No matter how diligent you are with cleaning and tidying up, your home will still need a good cleaning every once and a while. There are plenty of areas that are hidden from sight. These spots are where you may forget to sweep, vacuum, or mop. Fortunately, a good deep cleaning will not only bring those areas to your attention to clean but will also rid you of harmful dust that could potentially affect you and your family’s health.
This article will provide you with the ultimate step-by-step deep house cleaning checklist. It will go through each room, giving you deep cleaning house tips that will leave you with a tidy and extra clean house for your family to enjoy.
What is Deep Cleaning in Housekeeping?
Although deep cleaning and regular house cleaning may overlap in what types of tasks you clean, the main difference is in the details. With regular home cleaning, you’ll focus only on the easier cleaning task. This includes dusting and wiping down surfaces that are high-touch areas. You’ll also vacuum and mop the floors.
Regular cleaning is usually done once a week, making those parts of the house stay clean for longer. But with deep cleaning, you’ll clean those same areas and more with extra detail to get rid of dust and grime collected over time. You can usually deep clean your house every six months or so. Hiring a house deep cleaning service will take care of these more demanding cleaning tasks for you, so you won’t have to worry about doing it all on your own.
Benefits of Deep Cleaning
Having a clean house is more than just about your personal space looking tidy and clean. Deep cleaning your home will also give you and the family benefits that will keep you healthy and happy. While there are too many to list them all here, these are just some of the many benefits you can get with a house deep cleaning service.
- Eliminates bacteria and viruses
- Gets rid of odors
- Improves your home’s air quality for better health
- Reduces stress and improves rest.
- It cuts down your time cleaning, allowing for more time with your family.
- Cleans pests you can see and not see.
What Do You Need To Deep Clean?
Before you can go out and tackle cleaning your home, there are certain items that are essential in making sure that the job is done right. Here is a professional deep cleaning checklist of products that you should gather up first.
- Gentle all-purpose cleaner.
- Disinfectant wipes.
- Scrubber and sponges.
- Baking soda and white vinegar.
- Stepladder.
- Dish soap of your choice.
- Toilet cleaner.
- Microfiber dusting cloths.
- Detergent soap.
- Toilet brush.
- Detail brush or an old toothbrush.
- A vacuum cleaner with extensions.
- Glass cleaner.
- Broom and dustpan.
- Hand Gloves.
- Rug shampoo machine.
- Mop.
- Spot remover.
- Wood cleaner and wood polish.
- Spray water bottle.
- Squeegee.
Step One: Plan and Get the House Ready
Make a to-do list. It’s better to clean your house by going through one area at a time. Break down what cleaning products you’ll need to use in each room and what tasks you’ll have to complete in order to make a clean space. This deep cleaning checklist pdf provided will help give you an idea of what should be cleaned in each room.
Declutter and dust. When deep cleaning areas of your house, the last thing that you need is to have books, toys, or any other items in your way. Open all the windows. Try to pick up everything you see as clutter and put it in its place. After that, begin dusting the rooms. You can make the task go by quickly with a microfiber cloth or a duster with a handle. Dust cobwebs from the ceiling and corners and don’t forget the windowsills. Keep the duster near you in the future; you may have to use it for any forgotten spots while you are deep cleaning.
Step Two: Living Room
If you want to work on your house’s most challenging section, you’ll most likely want to start your work in the living room since that area will have a high amount of traffic from visitors and families.
Wipes down surfaces: Take your all-purpose spray and microfiber cloth and wipe down any small tables. Go to your entertainment section and clean the television and any other devices that you have. Remember to get behind the tv as much as you can. If it’s hanging on the wall, you can use a duster for the back. Also, take down books and decorations from your shelves and wipe down the dirt accumulated on the furniture piece’s back and sides.
Clean the couch. Your couch will usually get frequent guests from your children to visiting family and friends when they come over to chat, so you’ll have to clean this with extra care. Take off the cushions and wipe them all down. If your cushion covers can zip right off, then throw them in the washer along with any throws and other pillow covers you may have. Then, vacuum the rest of the couch with the extension parts. Don’t forget to get in between the cushions where crumbs can fall through. After your are all done, replace the cushions and fluff them up. If you’re not sure how to clean your sofa, look at the tag attached. It should instruct you on how you should go about cleaning it in a safe way.
Vacuum and mop the floor. With deep cleaning, make sure to get underneath and behind furniture that you usually don’t regularly. Push that couch over a bit and quickly clean the floor beneath. Do the same for any bookshelves if they aren’t too heavy. You’ll find plenty of hidden dust that can be cleaned, improving the air quality even more.
Clean ceiling fan. The ceiling fan is sometimes forgotten with routine cleaning, but it can accumulate a lot of dust in that time. You may need a step ladder to clean the blades and wipe off the light fixtures. If you don’t want to make a mess while cleaning the dust off the blades, first cover them with a pillowcase and wipe the dust off with it so the dust can fall inside the case without getting all over your floors. Repeat this process with the next blade until they’re all dust-free.
