You’ve seen it in movies, in pictures on the internet, and perhaps even with your own eyes – immaculate homes do exist!
Although it may seem like an unrealistic dream when you look around and see that your own house is far from spotless, we are here to tell you that, with a realistic schedule and cleaning routine, you can make that dream come true!
Yes, cleaning your house to perfection can be a daunting task, especially if it is in need of a deep clean, however, it isn’t impossible. While you can always count on a reputed house cleaning service in your area to carry out spring cleaning or deep cleaning of the property, if you are up for a challenge, and crave the self-satisfaction that comes with cleaning your entire home yourself, we’re here to help you do it the right way.
Feeling overwhelmed with the task at hand is fairly normal, however, if you plan your house cleaning schedule in an organized, systematic manner, you will find that even deep cleaning is not as troublesome as you thought.
The key is to break down tasks, and organize a room-by-room house cleaning schedule that allows you to get the job done in a way that isn’t overburdening. For this, having a deep cleaning checklist helps a great deal. It keeps you on track, and ensures that no area or surface goes without cleaning!
So, with that, let’s jump right into the ultimate house cleaning checklist (that most home cleaning services use) for a truly spotless home from top to bottom, and wall to wall.
All Areas/Rooms
Before we get to the individual cleaning tasks that are unique to different rooms of your house, it makes sense to have a separate checklist covering tasks that are common in all or most areas/rooms so that we don’t start sounding like a broken record!
NOTE: This means you should refer to the checklist below along with the checklist of the room you are cleaning.
Now that that’s been explained, here are the common cleaning tasks you will have to do throughout your house when deep cleaning areas:
- Remove cobwebs
- Clean ceiling fans
- Wipe moldings
- Dust ceiling
- Clean light fixtures
- Vacuum or dust air vents/vent covers
- Clean air filters in HVAC units
- Wipe walls
- Wipe light switches and switchboard panels
- Dust wall hangings, picture frames, decor, etc
- Wipe doors + door frames
- Disinfect door knobs/handles
- Clean baseboards
- Clean windows (interiors and exteriors)
- Clean window treatments
- Vacuum window tracks and sliding door tracks
- Clean window sills
- Dust furniture
- Clean mirrors
- Vacuum/sweep floors
- Vacuum carpets/rugs
- Mop floors
- Empty trash can
- Wash trash cans and spray with a disinfectant once dry
- Clean and sanitize recycling bins
The Kitchen
Considering the fact that kitchens become riddled with grease, food splatters, and other spills, seeing it all cleaned up and sparkling is one of the most satisfying things a house owner can experience!
Of course, in order to make your kitchen spotless, you need to deep clean every surface and appliance in the room. Fortunately, this deep cleaning checklist for your kitchen covers all the basic components along with the nooks and crannies.
- Put away all clean dishes
- Wash dirty dishes
- Clean kitchen cabinets inside and outside
- Dust tops of cabinets
- Wipe pantry shelves and replace liners
- Wipe drawer fronts
- Deep clean stove top
- Clean range hood and chimney
- Deep clean interior of refrigerator and deep freeze (dispose of expired food products immediately)
- Clean oven interior and exterior
- Clean microwave interior
- Wipe down exteriors of all kitchen appliances (fridge, microwave, coffee maker, kettle, air fryer, etc)
- Clean the dishwasher
- Clean and deodorize garbage disposal
- Wipe down backsplash
- Clean all countertops
- Wipe all surfaces like shelves, tables, cooking stations, sinktop, etc
- Kitchen sink scrub
- Clean faucet/taps
- Disinfect handles and knobs
The Living Room
In many households, the living room is a place where people enjoy spending the most time. Whether it’s watching TV, relaxing on the couch, or entertaining guests, this space gets used a lot, and with that comes the need to clean it thoroughly.
Take a look at the deep cleaning checklist below to clean your entire living room from top to bottom.
