Gretchen Heid hires Jill's Cleaning Service to clean her house once a month.

"The day they come is the best day of the month in our house," Heid says of the Boston-area house cleaning company. "From the second they enter the house, they are a whirlwind of cleaning activity.

Though a popular service on Angie's List, not all members choose to hire professional house cleaners. Whether you hire a professional once a month, year, or tackle the cleaning yourself, every house could benefit from regular, quick clean-up jobs.

The kitchen is an area used daily in many homes. If you have limited time to clean on a regular basis, consider focusing on these five areas to make cleaning seem more manageable.

Scrub and shine your sink daily.
Chances are, your sink shows a lot of wear and tear throughout the week. Cleaning it at the end of each day makes a huge difference in how your kitchen looks and how you feel about using it. Use whatever cleanser type fits your sink material: grainy cleanser or baking soda eliminates grime from most, but some sinks require soft cleansers to avoid scratches. A cut lemon works wonders, too. Scour, rinse and buff dry each evening.

Wipe down kitchen counters periodically, as needed.
This is an important clean-as-you-go area. Counters collect highly visible crumbs and spills. Keep a sponge or a container of antibacterial wipes handy, and use them each time the counter looks dirty. Disinfect your sponge in the dishwasher or microwave regularly to eradicate germs.

Remember the large appliances.
Most of us use our stoves, microwaves and refrigerators many times a day but only scrub them down occasionally. Cleaning these appliances regularly makes the task far easier. You don't have to do a full oven-scrub every day, but wipe down the visible parts of these appliances daily using cleaning wipes or a sponge with a kitchen cleanser or a mixture of white vinegar and water.

Don’t overlook the small appliances.
How often do you wipe down your coffeemaker, toaster or blender? These small appliances likely sit on your counter where people see them constantly. Each time you finish using one of these kitchen items, give it a quick swipe with a sponge or kitchen towel to keep it looking neat and tidy.

Sweep the floor.
Mopping can wait for a weekly clean-up time, but sweeping should be done daily or at least every other day, especially if you have kids or pets. Give the floor a quick sweep after dinner, to ready the room for the next day.

Cynthia Sazama hires Euro-Maids Inc., of Lile, Ill., to come in and clean all surfaces in her kitchen bi-weekly.

"I have a team of two people who come in and spend about two to two-and-a-half hours cleaning my house," she says of the Chicago area house cleaning company.

Think a professional house cleaning company could benefit your house? Check Angie's List to find which companies have been highly rated and recommended by members in your area.