Do you have a tidy house, but it still smells and feels a little dirty? If yes, you might need to deep clean your house from time to time. Americans devote six hours a week to cleaning their homes, according to statistics, and a third of them believe this is not enough. This is because cleaning and tidying only scratch the surface of the problem.
This easy-to-follow guide will help you create a deep cleaning plan to get your home sparkling in no time! Keep reading to find out when and how to tackle the cleaning of different parts of your home. Bear in mind that while you can get by with cleaning some areas of the house once a year, others may require daily attention.
What You’ll Need
To begin, gather all the deep cleaning supplies for the job. These include:
- Mop
- Bucket
- Vacuum cleaner
- Cleaning cloths and brushes
- Cleaning and sanitizing solutions/sprays
There are additional supplies you can acquire such as microfiber rags and scented sprays. The microfiber towels are more effective in collecting dust than cotton rags, and scented sprays will help you freshen up your space. However, you don’t need to get these extra supplies if you prefer to stay on a budget.
Most surfaces can be cleaned with just a spray bottle of vinegar and water. A little essential oil will get rid of the vinegar smell. Moreover, cleaning bathroom or kitchen corners doesn’t require a new toothbrush; an old one will do.
Now that you have your supplies sorted, let’s look at how frequently you should clean different parts of your home.
Daily Deep Cleaning
What areas of your home do you use for preparing meals, eating, or sleeping? The more time you spend in a certain part of your home, the more frequently you need to clean it. Following is a daily deep cleaning list:
Wake and Make your Bed
Not only does making your bed every morning help you stay productive longer, but it also helps you avoid clutter. Now is the time to make this a daily habit. Keep your personal space tidy by organizing it every day. If you have little children in your home, having items lying around could be hazardous.
Wipe Down Kitchen Counters and Tables
Routine cleaning can help you avoid major kitchen disasters. Therefore, make sure to clean and sanitize all surfaces in the house, including the dining room table and kitchen counters. If the sink or countertops seem dirty, give them a good scrub. Be extra vigilant of any crumbs or spills, and clean them right away.
Sweep the floor regularly and clean spills as they happen. Do the dishes, either in the dishwasher or by hand, with a little bit of dish soap. Roaches and other bugs are attracted to kitchen floors with crumbs and grime. To avoid this, make sure you sweep them every day.
In our opinion, cleaning any messes right when they happen will help save you time and avoid frustration in the long run.
Sanitize Kitchen and Bathroom Sinks
Another room in the house you probably use every day in the bathroom. Scrub your toilet after you use it in the morning or night, to keep it clean.
Wipe off the shower walls with a gentle sponge or squeegee to prevent soap residue from building up. Disinfect your bathroom sink, walls, tub, and toilet with an all-purpose cleaner. For a spot-free bathroom, clean these areas thoroughly and regularly.
Do Your Laundry Routinely
If you own a dryer and washer, doing laundry is as simple as pressing a button. You need only five to fifteen minutes from your day to sort out the clothes that need immediate washing (underwear, socks, etc.). Put doing laundry regularly on your calendar and make sure to stick to it.
Weekly Deep Cleaning
These items in your home need to be looked after every one to two weeks:
Microwave
Since time immemorial, popular belief has been that heating food in a microwave is an effective way to destroy bacteria. Unfortunately, research shows that microwaving meals does not eliminate germs. It goes without saying that keeping your microwave clean and clear of spills is critical. Hence, wipe your microwave once a week and conduct a cleaning session at least twice a month, you’ll need it deep cleaned.
You can use a DIY solution to get your microwave squeaky clean. In a microwave-safe dish, combine 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup white vinegar. Then, microwave this mixture for two minutes, or until the window steams. Finally, use a sponge to clean out the interior, and voila! Your job is done.
Switch Bedding
Make a habit of changing your bed sheets and pillowcases once in one to two weeks. This is critical if you want to avoid having to deal with bugs and pests. This habit will keep your place looking clean and tidy all the time.
