Deeply-Cleaning Your House: Even the most well-maintained homes benefit from a thorough deep cleaning every now and then.
To prevent feeling overwhelmed during the process, it’s helpful to divide the tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.
Our deep house-cleaning guide consists of six essential tasks, to begin with. Once these are completed, you can proceed to specific tasks for each room.
This comprehensive checklist is particularly useful before hosting guests or when daily messes have accumulated. It can also be followed as part of an annual cleaning routine in the spring or fall.
By following these steps, you’ll achieve a clean and organized home that will impress even the most meticulous observers.
Bedroom
How to Thoroughly Clean Your Bedroom
Wash Bedding:
Launder items such as the bed skirt, duvet cover, shams, and pillows, including down-filled ones.
Add an extra spin cycle to speed up the drying process. For down pillows, dry them on low heat with clean tennis balls to prevent clumping.
Synthetic pillows are best air-dried outdoors. For bulky comforters, consider using extra-large front loaders at a laundromat.
Refresh the Mattress:
Take advantage of the disassembled bed to clean your mattress.
Sprinkle baking soda over the mattress, allowing it to sit for an hour. Then vacuum it up using the hose attachment.
Follow the manufacturer’s advice and flip or rotate the mattress before repeating the process.
Sort through your clothes and remove items that you didn’t wear during the past season.
Bag these items for consignment or donation. Consider using matching hangers to improve the visual appeal of your closet.
A neat and organized closet will encourage you to keep it under control.
Kitchen
How to Thoroughly Clean the Kitchen
Polish Cabinets:
Begin by wiping the exposed tops of the cabinets, then cut newspaper or shelf liners to fit inside.
These liners collect dust, making it easier to replace them next time. Wipe the front and back of the cabinet doors using a wood cleaner.
For painted or laminate surfaces, use warm water with a squirt of Dish Soap.
Alternatively, try the “tube sock trick” by placing a sock on each hand, spritzing them with cleaner, and wiping the cabinets in circular motions.
Deep Clean In and Around Appliances:
Wait until the refrigerator is nearly empty, then wipe it down both inside and out.
Apply the same cleaning process to the stove and dishwasher. If possible, move the appliances away from the wall to clean the surrounding walls and the floor.
Tidy Countertops:
Remove everything from the countertops and thoroughly clean and dry them, along with the backsplash.
Once the surfaces are dry, only return items that you use on a daily basis. Find hidden spots or storage solutions for everything else.
Bonus Deep Cleaning Tasks:
Remove everything from the pantry shelves and wipe them down.
Consider using a large roasting pan as a crumb catcher while you clean. Boost the efficiency of your refrigerator by renting an air compressor and blowing the dust bunnies off the refrigerator coils.
Bathroom
How to Thoroughly Clean the Bathroom
Wash Shower Curtain:
Check the label on the shower curtain to determine if it can be washed.
Most shower curtains can be washed using the gentle cycle on cold. Set the dryer to a low heat setting and remove the curtain before it is completely dry.
Rehang it once it’s partially dry. For the plastic shower liner, you can either wash it on cold and hang it to dry or consider purchasing a new one.
Make shower doors Sparkle:
Remove water spots and soap scum from shower doors by heating distilled White Vinegar and applying it to the doors.
Reapply the vinegar to keep the doors wet for about 30 minutes. Scrub the doors using baking soda sprinkled on a non-scratch pad.
To maintain cleaner shower doors for longer periods, incorporate a squeegee into your routine and switch to glycerin soap. Regular soap containing animal fat and talc can leave a residue.
Declutter Vanity and Cabinets:
Organize the area under the sink by pulling everything out.
Discard any items that don’t belong there. Wipe down the surfaces inside the cabinets and reload them by grouping items together based on categories.
Repeat this process for other storage areas in the bathroom, such as the medicine cabinet or additional cabinetry.
Living Room
How to Thoroughly Clean the Living Room and Family Room
Freshen Furniture:
Remove cushions from furniture and use a vacuum with a brush attachment to thoroughly vacuum every upholstered surface, including the backs.
Dust Frames:
Take down all framed artwork and photos from the walls and dust them using a damp microfiber cloth.
Make sure to dust both the front and back of the frames. Avoid spraying anything directly on the glass to prevent any liquid from seeping into the frame corners and potentially damaging the picture and mat.
Dust Under Electronics:
To clean around your electronics without the need to unhook and move them, use an ultra-thin dusting wand.
Run the wand carefully under the components to remove dust and debris.
Bonus Deep Cleaning Task:
Launder all throws and throw pillow covers to keep them fresh and clean.
Take the opportunity to declutter and organize media items such as DVDs, CDs, and video games. Consider getting rid of any items you no longer need or use, and you may even sell them for some extra cash.
*The information is for reference only.