# Keep your lists clean

> Simple habits that keep bounces low and your domains healthy, from verifying every list to refreshing old ones.

Source: https://docs.maildeck.co/leads-verification/list-hygiene/

**List hygiene** means only emailing addresses that are real, relevant and happy to hear from you. It matters because
the list is the most common reason cold email stops working: bad addresses cause bounces, bounces hurt your domains,
and hurt domains land in spam. Good inboxes can't fix a bad list.

Here are the habits that keep a list clean, in the order you'll use them.

## 1. Verify every list before you send

Run every list through a verification tool before it goes into your sequencer, every time, even if it came from a
source you trust. Contact data goes out of date as people change jobs and companies change domains.

Lists from [LeadSonar](https://docs.maildeck.co/leads-verification/leadsonar/) come verified by [EmailShield](https://docs.maildeck.co/leads-verification/emailshield/).
If your list came from somewhere else, upload it to EmailShield first.

> **Caution: Watch your bounce rate**
> As a rule of thumb, keep your bounce rate under 5%. If it climbs above that, pause the campaign and clean the list
> before sending more. A high bounce rate is one of the fastest ways to damage a domain.

## 2. Handle catch-alls with care

A **catch-all** domain accepts email for any address, real or not. So a verification tool can't tell whether
`jane@company.com` actually exists: the server says "yes" to everything. Some of those emails will still bounce later.

Treat catch-all addresses as **risky**, not safe:

- Don't mix them into your main campaigns.
- Keep them out of Outlook sends in particular. Outlook inboxes are the most sensitive to bounces.
- If you do want to reach them, ask the team first how to go about it.

## 3. Remove role and disposable addresses

- **Role accounts** are shared addresses like `info@`, `sales@` or `support@`. Nobody in particular reads them and they
  rarely reply. Remove them.
- **Disposable addresses** come from temporary email services and stop working quickly. Remove them.

EmailShield flags both.

## 4. Stop emailing bounces and unsubscribes straight away

1. **When an email bounces, remove that contact.** Don't send to the same address again.

2. **When someone unsubscribes or asks you to stop, remove them from every campaign**, not just the one they replied
   to.

3. **Keep a "do not email" list** and check every new list against it before importing.

Most sequencers can stop a sequence on a bounce or unsubscribe automatically. Check that the setting is on.

## 5. Don't recycle the same list too soon

People who didn't reply the first time don't want the same email again. Sending the same copy to the same list again
soon raises the chance of spam complaints. As a rule of thumb from our Cold Email Bible, wait about 90 days before
emailing the same contacts again, and use a fresh angle when you do.

To keep sending in between, you need fresh contacts. See
[how many contacts you need](https://docs.maildeck.co/leads-verification/leadsonar/#how-many-contacts-do-you-need) for the maths.

## 6. Segment your list

Don't send one message to several types of buyer at once. Split your list by the kind of company and person, and write
for each group. The message fits better, and fewer people mark you as spam.

## When replies drop, check the list first

If replies fall or bounces rise, the list is the most common cause. Ask yourself:

- Did I verify every email? What's the bounce rate on this campaign?
- Is this a fresh list, or one I emailed in the last 90 days?
- Am I reaching the actual decision-maker, or just a loosely related job title?
- Is the list segmented, or one message to everyone?

Only after the list checks out should you look at your writing and then your inboxes.

## Related

  - [Verify with EmailShield](https://docs.maildeck.co/leads-verification/emailshield/): Clean your list before you send.
  - [Common errors](https://docs.maildeck.co/deliverability/common-errors/): High bounce rate, spam placement and more.
  - [Sending limits](https://docs.maildeck.co/deliverability/sending-limits/): How many emails each inbox can safely send.