January in Brisbane is not a normal month.

It’s hot, sticky, busy, and somehow your house gets dirty even when you feel like you’ve done nothing but clean.

Between the humidity, kids home 24/7, constant air con use, sandy floors, and summer cooking, Brisbane homes take a beating this time of year. And what makes it worse is this: most of the mess isn’t obvious.

It’s hiding in corners, vents, grout lines, ceiling fans, and all the places you only notice when the smell hits, the mould appears, or the home just starts feeling “off”.

This checklist is designed for real Brisbane homes, not unrealistic Pinterest routines. It’s practical, strategic, and focused on the areas that actually matter in summer.

1. Why January Is the Toughest Month on Brisbane Homes

If your home feels harder to keep clean in January, you’re not imagining it.

Brisbane summers create the perfect storm of conditions that make dirt build faster and stay longer:

  • Heat makes everything feel sticky, including floors, benchtops, and cupboard handles
  • Humidity increases mould risk, especially in bathrooms and poorly ventilated areas
  • Sand and fine dust get tracked inside daily, especially in coastal and Bayside suburbs
  • Air conditioners circulate dust constantly, which settles on surfaces faster
  • School holidays mean high traffic, more snacks, more mess, more “how is this possible?” moments

The result is a home that can look clean at a glance but still feel uncomfortable.

That’s why a proper January clean isn’t just about tidying. It’s about resetting the home so it feels fresh again.

2. Start with the Humidity Hotspots: Bathrooms, Ceilings & Hidden Mould Zones

If you only tackle one category this month, make it this one.

Humidity doesn’t just create mould. It creates the kind of damp smell that makes your home feel less clean even after you’ve scrubbed.

Here are the most commonly missed mould zones in Brisbane homes:

  • Bathroom ceiling corners (especially above the shower)
  • Exhaust fan covers
  • Silicone edges around showers and sinks
  • Behind toilets
  • Window tracks in bathrooms
  • Laundry corners and behind appliances
  • Skirting boards near wet areas

What to do:

  • Use a proper mould cleaner (and ventilate well)
  • Scrub grout and silicone lines
  • Clean the ceiling and exhaust fan cover
  • Wipe down walls around the shower, not just the tiles

What most homes miss:

A lot of mould starts above eye level. If you only clean what you can easily see, it keeps coming back.

This is also one of the biggest reasons Brisbane homeowners book a once-off deep clean. It’s hard to reach, time-consuming, and it’s the difference between “looks fine” and “feels fresh”.

3. The Sand & Dust You’re Not Seeing (But Definitely Breathing In)

If you live in Brisbane’s Bayside, you already know this one.

Even when you don’t go to the beach, sand has a way of showing up in your home like an uninvited guest.

And the problem isn’t just the gritty feeling underfoot.

The bigger issue is the fine dust that settles into:

  • Floor edges
  • Corners
  • Skirting boards
  • Under beds
  • Under couches
  • Sliding door tracks
  • Ceiling fan blades
  • Air con vents

What to do:

  • Vacuum slowly, especially along edges
  • Mop floors with attention to corners and under furniture
  • Wipe skirting boards and lower walls
  • Clean sliding door tracks properly

What most homes miss:

A quick vacuum in the middle of the room does not touch where the dust actually builds.

This is why homes can still feel dusty even after “cleaning”.

4. Kitchen Grease + Summer Cooking = Sticky Surface Build-Up

Summer kitchens in Brisbane get messy fast.

You cook more. You snack more. You host more. You open the fridge more. You wipe more. And still, everything starts to feel slightly sticky.

That’s usually grease build-up, and it spreads further than most people realise.

The most overlooked kitchen zones:

  • Rangehood filters
  • Top of cabinets
  • Splashbacks
  • Cupboard doors (especially near the stove)
  • Fridge handles and sides
  • Pantry shelves
  • Bin lids and surrounding floor area

What to do:

  • Degrease rangehood filters
  • Wipe cupboard fronts with a gentle degreaser
  • Clean the top lip of splashbacks
  • Deep clean around the bin and underneath it

What most homes miss:

Grease attracts dust. Dust sticks to grease. That’s how you get that grimy film that feels impossible to remove later.

