Deep cleaning involves a set of tasks aimed at removing dust and dirt even from the most hard-to-reach places. It’s done several times a year and before important events such as the arrival of a newborn or holidays.
It’s recommended to thoroughly clean the house after infectious diseases when a person’s immune system is weakened. Let’s understand how to properly conduct deep cleaning and in what sequence to perform the tasks.
Table of Contents
Creating a Deep Cleaning Plan
Preparing a plan for a thorough cleaning is an important preliminary step. It’s much easier to think through the algorithm of work in advance than to be distracted by details during the cleaning process. If you clearly know what to pay attention to and in what sequence to tidy up, you’ll save a lot of time and effort.
Our article’s recommendations will help you create a cleaning plan. Optionally, you can adjust it or add to it according to your preferences. Or you can order cleaning by cleaning company in your city https://hardrockcleaning.com/illinois/house-cleaning-northbrook/.
Preparing Inventory and Cleaning Supplies
Here’s a tentative list of what you’ll need during the process:
- Microfiber, fabric, and paper towels for surface cleaning.
- Special alcohol-free wipes for cleaning screens of devices.
- Old newspapers for washing windows and mirrors.
- Special cleaning agents and polishes for different materials (glass, wood, tile, laminate, linoleum, porcelain, etc.).
- Vacuum cleaner with attachments.
- Dustpan, broom.
- Mop and bucket for water.
- Brushes for cleaning plumbing fixtures.
- Air fresheners.
- Large garbage bags.
Next, we’ll discuss what is included in the cleaning and how to tackle the tasks faster without compromising quality.
Where to Start Deep Cleaning
There’s no point in starting wet cleaning and surface cleaning if there’s clutter in the house: clothes are scattered, closets are filled with unnecessary items, and the kitchen is filled with unwashed dishes.
Best deep cleaning of the house should be done only after thorough preparation. It’s recommended to:
- Put everything in its place.
- Send curtains and drapes, which accumulate a lot of dust, to the laundry.
- Beat or clean carpets.
- Dust the ceiling and remove cobwebs.
- Wash chandeliers and all overhead lighting.
- Remove everything from the bed except the mattress, and wash the bedding.
- Sort things in closets and get rid of unnecessary items.
- Ventilate the room.
We recommend following the planned algorithm of actions. Start cleaning from the farthest room and then move clockwise or counterclockwise. This approach helps not to miss anything. Typically, experienced housewives start by tidying up the bedroom and living rooms, then continue in the kitchen, dining room, and bathroom. Wet cleaning is done only after dry cleaning. Also, when conducting deep cleaning, it’s necessary to move from top to bottom.
Starting Wet Cleaning of Walls
Deep cleaning should begin with general tidying up. Temporarily remove everything hanging on the walls: paintings, certificates, souvenirs, and other items. Wrap the mop with a damp cloth or old towel and carefully go over the surface of the walls.
Note: The wet method is not suitable for treating paper, textiles, or photo wallpapers. Such materials are cleaned dry with a cloth or eraser.
For wet cleaning, you can also use a vacuum cleaner with a water filter. In this case, choose the gentlest mode.
Cleaning Furniture
Deep cleaning of the apartment involves cleaning soft and hard furniture. Follow these simple recommendations:
- Vacuum sofas, armchairs, and mattresses with a special attachment. Remove dust from non-fabric parts of furniture.
- Leather upholstery requires a special gentle cleaner. Afterward, you can treat the leather with cosmetic vaseline.
- Wipe the dust from the surface and inside of the cabinets. Start with the top shelves and gradually move down.
- Remove dirt from the surface of open shelves, bedside tables, tables, and other storage areas in the room.
To extend the life of hard furniture, use a special polish during deep cleaning. Wax-based products protect wood from damage and conceal minor scratches. If there are stains or faded areas on the furniture, you can buy a tinting compound. Wooden doors are also treated with polish.
Algorithm for Deep Cleaning in Each Room
So, you’ve successfully completed the initial stage of cleaning in your home and stocked up on the necessary supplies. It’s time to plan the work in each room. Generally, deep cleaning involves several stages: let’s talk about them further.
Living Room Cleaning
First and foremost, focus on cleanliness in the living areas. Here’s a suggested plan for cleaning the living room:
- Wash the ceiling, light fixtures, walls, windows, and radiators.
- Remove dust from various surfaces using both dry and wet methods.
- Organize electronic devices.