- Wipe electronic screens
- Wipe and sanitize remote controls, gaming consoles, and other handheld devices
- Dust sound system and speakers
- Wipe TV unit
- Dust wires and cables
- Dust knickknacks
- Wipe shelves
- Wipe exteriors of cabinets and drawers
- Clean glass surfaces
- Wipe end tables and coffee table (legs/frames included)
- Dust decorative pieces
- Dust table/floor lamps
- Vacuum under couches/sofas with a crevice tool
- Lift and move furniture pieces to vacuum the area underneath them
- Vacuum gaps between cushions and upholstered chairs
- Vacuum and spot clean stains on upholstery
The Dining Room
While the dream is to limit spills and crumbs to the dining table, unfortunately, that’s not always possible. That aside, the accumulation of dust and dirt is inevitable so, like most rooms in the house, your dining room also needs regular cleaning.
Here is the checklist you will need for cleaning your dining room:
- Wipe dining table and legs of the table
- Wipe place mats
- Wipe down dining chairs
- Vacuum upholstery of dining chairs
- Clean and organize storage cabinets
- Dust decorative pieces
- Wipe buffet table
- Clean showcase units
- Clean all glass surfaces
- Wipe shelves and wall panels with hooks
The Bedrooms
Perhaps the place where you feel most safe and comfortable, your bedroom should bring you peace and serenity for a truly relaxing slumber. When the space is left dirty and messy, it becomes a distraction, and a rather unpleasant environment to relax in.
Keep your bedroom in tiptop condition by ticking off every task on the checklist below:
- Tidy up all areas of the room (put clothes away, organize the dresser, etc)
- Wash pillows
- Deep clean mattress
- Wipe down closet doors and dust the top
- Dust bedside tables
- Wipe bed frame
- Wipe bookshelves
- Dust lampshades
- Wipe down items on the dresser and nightstand
- Wipe dresser and drawer fronts
- Dust and organize nightstand
- Dust desks, tables, shelves, etc
- Wipe desk chair
- Vacuum upholstery of desk chair
- Vacuum underneath the bed
- Replace shelf liners in closets/cupboards
The Bathrooms
There are so many different surfaces and components in a bathroom, all of which are prone to nasty buildup overtime. So, for a squeaky clean bathroom, every nook and cranny must be ridden of dirt and grime.
To achieve this, a comprehensive bathroom cleaning checklist is necessary (along with a pair of rubber gloves!)
- Throw away empty bottles and/or expired products
- Scrub and wash wall tiles
- Clean window glass + frame
- Scrub and rinse window ledge
- Clean bathtub interior and exterior
- Scrub toilet bowl inside and outside
- Wipe down toilet seat and lid
- Clean and sanitize flush tank lever/button
- Wash and disinfect shower glass/curtain
- Clean interior and exterior of medicine cabinet
- Wipe down vanity cabinet exterior
- Clean mirror
- Wipe down bathroom fixtures/fittings
- Scrub and rinse bathroom sink
- Clean shower area
- Clean shower drain
- Clean grout
- Wash floor tiles
The Laundry Room/Area
When handling laundry supplies like detergent and fabric softener, there are bound to be a few spills that leave surfaces sticky, therefore, attracting more dust and dirt to the area. Apart from this, your washer and dryer also need to be deep cleaned from time to time in order to keep them running efficiently.
Here is a checklist of things and surfaces in a laundry room/area that need cleaning:
- Clean and disinfect laundry baskets
- Deep clean washing machine and and dryer
- Wipe down rubber gasket
- Wipe down exterior of washer and dryer
- Clean and disinfect knobs/buttons on washer and dryer
- Wipe cabinet doors and drawer fronts
- Disinfect handles/knobs of cabinets and drawers
- Wipe counters
- Wipe shelves, ledges, and other flat surfaces
- Clean sink interior and exterior
- Dispose of empty/expired products
Cleaning Tips for Sparkling Results
Knowing everything that needs to be cleaned in your entire house is just half the job; the other, of course, is the practical work that goes into getting it done. This is the part where you will want to find the most efficient cleaning tips for those spotless cleaning results.
Well, look no further because we’ve got them all right here, and categorized by room for your convenience.
Kitchen
- Toss a few citrus fruit rinds into your garbage and turn it on to clean and freshen it up.
