It shouldn’t come as a surprise that we, at Wipe and Organize, believe that even the tidiest homes out there could use a good scrub every now and then.
If you want to avoid becoming overwhelmed when you’re deep cleaning your home, it could be helpful to break the process down into smaller, more manageable tasks.
If you don’t know how to do that, you can use this deep-cleaning guide that we’ve carefully curated for you. This checklist will come in handy when you want to arrange your home before your guests arrive or simply if you feel like doing a serious spring cleaning. Ready? Let’s see what there is to do:
Declutter before deep cleaning.
Before initiating the deep cleaning process, you need to make sure you repurpose or throw away all the clutter in your home. Make sure you try to find a new place or even get rid of any visible clutter that shouldn’t belong in your rooms.
Then, you can either save the stuff behind closed doors (but at some point, we’re going to tackle that, too) or simply do the entire deep cleaning process. Clearing your clutter will help you deep clean better. You will be able to see those tidy surfaces, which will boost your motivation to keep going.
Start high, then go low.
Next, what you want to do is tackle hard-to-reach surfaces in the upcoming order: ceiling, ceiling trim, ceiling light fixtures (bulbs included), walls, the rest of the trim, and last but not least, the baseboard.
Isn’t that a lot of fun? The best way to do that is to use a clean microfiber mop (which you can find here) or even a duster with a telescoping handle.
It would be even better if you could use tools that are thin enough to get behind the sofa without having to move it. Above eye level, use a spritz of water on the mop, and you’re good to go! Surfaces that are getting closer to the floor usually tend to build up dirt and dust, so you might want to use warm water with a drop of dish soap.
Then, we go to the bathroom. Add a little splash of white vinegar to the mixture, so you’ll stop the mold and mildew. For spots where using a mop might be a little awkward, you can use a microfiber cloth. Then, rinse and wring thoroughly.
Deeply clean your windows.
Cleaning windows can be fairly simple, and the reward is immense. First, you need to vacuum the sills and the tracks. Then, you want to spritz your windows with a good glass cleaner, from top to bottom.
You need to let the cleaner do its thing for a while, then you clean it off. However, I need to make a suggestion: if you wipe in one direction on the inside windows and then the outside ones in the opposite direction, it will be much easier to see and fix any streaks.
Spruce up window treatments.
You can save yourself from the exhausting job of taking down blinds and shades. You only need to vacuum with a brush attachment.
Instead of laundering and ironing your curtains, you might want to fluff them in the dryer for a couple of minutes as you wipe off the rod and the rings. Then, you hang them right back up.
Remove the dust from the surfaces.
Wipe all that’s left from the hard surfaces, whether we’re talking about wood furniture, shelves, built-ins, or anything else, by using a furniture cleaner and polishing with a soft cloth.
For a rapid clean, just put a clean cotton tube sock on your dominant hand to dust those surfaces while you’re moving the objects out of the way with the other hand. Ultimately, take a lint roller to the lampshades.
Deep-clean the floors.
To do this how it’s supposed to be done, you might have to move your furniture around. Unfortunately, I’m also talking about beds and sofas. If you want to move a heavier piece more easily, just place the furniture slides under the legs of the bigger pieces.
Then, you want to break out your vacuum’s crevice tool and get the dirt in the corners and the baseboards. If you’re wondering what to do when it comes to hard floors, just clean them with a microfiber mop, then use the right cleaner for the surface. Also, if you own carpets, then it could be the right time to rent a professional-grade cleaner.
The bedroom: launder bedding
This is going to last a while, but boy, oh boy, you’re going to be so satisfied! Wash the bed skirt, duvet cover, shams, and pillows. Let’s do things the way they’re supposed to be done and give them an extra spin cycle to help them dry faster.
Then, let me teach you a trick: dry down your pillows on low with a clean tennis ball to prevent clumping. The most certified way to dry synthetic pillows is to air-dry them outdoors. If you’re looking for bulky comforters, hit the laundromat and use one extra-large front loader.
Freshen mattress
As your bed is disassembled, make sure you clean your mattress. Just sprinkle some baking soda on the mattress, let it sit for an hour, then take the vacuum and clean it up with the hose attachment.
Then, flip or rotate the mattress per the manufacturer’s advice, and repeat the process.
Declutter closet
Make sure you pull out the clothes you didn’t get a chance to wear last season and bag them for donating or even consigning. Then, add some matching hangers to the wardrobe.
If your closet is nice and you’re proud of the way it looks, you might want to try a little harder to keep it under control.
The kitchen: polished cabinets
Make sure you wipe the exposed tops first, then carefully cut the newspaper or shelf liners to fit inside. The lining will start collecting dust, so next time you might want to replace the paper.
Next, wipe the cabinet doors front and back with a very good wood cleaner. You could also try the tube socks trick here by putting one on each hand, spritzing with some cleaner, and wiping in circular motions.
Deep cleaning around appliances
Make sure you wait until your fridge is almost empty, then carefully wipe it down, inside and out. Then, do the same for the stove and the dishwasher. If you can, pull the appliances out of the wall to reach the surrounding walls and the floor, too.
Tidy countertops
Slowly move everything off the counters, then carefully clean and dry them. As the surfaces are drying up, return to the products you use on a daily basis. Find hidden spots for everything else.
Bonus task
Take everything off the pantry shelves and wipe them down. Also, consider using a large roasting pan as a crumb catcher as you clean. You might also try to rent an air compressor and blow the dust bunnies off your refrigerator coils, so you can further boost its efficiency.
The bathroom: wash the shower curtain
You might want to check the label first, but the vast majority of shower curtains can be easily washed with a gentle cycle on cold. Just set your dryer on low, and remove and rehang curtains before they’re fully dry.
You can either wash the plastic shower liner on cold and hang it to dry, or you could purchase a brand new one.
Make shower doors sparkle.
If you want to get rid of water spots and annoying soap scum, just heat some distilled white vinegar and wipe it on the doors, reapplying to keep them wet for a maximum of 30 minutes.
Then, carefully scrub with baking soda sprinkled on a pad. If you want to keep the shower clean for as long as possible, you can also add a squeegee and switch to glycerin soap. Moreover, animal fat and talc in regular soap might leave an icky residue.
Declutter the vanity and cabinets.
You can bring some order to the chaos under the sink. Just pull everything out, toss what you feel doesn’t belong there, wipe down what goes back in there, and reload it by category. Do the same in your medicine cabinet or any other additional cabinetry.
The Living Room: freshen furniture
Carefully remove the cushions and vacuum on every upholstered surface, but also the backs.
Dust the frames
Take all your framed artwork and photos down, and dust them front and back with a damp microfiber cloth. Make sure you don’t spray anything right on the glass. It might seep into the corners of the frame and even ruin the picture and mat.
Dust under the electronics
You don’t really need to unhook and move everything if you want to clean your electronics. You can simply use an ultra-thin dusting wand and run it under the main components.
Bonus task
If you really want your job well done, launder the throws and pillow covers. Also, declutter your DVDs, CDs, video game collections, and any other media that might be tucked behind closed doors. If there’s anything you can get rid of, don’t hesitate to do it.
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