29
Aug

Ready for some change? Here’s a Complete Guide to Deep-Cleaning Your Home

Ready for some change? Here’s a Complete Guide to Deep-Cleaning Your Home – thanks to DQ Interiors.

 

Many of us aspire to deep clean our homes from top to bottom. But, when it comes time to actually do it, we can’t figure out where to begin. Should we go in with a plan, or should we just start cleaning? And how can we possibly maintain the stamina to pull such a major project off?

When tackling a large project—like an entire home—it’s important to break the project into smaller, manageable parts. A great place to start would be to ask yourself two simple questions. First: where do I and my family spend the most time? Then: what space is overwhelming me the most? By organizing the space where you and your family spend the most time, you will feel the greatest positive impact. If you focus on the space that is overwhelming you the most, you’ll feel the gratification and calm—which is usually what you need to keep the momentum going.

Once you’ve asked yourself those questions, it’s time to dig in. To help you along your way, we’ve compiled a step-by-step guide you can follow as you deep clean, declutter, and organize every room in your home.

How to Deep Clean Your Living Room

Materials:

  • Duster
  • Vacuum
  • Upholstery cleaner
  • Damp cloth (optional)
  • Broom (optional)
  • Mop

Step 1: Quickly Tidy Up

Kick things off by tidying up your space. Don’t stress about making your space look picture-perfect. Just quickly declutter by storing things where they belong.

Step 2: Dust All Your Décor

Dust loves to lurk in living rooms, so whip out a duster, and wipe down every surface where dust may be hiding. Start with flat surfaces, like mantles, tabletops, and shelves. Then tackle your décor. Be sure to get those harder-to-reach spots—like ceiling fans, air vents, and window blinds—too.

Step 3: Vacuum and Clean Your Couches

Take all the cushions off your couch, and vacuum the inside of it. If your upholstery is machine-washable, this would be a great time to give it a quick clean. But if it isn’t, rest assured knowing you have a couple of options.

For starters, you can shake out the cushions to get rid of lingering dust and debris. And if your cushions need a little more love, you can use an upholstery cleaner to get rid of stains and stench. Before cleaning your upholstery, be sure to carefully read the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions. Upholstery is expensive—so it’s not worth playing it fast and loose here.

Step 4: Clean and Organize Your Shelves

If there are any shelves in your living room, empty them out. Then, use your duster to dust them—or use a damp cloth to wipe them down. You’ll want to do the same for any other spot where items are stored. This could include your mantle, coffee table, cabinets, or anywhere else you’re keeping stuff.

If you’re happy with the way things are organized, restock your shelves. If not, take this moment to get organized.

Step 5: Vacuum and Clean Your Rug

If your floors are carpeted, vacuum them. And if you come across any spots or stains, you can use store-bought upholstery cleaner to spot-treat them.

If you have a removable rug in your space, take it outside and shake it off. If it’s machine-washable, pop it in the laundry for a quick clean. And if it isn’t, use that store-bought upholstery cleaner to clean up any spots or stains. Then, move your rug to the side until after you’ve swept and mopped your floors.

Step 6: Sweep and Mop Your Floors

Use a broom or vacuum to clean up dust and debris. Then, finish things off by cleaning your floors with a mop.

Step 7: Put Everything Back Where It Belongs

Once your space is clean, take a moment to reassemble it. Fluff those pillows, fold blankets, and clear off the coffee table.

How to Deep Clean Your Bedroom

Materials:

  • Laundry detergent
  • Upholstery cleaner (optional)
  • Vacuum
  • Duster or damp cloth
  • Broom (optional)
  • Mop

Step 1: Quickly Tidy Up

Take a quick pass through your room, and pick up anything that’s out of place. Throw any dirty laundry in your hamper, discard any trash, and store items on the shelves where they belong.

Step 2: Strip, Clean, and Make Your Bed

  1. Take all the linens off your bed. That means quilts, sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases, throws—the whole nine yards.
  2. Then, put everything that’s machine-washable in the laundry. If something is hand wash-only, now is the perfect moment to hand wash it—this is a deep clean, after all—and if something is dry-clean-only, consider taking it to a nearby dry cleaner.
  3. If you don’t feel like putting in this extra effort, you can always shake off your linens outside to get rid of dust and debris, and you can use an upholstery cleaner to spot-treat any stains.
  4. While your bed is linen-free, clean your mattress. Vacuum it off, and then, use that upholstery cleaner to spot-clean it.
  5. Once you’re done, flip it over and repeat these steps on the other side.

Step 3: Dust All Your Décor

Try to get all the dust out of your space, using either a damp cloth or a duster. Wipe down every surface you see, clean off your décor, and tackle oft-overlooked spots like air vents, ceiling fans, and crown molding.

Step 4: Vacuum and Clean Anything Upholstered

If there’s anything upholstered in your space, remove the cushions and shake them off. Vacuum the inside of the piece of furniture, and use an upholstery cleaner to spot-treat any stains.

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Step 5: Clean and Organize Any Shelves or Surfaces

If there is any furniture in your bedroom, empty it out and clear it off. Then, use your duster or a damp cloth to wipe it down.