Step Three: Kitchen
Moving on to the kitchen, many of your appliances may need a little more scrubbing power. Remember to get out your scrubber, soap, detail brush, and baking soda for that extra powerful washing. And don’t forget to go back to your deep cleaning house checklist if you’re overwhelmed.
Wash mats and rugs. Take your kitchen mats or rugs and place them in the washing machine. If you have a type of mat that can’t go into the wash, just wipe it down with warm to hot water and detergent soap. Rinse the mat outside, hang it out to dry, and place it back on the kitchen floor when it’s clean and dry after mopping.
Deodorize and clean the microwave. Make sure that the microwave is off. Remove the glass plate and set it in the sink for now. Grab a microwave-safe bowl and pour a cup of water into it. Add a few tablespoons of vinegar to the water as well. Microwave the mixture on high for one to two minutes. The amount of time depends on your microwave’s wattage, so if you have a lower 700 or 600 wattage, set it for two minutes. If you have anything higher, one minute to one and a half minutes is good enough. When it’s done, let it sit for a few minutes. Carefully take the bowl out and wipe down the inside of the microwave with a paper towel, microfiber cloth, or sponge. Clean the glass plate with soap and water and place it back inside the appliance.
Clean stove. Take the burner tops off the stove. If you have a significant amount of grime on the surface, create a 1:2 vinegar and baking soda mix to make a powerful cleaner. If your burner caps are also dirty, wipe the top of the caps with a non-abrasive sponge until the caps are back to being shiny. Wipe the top of the stove with a damp cloth to get all the food debris away. Then, if your stove has a lot of grease and grime, take the baking soda and vinegar mix again, spreading it on the surface and waiting several minutes. Wipe off and clean with a damp cloth. Now that’s done, wash the burner tops in the sink and place them back on the stove. If you have a glass stovetop, wipe the surface with soap and a non-abrasive cloth.
Clean inside the oven. Deep cleaning the oven may sound harder than it is. But it’s quite simple. First, take out the oven racks and place them in the sink. Scrub the grime off with dish soap and set it aside. Then, turn back to the oven, and remove as much burnt-off food from the inside before spraying it down with you the cleaner of your choice. This task may take a little time, but it will help significantly. Take a scrubber and get all the excess dirt and grime off the sides and bottom
Empty the refrigerator and clean the shelves. Make sure that you unplug your refrigerator before beginning. Once you have done this, take out all the items and set them aside for now. Take a microfiber cloth with your all-purpose spray and wipe down the shelves. If your refrigerator has metal racks, take them out and wash them in the sink, replacing them afterward. Wipe down the sides, top, and bottom of the appliance. If you’re having trouble with any stubborn spots, take your detailed brush and gently scrub them out. Then, take your microfiber cloth or sponge and wipe down the refrigerator’s front and sides. Place the items back into the fridge and plug the cord back in, making sure that it’s completely dry.
Clean the dishwasher. Take out the racks in the dishwasher and wipe them down with soap and water in the sink. Place the racks back and run the dishwasher on its hottest setting with a little vinegar inside the dishwasher. When it’s done, wipe down the inside of the door with a sponge and warm water. Clean your filter manually if you can, and enjoy your clean washer.
Disinfect your sink. When you’re all done with the stove, oven, refrigerator, etc., wash and put up the dishes. Make sure the sink is empty to clean. Rinse the sink out with warm to hot water and scrub the sink down with a sponge and soap. Add baking soda if you have stubborn stains. Clean the drain by pouring a 1:2 ratio of baking soda and vinegar down. Wait fifteen minutes and rinse it out with hot water.
Step Four: Dining Room
The dining room will have a high amount of traffic in a small amount of time. Family and other visitors come in and out to chat and eat your dishes. Because of this, there will be a lot of dirt buildup and food debris. But a good deep clean should make it look like new.
Wipe down chairs and tables. There may be stains on the chairs and tables with people continuously sitting down or standing up from the dining table. Wipe the whole set down with your all-purpose spray, looking for smaller places that food could have fallen. Toss the seat cushions in the wash, or, if you have any, wipe down upholstered cushions with a spot cleaner. Take any tablecloths or placemats and put them in the washer.
Vacuum and mop the floors. Like with the living room, there are many areas where you have not cleaned in a while. So just like before, move around the furniture and vacuum or mop the areas you don’t usually reach on regular cleanings.
Step Five: Bathrooms
The bathroom may not be used like the living room or kitchen, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get just as dirty. Some areas that you don’t ordinarily clean may build a significant amount of dirt and scum. Make sure to disinfect as many surfaces as possible, which will prevent viruses and bacteria from spreading throughout your house.
Dust the walls. Before you cover anything, it would be a good idea to dust the corner and ceiling of the bathroom walls. Take a microfiber cloth and wipe down the walls for any dust and bathroom grime. In order to get the ceiling or higher parts of the walls, take a stepladder or long duster and gently move it across the ceiling. If anything falls on the ground, you can pick it up when you dust and mop the floor.