- Sort out clothing and laundry: dirty items should be sent for washing.
- Clean furniture with a vacuum cleaner and special cleaning agents.
- Wash the floors.
After completing the cleaning, be sure to ventilate the room.
Bedroom Cleaning
If you’ve already taken down curtains, cleaned windows and sills, removed cobwebs, and tidied up light fixtures at the initial stage, then a significant part of the work is already done. Now, focus on cleaning the middle and lower levels. Wipe the dust from internal shelves, the facades of furniture, and hardware. Clean objects on the shelves from dirt. Additionally, consider what items can be discarded.
All removable parts of upholstered furniture should be beaten or washed (pillows, bedspreads, blankets, covers). If you can’t remove stains from the surface of the sofa, consider using a home dry cleaning service.
Deep cleaning in the room also includes caring for plants and cleaning screens of electronics and office equipment. Make sure to tidy up smartphones and tablets: these devices accumulate five times more bacteria than a toilet!
During floor cleaning, don’t forget to remove dirt from baseboards.
Children’s Room Cleaning
Cleaning in a child’s room should be done 2-3 times more frequently than in an adult’s bedroom. Cleanliness is key to a child’s health, strong immunity, and excellent well-being.
The cleaning plan for a child’s room typically includes:
- Cleaning carpets.
- Cleaning furniture and mattresses.
- Removing dust from all surfaces, preferably with a damp method.
- Cleaning radiators and lighting fixtures.
- Removing stains, including those from paints and markers; sometimes professional dry cleaning is required for a quality result.
- Washing the floor, windows, and sills.
An important aspect of cleaning a child’s room is the large number of soft toys in the room. They quickly collect dust, which is favorable for the reproduction of harmful microorganisms.
Kitchen Cleaning
Kitchen cleaning may take more than one hour, but after a comprehensive cleanup, you’ll get rid of messy stains and harmful bacteria. Here’s an approximate order of tasks:
- Start with standard tasks: tidy up the upper tier, including light fixtures. Wash windows and radiators.
- Clean the hood and ventilation grilles.
- Wash cabinets and clear the area of unnecessary items. While cleaning the kitchen, check the expiration dates of products and get rid of unnecessary bags, cans, and boxes.
- Defrost and wash the refrigerator.
- Clean the sink, stove, microwave, oven, and other kitchen appliances using a special cleaning agent. Be sure to read the instructions: usually, the composition needs to be left on surfaces for 10-20 minutes for effective cleaning.
- Treat countertops and backsplashes with a soapy solution.
Universal cleaning agents are often used during cleaning. For example, you can find compositions in stores that are suitable for washing dishes, sinks, and plumbing.
Bathroom and Toilet Cleaning
Usually, deep cleaning in this room is done in the evening; this advice is especially important for allergy sufferers. The thing is aggressive disinfectants are often used during bathroom cleaning. Beforehand, remove buckets, rugs, towels, and bath accessories from the room.
Clean the ventilation grilles, and apply antibacterial compounds to the faucet, bathtub, and sink. Pour a solution against limescale buildup into the toilet. You can use a chlorine solution from homemade compositions. Leave it for several hours, then remove the buildup with a brush.
If necessary, clean the washing machine. Tidy up the walls, radiators, and shelves. Wash and polish the mirror to shine.
Final Stage of Deep Cleaning
It’s advisable to wash the floors in all rooms, even if you’ve already cleaned them individually. Lay down clean rugs, change the bedding, and put back covers and throws for furniture. Hang up curtains and drapes. That’s it! Now, all that’s left is to ventilate the rooms and enjoy the desired cleanliness.
How Often Should You Deep Clean
The optimal frequency of deep cleaning is once every few months. If there are children, elderly people, or allergy sufferers in the house, try to perform comprehensive cleaning as often as possible. Simplify cleaning and reduce its frequency with quality maintenance cleaning.
Want to finish the work faster? That means you need to do multiple tasks simultaneously. For example, while curtains are being washed, you can perform dry cleaning. Or apply a cleaning solution to the plumbing and simultaneously sort through items in the cabinets.
Of course, you can do the cleaning yourself, but it’s not always easy to find the time for it. A thorough cleaning can take more than a day. Besides, you’d probably rather spend your free time on more enjoyable activities! If you need help with cleaning, consider hiring a cleaning company. A team of professionals will efficiently handle the task using professional equipment and specialized cleaning products.
