either case, it's being passed via the sandwich or directly!

[LilyFleur]

My partner just came back from Walmart with $300 in cleaning supplies. He does this every new year and I'm wondering if this is something people actually do.

To give you a sense of how "deep" the cleaning goes ...

Every surface is wiped down with a wet wipe first, then vacuumed (twice!), then wiped again with a disinfecting solution. When I say every surface, I mean, literally every surface.

All sheets are boiled (yes, boiled!) to kill off things like dust mites, then washed, then ironed. Anything textile related is steam cleaned. Curtains are pre-washed to get rid of grime, then sent to the dry cleaners.

He insists on tossing out fabric chairs and getting new ones since the dust buildup is impossible to remove (this is actually true, I guess).

Even the fridge gets deep cleaned. Every item is removed, then the entire fridge wiped.

I don't even want to get started on the bathroom because when he is done, I would feel comfortable licking ice-cream off the toilet bowl.

Do people actually do this? I come from a household with much more relaxed cleaning standards. He's not like this the rest of the year. He just likes to do it once every year and he says it's much easier to maintain then to let things go to crap. But it is expensive and a little stressful.

Upon reflection, I would rather have a partner who does this than one who feels comfortable living in a filthy and cluttered house and lets the animals pee and poo in the house. Yep, some people actually live like that.

They are both extreme aren’t they. What about the normal average household?

I guess I fall into the "normal average" (slightly more neat and clean than average, though). My point, though, is that the OPs partner probably is not going to change, so why not be grateful for his deep cleaning?

I see your point, but OP needs to understand the norm, otherwise why feed the beast in this case. You might not change anybody but that doesn’t mean you want to encourage this behavior further. Maybe this person comes from some countries that have bugs problem, who knows, it’s odd that we live in America, not a third world country, and to have to boil sheets. I wonder how OP’s partner deal with traveling, sleeping in hotels, using pillows that have been used by other people. So many scenarios I could think of.

Not sure that is how "the beast" works. The beast is not rational. If it were rational, we wouldn't have the beast. (The hoarding beast is not rational, either.) I would not advise the OP to encourage the behavior. Perhaps leaving the premises with no comment would be best. I have never had this problem!!! I lived with a hoarder for decades, and it was a huge amount of work on my part just to keep things uncluttered enough so that the children could safely have their friends over. When that relationship was over, I realized what a financial drain the hoarding had been. I curate what I bring into my home very carefully.

[DrGoogle2017]

I bought a carpet shampoo cleaner years ago and try to clean carpets when I feel like doing. I clean a section of the house at a time. I am always amazed at the amount of dirt in the waste water it collects. I always think of replacing carpets with hardwood floors. Floor carpets may be the dirtiest thing in a house.

We don’t wear outside shoes in the house for a reason. But when we clean it, it’s dirty.

[LilyFleur]

Upon reflection, I would rather have a partner who does this than one who feels comfortable living in a filthy and cluttered house and lets the animals pee and poo in the house. Yep, some people actually live like that.

They are both extreme aren’t they. What about the normal average household?

I guess I fall into the "normal average" (slightly more neat and clean than average, though). My point, though, is that the OPs partner probably is not going to change, so why not be grateful for his deep cleaning?

I see your point, but OP needs to understand the norm, otherwise why feed the beast in this case. You might not change anybody but that doesn’t mean you want to encourage this behavior further. Maybe this person comes from some countries that have bugs problem, who knows, it’s odd that we live in America, not a third world country, and to have to boil sheets. I wonder how OP’s partner deal with traveling, sleeping in hotels, using pillows that have been used by other people. So many scenarios I could think of.

Not sure that is how "the beast" works. The beast is not rational. If it were rational, we wouldn't have the beast. (The hoarding beast is not rational, either.) I would not advise the OP to encourage the behavior. Perhaps leaving the premises with no comment would be best. I have never had this problem!!! I lived with a hoarder for decades, and it was a huge amount of work on my part just to keep things uncluttered enough so that the children could safely have their friends over. When that relationship was over, I realized what a financial drain the hoarding had been. All the clutter and unnecessary inventory and unread books and unplayed games cost a lot of money. I curate what I bring into my home very carefully.

