Spring cleaning is a time-honored tradition, but let’s be honest—who has the time or energy to deep clean their entire home just once a year? Incorporating deep cleaning tasks into your regular cleaning routine is the key to maintaining a clean and organized home.
In this post, we’ll break down the deep cleaning process into manageable steps so you can easily tackle your home.
Table of Contents
Gathering Your Supplies
Before you start, gathering all the supplies you’ll need is essential. You want to save yourself time and frustration as you work your way through your cleaning list.
Here’s a list of items you’ll want to have on hand:
- All-purpose cleaner
- Glass cleaner
- Furniture polish
- Carpet cleaner
- Scrub brushes (toilet, sink, and tub)
- Microfiber cloths
- Disposable gloves
- Trash bags
All these items will allow you to move down your cleaning list quickly and effectively. It’s not fun to be on a roll and realize you need trash bags to finish the job.
Start at the Very Top and Work Your Way Down
One of the most effective ways to deep clean your home is to start at the top and work your way down. This way, any dirt or dust that falls to the floor can be easily cleaned up as you go.
Here’s a general outline of the order in which you should tackle the different areas of your home:
- Ceiling fans and light fixtures
- Walls and baseboards
- Windows and window sills
- Shelves and cabinets
- Counters and backsplashes
- Appliances (inside and out)
- Sinks and faucets
- Showers, tubs, and toilets
- Floors
It can be difficult, but cleaning tough-to-reach places is beneficial to your home, minimizing its overall dust issues and helping to improve the smell. For example, cleaning behind large appliances like your oven is only sometimes done, but you’ll find plenty of trash and grime to remove when deep cleaning.
Paying Special Attention to High-Traffic Areas
Some areas of your home get more use than others, requiring extra attention during your deep cleaning.
This includes:
- Kitchen: Be sure to scrub the inside and outside of your oven and the microwave and refrigerator. Remember to empty and wipe down your trash can, too.
- Bathrooms: In addition to scrubbing the sink, tub, and toilet, disinfect the doorknobs and light switches. And remember to replace your shower liner and clean the showerhead.
- Living room: Vacuum and dust your furniture, and move things around to get to hard-to-reach areas. If you have throw pillows or blankets, now is an excellent time to wash them.
Set a daily or weekly schedule to stay on top of vacuuming and dusting; this action alone will keep your house cleaner.
Tips for Maintaining a Clean Home
Now that you’ve tackled deep cleaning, it’s crucial to establish a regular cleaning routine to help maintain a clean home. Here are some points to get you started:
- Set aside a designated cleaning day each week. A simple 20-30 minutes of tidy-up time each day is helpful, or a more intense cleaning session on the weekend.
- Make cleaning a family affair. Assign tasks to each household member to make things go faster and teach kids the importance of keeping a clean home.
- Don’t let clutter build up. Take a few minutes each day to put things away and throw out items you no longer need.
- Use doormats and encourage family members and guests to remove their shoes at the door. Having doormats helps to reduce the amount of dirt and grime tracked into your home.
Deep cleaning your home may seem daunting, but it’s important because it helps remove dirt, dust, and clutter accumulated over time.
A deep clean goes beyond the surface level and addresses areas that are often overlooked in regular cleaning routines. By tackling these areas, you can improve the air quality in your home, remove potential allergens, and create a more organized and visually appealing space.
Additionally, deep cleaning can help to extend the life of your furniture, appliances, and other household items by removing dirt and grime that can cause wear and tear.
Deep cleaning is a worthwhile investment of time and effort that can benefit your health, comfort, and overall quality of life.