If you were happy with the way the furniture looked before, restock it exactly as it was. If it felt a little cluttered, reorganize it. Blakey recommends reducing the amount of stuff on your dresser, bedside table, and other major surfaces during this process.

“Your bedroom should be a place of rest and calm,” she says. “Eliminating surface clutter will greatly help.”

Step 6: Sweep and Mop Your Floors

And just like that, you’re almost already done. Use a broom or a vacuum to remove dust and debris from your floors. Then, use a mop to finish off your clean.

Step 7: Put Everything Back Where It Belongs

Before moving on, make sure your bed is made and everything else is where it belongs. “Make your bed,” Wirick says. “It helps the room feel more put together, and it gets all of those decorative pillows off the floor and chairs.”

She recommends tackling this task every day to keep your space feeling clean and organized.

How to Deep Clean Your Bathroom

Materials:

  • Laundry detergent
  • Rubber gloves
  • Bleach
  • Sponge
  • Old toothbrush
  • Bathroom cleaner
  • Toilet bowl cleaner
  • Scrub brush
  • Glass cleaner
  • Broom and mop

Step 1: Quickly Tidy Up

Take a second to clear out your space before cleaning. Make sure trash is in the trash can, items are in the appropriate drawers and cabinets, and dirty laundry is in your hamper rather than on the floor.

Step 2: Throw Your Linens in the Laundry

Laundry tends to take a while, so kick things off by throwing your towels and washcloths in the washing machine. If your bath mats and shower curtains are also machine-washable, toss them in there, too. If they’re not, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to properly clean them.

If you have a shower curtain liner, this is a great opportunity to swap it out with a fresh option. If you’d rather save yours, be sure to scrub it down when you’re cleaning the rest of your shower.

Step 3: Scrub Down Your Shower

  1. Start by taking everything out of your shower and keep an eye out for mildew. You’ll want to tackle this first.
  2. Slip into a pair of rubber gloves—this is a must—and combine 1 part bleach with 2 parts water. Spray this solution onto the mildew, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
  3. Then, use a sponge or an old toothbrush to scrub the mildew. Rinse the bleach off with hot water.
  4. Now, it’s time to tackle more classic shower cleaning. Start by spraying your shower walls with a store-bought bathroom cleaner. Then, give the cleaner 5–10 minutes to work its magic.
  5. Once you’ve let it sit, use a sponge to wipe down your shower walls and use an old toothbrush to scrub your grout.
  6. When your space is looking squeaky-clean, rinse it with hot water. Then, tackle your shower floors and your bathtub if you have one.

Any time you’re cleaning with bleach, you’ll want to make sure your space is adequately ventilated. Flip on your bathroom fan, open your windows and keep your bathroom door wide open.

Step 4: Deep Clean Your Toilet

Don’t slip out of your rubber gloves just yet—it’s time to tackle your toilet.

  1. Start by covering the inside of your toilet bowl with a store-bought toilet bowl cleaner. You’ll want to start at the rim and work your way down.
  2. Use a scrub brush to rub the solution in and let it sit for 5–10 minutes before flushing it all away.
  3. While you wait, you can tackle the outside of your toilet. Spray an all-purpose bathroom cleaner onto every inch of your toilet. You’ll want to get the lid, the flush handle, the top and bottom of the toilet seat—everything. Most bathroom cleaners need to sit for about 5–10 minutes, so be sure to follow your directions.
  4. Once you’ve let the cleaner sit, you can use a dry cloth or some clean paper towels to wipe it away.

Make sure your all-purpose bathroom cleaner doubles as a disinfectant. Germs love to lurk in bathrooms. You want to clean, get rid of dirt, and disinfect (get rid of bacteria).

Step 5: Clean Your Sink

Wipe down the sink to get rid of dirt and debris. Then, spray your all-purpose bathroom cleaner all over your sink. Be sure to get the bowl, the drain, and the handles. Again, you’ll probably need to let the cleaner sit for about 5–10 minutes. After that, you can wipe it down with a cloth or paper towel.

 

Step 6: Empty and Organize Your Drawers and Cabinets

Empty your cabinets, drawers, and countertops. You’ll want to get all your bathroom items in the same place, so you might want to pull products from your shower and bathtub, too.

Get rid of old and expired items, combine duplicates, and group like with like. If you need easy access to something—like shampoo, conditioner, or hand soap—consider leaving it out. Otherwise, leave the counter clutter to a minimum.

Step 7: Wipe Down Your Mirrors and Countertops

Now that your bathroom is clean and your countertops are decluttered, it’s time to put the finishing touches on your space. Use your all-purpose bathroom cleaner to wipe down your countertops, and use a store-bought glass cleaner to get your mirrors squeaky clean.

Step 8: Take Out the Trash

Round up any remaining trash or recycling, take it outside, and put a fresh bag in your trash can.

Step 9: Sweep and Mop Your Floors

Take one final pass through your bathroom—sweeping it, then mopping it—to leave it in tip-top shape.

Cleanliness and sanitation have now become a necessity – not just something one appreciates. At DQ Interiors we pride ourselves with working with clients that uphold clean values.