- Clean off grease and grime buildup on your range hood with a wipe down using paper towels and a few drops of vegetable oil.
- Sprinkle baking soda over the bottom of your oven, and spray it with distilled white vinegar; wipe clean with a scrubber after 15 minutes.
- Place a bowl of water and vinegar (equal parts) in your microwave, and heat for a few minutes or until the interior steams up; when cool to touch, wipe clean with a damp microfiber cloth.
- Clean your gas stove top using a paste of baking soda and vinegar.
- Soak stove grates in warm soapy water to loosen grease and grime. After 30 minutes, use a scrub brush to clean off the gunk with ease.
- Use halved lemons to clean and remove hard water stains from the kitchen faucet.
- Clean a stainless steel kitchen sink using a spray consisting of 1 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon lemon juice (to cut through the grime).
- Dip a non-abrasive scrubber in table salt to scrub off stubborn grease and grime from counters, backsplash, sink, and other surfaces.
Living Room
- Wipe TV screens and monitors with an unused dryer sheet.
- Disinfect remotes using cotton balls dampened in rubbing alcohol.
- Clean ceiling fans with an old, damp pillowcase to trap the dust inside.
- Dust light fixtures with an old cotton sock pulled over your hand.
- Clean windows with your own glass cleaner made from water and white vinegar (1:1 ratio); spray the glass and immediately clean with a window squeegee.
- To polish wood surfaces, combine 1 part lemon oil and 1 part vinegar in a spray bottle; shake well and spray onto a microfiber cloth before buffing your wooden furniture.
- Vacuum lampshades and then wipe them down for better cleaning results.
Bathrooms
- Clean the toilet bowl with leftover cola; simply pour it in and scrub clean after 10 minutes.
- Unclogging drains can be done by simply pouring hot water down, followed by a cup of baking soda, and then another cup of distilled white vinegar. After a few minutes, rinse the pipes with some more boiling hot water.
- Use a steam cleaner to clean bathroom tiles and grout lines.
- Spray warm vinegar onto your shower curtain, dip a sponge in baking soda, and scrub clean.
- For a clean shower head and faucets, dissolve mineral deposits by tying a Ziploc bag filled with vinegar over the spouts; remove and rinse clean after a few hours. Wipe dry for a shiny finish.
- Use table salt as a mild, non-damaging abrasive to remove bathtub and shower grime.
- Clean up soap scum and toothpaste splatters with a sponge soaked in white vinegar.
Simple Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Home Clean
Yes, many areas of your home must be deep cleaned routinely in order to see it sparkle and shine again. With that said, what you do in between deep cleans will determine how often, and how badly your entire house needs to be cleaned!
A regular cleaning schedule that includes important tasks such as dusting and cleaning the floor is a great start; however, there are a few more simple things one can do to keep their entire home clean and tidy for longer periods of time. Take a look below.
- Declutter daily to prevent rooms from getting untidy. When surfaces are kept clutter-free, they are that much easier to clean.
- Use a damp cloth to pick up dust and debris from furniture and surfaces at least 3 times a week.
- Keep your cleaning tools clean, and always have spares in stock so that household cleaning is never delayed.
- Wipe up spills as soon as they occur to prevent a sticky, bigger mess later on.
- Use a gentle all-purpose cleaner or dish soap to quickly wipe down sinks, counters, stove tops, appliances, etc. This will keep the surfaces clean and free of dust.
- Straighten out cushions before you leave the room.
- Load the dishwasher and clean up any crumbs or spills on kitchen counters before you go to bed.
- Rinse and dry the bathroom floor after a shower using a squeegee.
- Vacuum/sweep floors 3-4 times a week and mop at least twice a week.
CONCLUSION
A sparkling home is not a far fetched dream, or something that is only attainable with the help of residential cleaning services. There is, however, a lot of work that goes into spring cleaning or deep cleaning the whole house, as well as knowing what cleaning products and tools to use.
Fortunately, this is all made easier with the help of an extensive cleaning checklist that you can refer to throughout the process. Remember, staying on track, and not missing a single thing go hand in hand when it comes to making your house spotless from top to bottom!