[topper1296]

I'm a neat freak by almost any standard and even I don't do anything remotely close to this extreme. This puts my annual "spring cleaning" to shame.

[DrGoogle2017]

Upon reflection, I would rather have a partner who does this than one who feels comfortable living in a filthy and cluttered house and lets the animals pee and poo in the house. Yep, some people actually live like that.

They are both extreme aren’t they. What about the normal average household?

I guess I fall into the "normal average" (slightly more neat and clean than average, though). My point, though, is that the OPs partner probably is not going to change, so why not be grateful for his deep cleaning?

I see your point, but OP needs to understand the norm, otherwise why feed the beast in this case. You might not change anybody but that doesn’t mean you want to encourage this behavior further. Maybe this person comes from some countries that have bugs problem, who knows, it’s odd that we live in America, not a third world country, and to have to boil sheets. I wonder how OP’s partner deal with traveling, sleeping in hotels, using pillows that have been used by other people. So many scenarios I could think of.

Not sure that is how "the beast" works. The beast is not rational. If it were rational, we wouldn't have the beast. (The hoarding beast is not rational, either.) I would not advise the OP to encourage the behavior. Perhaps leaving the premises with no comment would be best. I have never had this problem!!! I lived with a hoarder for decades, and it was a huge amount of work on my part just to keep things uncluttered enough so that the children could safely have their friends over. When that relationship was over, I realized what a financial drain the hoarding had been. I curate what I bring into my home very carefully.

My sister is a hoarder but no pee or poo in her house. I suggested to her to toss away anything old before she moves them to her new house, but she can’t help it. It’s a psychological problem. She bought a new house but have not moved in yet, but she already moved half of the old stuff into her new garage.

[DanMahowny]

This thread can't be real. No way. It can't be.

[Shallowpockets]

WHAT!!!

$300 of cleaning supplies!!!!

That's my take on it.

[Limoncello402]

I do a deep clean spring cleaning, so once a year. I can get away with that because I live alone and am quite neat and clean in general. During spring cleaning everything get emptied out of each room, ceiling and walls are wiped down, floor is washed, rugs are cleaned, wood furniture is cleaned, paint is touch upped if needed, broken things are fixed, textiles are washed, windows are washed, clutter is collected for a haul to Goodwill. After a long winter I enjoy it although I take my time with it. I usually do a couple of rooms in March, and couple in April, and finish the house in May. I liked the feeling of having gone through every single item of my stuff and every inch of the house.

[retire2022]

This seems extreme, but once a year should be tolerable. If you want something to make you think "well, it could be worse", then I recommend a show on Netflix called "Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners." Be careful about letting your partner see this because it might inspire him to deep clean more often!

David Sedaris comes to mind, he has OCD and is both an accomplished writer and house cleaner.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/don ... icker.html

[JFKtoSFO]

I think the methods are a bit much (I hope they’re at least giving away or selling the chairs every year!), but I try to do a deep clean once every 3 months or at the very least 2xs a year. This means dusting things up high, wiping down all the furniture, cabinet surfaces, taking everything out of the fridge and cleaning all the drawers, regrouting or recaulking anything that is showing wear, washing the deck, conditioning the furniture, things like that. I don’t feel the need to boil my sheets, because I wash them in hot water once a week and I have allergy covers on all my pillows (including throw pillows).

I have a pretty severe dust allergy, and I think the easiest, but certainly not cheapest, way to deal with these situations, is to not have anything that collects it in the first place. I have no fabric window coverings ( in NYC I would wash my curtains in the tub every few months, and the water would turn black from soot) , only a few area rugs that can be washed easily (or are indoor/outdoor rugs that don’t hold as much dust) and allergy covers. I also don’t have very many tchotchkes, and any art or photos are on walls.

Why does your partner keep buying fabric chairs? How about a leather chair, or a solid chair with a cheap replaceable fabric cushion?