The Ultimate Home Deep Cleaning Checklist & Guide

How Often Should You Deep Clean Your Home?

There are various ways to plan and incorporate deep cleaning into your regular home cleaning routine. People often decide to do it in the spring. The term is often referred to as “spring cleaning,” spring is a time of new beginnings, and it’s the perfect time to get rid of clutter and junk accumulated all over the home.

But you don’t have to wait until the season rolls around to get started. Home deep cleaning can be done at any time.

Even if your life is busier than most people’s, you can still follow a deep cleaning schedule by focusing on a single room every month or 1 to 2 tasks per week while considering the size of the home and the amount of work.

For instance, if you have 10-12 rooms in your home, that means your deep cleaning list will take a full 12 months on the monthly schedule. However, having your home organized is the most important thing.

Before You Get Started

Before you jump in, make sure you’ve prepared yourself for success. Start by identifying what you want to accomplish and how much time and energy you have to achieve your goals.

Here are a few ways you can organize your deep cleansing routine.

If You Schedule It, Then Do It

You choose your cleaning schedule according to your daily work, life, and family responsibilities. But when the time comes to finish cleaning tasks, make sure you finish the task right away. This commitment can prevent procrastination, which can accelerate finishing the list.

Be realistic about how long you allow yourself to clean, and remember that you don’t need to complete everything in one go.

 

Care of Children and Pets

The main distractions when it comes to any household task are child and pet care. You can ensure you’re free of distractions by enlisting the help of grandparents and sitters to keep the children busy and away from the areas you plan to clean.

If a second caretaker isn’t an option, keep your children busy by involving them in activities. Small children can handle simple tasks such as picking up toys, and you can even make it enjoyable by turning it into a game with prizes they could win.

 

How to Work Each Room

Jumping into a room and cleaning it can be overwhelming if you don’t have a way to manage the mess. So instead, you must be prepared with a basic plan of action that will work for every space.

For instance, you can clean each room from left to right, back to front, and top to bottom for maximum efficiency.

Prepare Your House in Advance

Decluttering while deep cleaning may make the process longer than necessary. Instead, declutter your home before conducting your deep clean dive. Remove apparent garbage in your home by carrying trash bags from room to room, leaving no cupboard and drawer unturned.

In the rubble, you may find salvageable items. If you don’t feel comfortable throwing them out, think about giving them a new place by giving them to your family members, donating to local shelters or organizations, or repurposing them to become reusable for later.

Once that’s taken care of, finish by filling a basket with misplaced items found throughout the home. After that, you can put them back where they belong.

A Checklist of Things You’ll Need for Deep Cleaning

Once you’ve prepared and planned your home for cleaning, you must ensure you have everything to complete each cleaning task. Here’s everything you’ll need to complete the task.

 

Tools and Equipment

• Rubber gloves
• Your choice of all-purpose cleaner and disinfectant spray
• Glass cleaner
• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Dish soap
• Sponges
• Scrub brush
• Plastic bucket
• Broom
• Dustpan
• Vacuum
• Mop and bucket or steamer
• Microfiber cloths
• Polishing furniture

 

Appliances You’ll Use

• Washing machine
• Dryer machine
• Lawnmower
• Dishwasher
• Stain remover/Furniture vacuum cleaner

Do not worry if some items listed here aren’t easily accessible. For instance, if you do not have a dishwasher, hand washing is perfectly fine, and many cleaners have replacements that are easy to make at home using some natural ingredients. Lemons, for instance, are excellent for cleaning tough microwave scum.

Many big brand department stores provide home cleaning equipment rentals that are cheap, plus you can return them when you’re finished and not need to worry about your cupboard getting stuffed with vacuums and cleaners.

 

Home Cleaning Checklist

This home cleaning checklist covers a variety of aspects of each room to make sure that you get the most thorough and effective cleaning.

 

Entryway

• Clean the internal side of the front door.
• Clean walls and pictures by wiping them clean with a damp cloth
• Dust entryway furniture
• Clean rug/welcome mat
• Organise your shoes
• Dry floor cleaning with a vacuum or broom
• Wet cleaning the floors and baseboards

 

Living Room

• Wash throw blankets and pillows
•  Wash window curtains
• Vacuum-upholstered furniture, couches, and chairs (lift cushions)
• Dust tables and entertainment centers/flat surfaces
• Dust decor pieces (pictures, art, etc.)
• Polish wood furniture
• Clean artificial plants
• Wipe down screens (TV, computers, etc.)
• Wipe remote controls and keyboards
• Empty and clean garbage bins
• Dry floor cleaning with a broom or vacuum (carpet included)
• Wet cleaning of the floors and baseboards

 

Kitchen

• Place dirty dishes in the dishwasher (wash non-safe dishes by hand in the sink)
• Clean the stovetop and inside of the oven
• Clean the inside of the refrigerator
• Clean the exterior of the refrigerator.
• Clean up all counters and flat surfaces
• Clean the microwave both inside and out
• Wipe and degrease all other appliances
• Scrub and disinfect the sink
• Get rid of the garbage disposal
• Clean and disinfect trash cans
• Wipe down the outer side of the cabinetry
• Scrub grout
• Clean oven and stove vents
• Dry floor cleaning using a vacuum or broom
• Wet cleaning of the floors and baseboards

 

Bedrooms

• Clean mirrors and glass surfaces
• Wipe all flat surfaces
• Dust headboard (vacuum if upholstered)
• Wash and change bedsheets
• Wash curtains
• Clean inside cabinets and drawers
• Clean pictures and walls with a damp cloth
• Vacuum and flip the mattress
• Dry floor cleaning with a broom or vacuum (carpet included)
• Wet cleaning of the floors and baseboards

 

Bathrooms

• Takedown and wash shower curtains and liners
• Deep scrub shower and tub (including shower head)
• Clean the drains
• Clean bathroom vents and exhaust fan
• Wipe sinks and countertops
• Deep scrub toilet bowl
• Wipe inside cabinets and drawers
• Wash towels
• Clean shower mats
• Restock toiletries
• Clean mirrors
• Empty garbage
• Disinfect the trash can
• Dry floor cleaning with a vacuum or broom
• Wet cleaning of the floors and baseboards

 

Laundry Room

• Wipe the outside of the washer and dryer
• Run a washing machine cleaning cycle
• Clean lint trap
• Wipe internal dryer machine drum
• Dust and wipe shelving
• Fold and put away clothing and linen
• Dry floor cleaning with a vacuum or broom
• Wet cleaning of the floors and baseboards

 

Throughout the House

As you go through your deep cleaning checklist, universal home features must be included in the cleaning. One of those features is your windows.

Your windows and window treatments gather a lot of dust. Make sure you take time in each room to clean them with a damp microfiber towel and a window cleaner of your preference. Don’t forget to remove and rinse the protection screens.

It’s also important to schedule a floor deep clean periodically to maintain a hygienic and healthy environment.

Other things you should pay attention to include your light fixtures. These include ceiling fans, lamps, chandeliers, and every light source in your home. Most of them are hard to reach, so grab a ladder, gently dust and wipe until the dust is removed. You may also hire a cleaning service for areas that are too hard to reach.