Scrub toilets and bowls. Pour toilet cleaner inside the bowl and scrub with a toilet brush after several minutes. Wipe down your toilet seat and commode area with disinfected wipes or spray. If you see rusted stains inside the bowl, take a pumice stone and gently scrub the stains away. Don’t worry. It won’t scratch the porcelain. If there are any other stubborn stains around the base, take a detailed brush and clean with baking soda or a strong soap.
Clean mold and mildew. If you see any mold or mildew in your bathtub/shower, you can either use bleach to take care of it or use a mixture of baking soda, soap, and warm water to make a paste. Spread it on the mold and mildew and let it sit for fifteen minutes. Scrub it away with a brush and use bleach to clean the stains left behind by the mold.
Wash shower curtain and towels. Take down the shower curtains, gather up the dirty towels and washcloths, and put them in the washer. If you have mold or mildew on your fabric curtain, add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the wash.
Clean the bathtub and showerhead. If you have built up grime in your shower and bathtub, spray down the walls, door, and floor with warm water from the showerhead. After that, take your all-purpose cleaner and spray down the stains and dirt, using an abrasive sponge or scrubber to clean the area. Rinse the area one last time to remove the loose dirt. Take down the showerhead and clean it with soap and a cloth or sponge. If your showerhead has stains on it, soak it in a vinegar and water solution for several minutes. Take it out, wipe it clean, and place it back.
Clean sink and counters. Finally, clean the doorknobs and faucet handles at the end since you’ll be continually touching them throughout the cleaning process. To clean the drain, sprinkle baking soda down the drain and follow it with vinegar. Wait several minutes and wash the solution down with hot water.
Step Six: Bedrooms
Deep cleaning your bedrooms will make the spaces go from cluttered to organize and tidy, giving you a more relaxed feeling and a healthier environment to sleep in. As a tip, try and get your kids to help you clean by tidying up their rooms for you.
Wash bedding and mattresses. After dusting, remove all bedding and put them in the washing machine. For the mattresses, you can either flip them over to the other side or opt to wash them all to get rid of dirt and odor. If you go for that option, then vacuum the tops to get any surface dirt and dust off, making sure you get in between the crevices as well. To remove odors, sprinkle the mattress with baking soda, let it sit, and vacuum again. Lastly, replace the bedding when it’s clean.
Clean out closets and vacuum floors. Empty the closets as best as you can and vacuum the floor. Make sure you use the attachment accessories to get near the wall. Neatly, put back the items in the closet. Push aside furniture such as the dresser, mirror, and end table and vacuum behind and underneath. These areas haven’t been vacuumed in a while, so make sure you cover as many hidden areas as you can.
Other Tasks
There are so many areas that you could clean in your house. Unfortunately, because of that, there are also areas that you may have overlooked. Here are some extra deep cleaning tasks that will help you check everything off your deep cleaning checklist. Hometress is an excellent house cleaning service Philadelphia that will ensure that these smaller details are covered and cleaned.
Clean windows. With each room, remember that the windows are essential to clean. If your windows have drapes, take them down and toss them into the wash. If the windows have blinds, a simple dusting or wipe down with an all-purpose spray will make them good as new. Clean the glass on both sides with a window cleaner and use the detail brush for the windowsills and frames.
Wipe down and vacuum staircases. If you have a carpeted staircase, shampoo or vacuum with suction attachments. For the handrail and rises, dust and wipe clean with a microfiber cloth and an all-purpose spray.
Clean walls. Depending on your paint’s finish, you may need to take extra care of how you clean the wall. If you have a glossy finish, you can use more abrasive chemicals and scrub a little harder. But if you don’t, gently wipe the walls with a less harmful cleaner and a soft sponge. A deep cleaning service will know exactly what to use when cleaning your home.
Clean Switches and Vents. You can quickly clean your home’s switches with a microfiber cloth or cleaning wipe. If you want to go the extra mile and disinfect them, grab some disinfectant wipes instead. For your vents, make sure the air conditioning and heater are turned off. Vacuum the vents if you can’t take off the covers. If you can, unscrew, remove the covers, and brush them until the dirt is gone. You can then vacuum the inside the vents with the attachments.
Clean baseboards. Take a microfiber cloth with your cleaner of choice and wipe the baseboards all the way across, making sure to get the corners where a lot of dust can gather.
Having your home deep cleaned is a giant step towards a healthy and happy environment for you and your family. By following these deep cleaning house tips, you’ll cut your cleaning time in half in the future. And if you want to keep up the work you’ve accomplished, you can always hire a professional house deep cleaning service. Search for “deep cleaning services near me” to get a list of who you can hire.
These house cleaning services, like Hometress, will not only offer to deep clean your house but also provide regular home cleaning services, letting you spend less time cleaning and more time with your family and friends.