January is the best time to reset it before it turns into a winter-long problem.

5. Ceiling Fans, Air Cons & Filters: Circulating More Than Cool Air

This one is huge for comfort, health, and air quality.

In January, your fans and air con are basically running your home’s internal air system.

If they’re dusty, they are not just cooling you down. They are circulating dust, allergens, and stale air through every room.

What to clean:

  • Ceiling fan blades
  • Air con filters
  • Vents and return air grilles
  • High dust shelves and ledges

Why it matters:

If anyone in your home has allergies, asthma, sensitive skin, sinus issues, or recurring headaches, dirty filters and fans can make symptoms noticeably worse.

What most homes miss:

Ceiling fans often look fine from below, but the top of the blades can hold a thick layer of dust. And once that spins, it spreads.

6. High-Touch Zones During School Holidays

School holidays are wonderful.

They are also a cleaning nightmare.

The mess isn’t always visible, but the constant touching builds up grime quickly.

High-touch areas to focus on:

  • Light switches
  • Door handles
  • Stair rails
  • Remotes
  • Gaming controllers
  • Fridge handles
  • Cupboard knobs
  • Bathroom taps
  • Bedside tables

What to do:

  • Use a microfibre cloth and disinfectant spray
  • Wipe daily or every second day during busy weeks
  • Don’t forget remotes (they are usually the worst)

What most homes miss:

These areas collect oils, grime, and bacteria quickly, and they make the home feel dirty even when floors and benches look fine.

7. Outdoor-to-Indoor Traffic Areas That Need Extra Attention

Brisbane homes have a unique summer challenge: the inside and outside blend together.

In January, people are constantly moving between patios, pools, decks, lawns, and indoor living areas. That movement drags in dirt, grass, sand, moisture, and dust.

Focus zones:

  • Entryways
  • Tiled living areas
  • Grout lines
  • Doormats
  • Sliding door tracks
  • Screens and glass doors

What to do:

  • Deep vacuum entry zones
  • Mop tiled floors properly
  • Scrub grout if it’s darkening
  • Clean sliding door tracks with a brush and cloth
  • Wipe down glass and door frames

What most homes miss:

Sliding door tracks are one of the fastest ways to make a home feel gritty and neglected. They also affect how smoothly doors open and close.

8. When a Once-Off Summer Reset Makes More Sense Than DIY

If you’ve read this checklist and felt a little overwhelmed, you’re not alone.

Because here’s the truth: a proper Brisbane January clean is not a quick Saturday job.

It’s detailed, time-consuming, and physically exhausting. Especially when it’s already hot, the kids are home, and you’re trying to enjoy your summer.

A once-off summer reset can be the smartest option when:

  • Mould is starting to appear
  • The home feels sticky or dusty no matter what you do
  • You are hosting family or friends
  • You are returning to work soon and want a fresh start
  • You want the home properly cleaned before locking in regular maintenance

Home Style Cleaning provides once-off and regular house cleaning across Brisbane, including the Bayside, Northside, Southside, and western suburbs.

Every cleaner is thoroughly vetted, police-checked, fully insured, and trained to deliver consistent, high-quality results. We also back every service with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If anything is not quite right, let us know within 24 hours and we will return to address it at no extra cost.

If you want that fresh home feeling without losing your entire weekend, we’re here to help.

Request a free quote online or call (07) 3073 2625 to get started.

Quick January Cleaning Checklist (Save This)

If you want a simple summary to screenshot, here’s the Brisbane January hit list:

  • Bathrooms: ceilings, exhaust fans, grout, silicone
  • Dust and sand: skirting boards, corners, under furniture
  • Kitchen grease: rangehood filters, cabinet tops, splashbacks
  • Fans and air con filters
  • High-touch areas: handles, switches, remotes
  • Entryways, tiles, grout, sliding door tracks
  • Outdoor traffic zones