Furthermore, wash your bed linens in hot water once in one to two weeks, if you don’t shower after work or sleep naked. If you suffer from allergies or other sensitivities, do this more frequently.
Bathroom
You can use a water-vinegar solution or a bathroom cleaner for your bathroom to be deep cleaned. Although you might be used to cleaning it regularly, here consider areas that may be overlooked.
Remove all manner of trash from the bathroom; wash the sinks and toilet bowls. Switch bathmats and shower curtains for new ones, as required. As a bonus, spend a little more time cleaning the floor and the cabinets than usual. Check for clogs in the filters by unscrewing the faucet tips.
Mop the floors and disinfect all exposed surfaces. Mirrors should be cleaned, as well as the toilet and area behind it. Make sure your rugs are always fresh and dry. Lastly, use a polishing cloth to give all the chrome surfaces a deep shine and replace used towels with new ones.
Bathtub
The bathtub deserves its section for good reason. Despite the toilet’s reputation as one of the filthiest places in the bathroom, new research shows that it pales in comparison to the bathtub.
According to recent studies, bathtubs are twice as likely to contain bacteria that could cause skin infections than garbage cans. The conclusion here is that you should clean your bathtub regularly – preferably once per week – just like your toilet.
Vacuum Floors
For this, begin by clearing any items lying around and rearranging your furniture. Once all the clutter and furniture are out of the way, vacuuming will be much easier. Once done, simply move your furniture back in its place.
Finally, for better home deep cleaned, consider investing in a high-quality vacuum cleaner.
Monthly Deep Cleaning
Now let’s look at the parts of your home that need attention once a month.
Kitchen Cleaning
If you want a spotless kitchen, start by wiping down all of the cabinet and drawer fronts, both inside and out. Make a vinegar-and-baking-soda solution and use it to clean the oven. Clean out the refrigerator, as well as all storage areas and drawers. Disinfect the machine that holds the dishes. Lastly, make sure to empty and clean your trash can.
Lighting and Fixtures
Lighting and fixtures are overlooked areas that routinely collect dust. To clean these, unscrew light bulbs and fixtures; wipe these with a microfiber cloth or soft duster, then toss the dust in the trash and once you’re done, make sure to put everything back where it belongs.
Cleaning the Cleaners
Even the cleaning supplies you use get polluted over time. Use the appropriate cleaning tools and products to ensure a thorough cleaning. Cleaning the air ducts once a month will help to keep the air in your home fresh and pollution-free. Therefore, to properly clean the ducts, use a long-hosed vacuum.
Every Three to Six Months
Dust mites in the home can have a serious impact on one’s health. Thus, folks with asthma, allergies, or other sensitivities to dust mites should be extra careful. These microscopic mites prefer to reside in bedding and mattress covers.
So, make sure to inspect your bed and mattresses regularly. Sprinkle baking soda on your mattress, vacuum it, and then soak the mattress in disinfectant. Baking soda is an excellent deodorizer because it absorbs odors from your mattress.
Every six months, have your drapes and windows professionally cleaned to remove dirt and grime. Finally, once every three months, give your blinds and woodwork a good dusting and wiping down.
Once a Year
These are the areas you should tackle in your annual spring cleaning:
- Thoroughly clean your fireplace and chimney
- Deep clean carpets and upholstery
- Clean the dryer and vents
- Clear the gutters
To make sure your fireplace, chimney, and appliances work properly during the winter season, you should do the once-a-year cleaning before the start of fall or winter.
Coming Clean About It
For many homeowners, maintaining their home’s resale value and living in an area that promotes serenity and order is extremely important. Most people don’t have enough time to do a thorough cleaning of their house, and even fewer people know how often they should do a thorough cleaning.
To sum up, every part of your home requires its level of care. While get a home deep cleaned does call for some effort, it is not impossible. Focusing on just one section at a time makes it much easier. Make a cleaning schedule so you don’t forget to do anything and your home is always spotless!
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