How To Deep Clean Your Entire House: Room By Room Guide

No matter how great your cleaning habits are at home, every house benefits from a deep clean at times, but where should you start? This guide will show you how to deep clean your house, room by room, to get your house back into a state that you will be proud of!

These deep-cleaning tasks for the entire house and for individual rooms will help you know where to get started, what you need to deep clean your home and what tasks you won’t want to forget about when getting the job done.

This is the ultimate spring cleaning checklist you can use all year round!

When Should You Deep Clean Your House?

Deep cleaning frequency is entirely up to you. It may be the process you take every spring for the ultimate deep clean spring cleaning.

Or you may want to do it more often. Some of these tasks should be done more frequently, as part of monthly or fortnightly cleaning schedules.

The deep cleaning checklist will help you keep track and organise the tasks so that you can decide for yourself how often you want to complete them.

It will also make it much easier for you to do so on a semi-regular basis, becoming a deep cleaning expert in your own home in no time!

What Do You Need To Get Started With Deep Cleaning?

Most of the tasks in this list require nothing more than basic cleaning tools. Many of which you may already have in your home.

We like to keep our cleaning supplies mostly non-toxic, with the exception of a few items we keep on hand if needed for tougher jobs.

The best part about this deep cleaning guide is that the tools you do need are affordable and inexpensive, so you can get started right away!

Quick Start Tips

• Work from top to bottom since dust and mess will fall to the floor
• Group related tasks together to save time
• Remove surface clutter first
• Reduce the workload and get your family involved

Are you ready to get started? Let’s do this!

Deep Cleaning Tasks For Your Whole House

These deep-cleaning tasks relate to your whole home and can either be done as you do work through room by room, or by the task.

Sometimes it is quicker to do these tasks one at a time for the whole house since you are already armed with the right tools. Either way is fine!

I recommend starting with the tasks at the top first because they can lead to a lot of extra dust on the surfaces below.

Leave cleaning the floors for later once the deep cleaning is mostly done.

• Ceiling fans & light fittings – Wipe down all light fixtures and ceiling van blades to remove dust. If you have bathrooms exhaust fans, you may need to remove these to clean properly. Remove dead bugs and dust from inside light covers.
• Air conditioners – Clean or replace filters and wipe away any dust that has settled. Clean remote control with disinfectant.
• Windows & door tracks – Clean out dirt, dust and bugs from tracks.
• Door handles & light switches – Wipe all door handles, cupboard handles and light switches with disinfectant or all-purpose cleaner and a cloth.
• Windows, screens & doors – Wash doors, windows and screens. If they can be removed, wash them outside with the hose and a scrubbing brush. Or use a pressure cleaner to remove dirt. If they cannot be removed, spray with all-purpose cleaning spray and wipe them down with a cleaning cloth.
• Replace items – Ensure you are replacing regular use items as often as you should. There are many household items we forget to replace.

TIP: Use a window cleaning cloth with a spray of water to get streak-free clean windows and glass surfaces.

• Curtains & blinds – Remove and wash curtains and blinds if you are able. Otherwise, spot-clean any marks and wipe or vacuum away dust. For horizontal blinds, wipe between each slat with a damp cloth to remove dust.
• Trash cans – Empty all bins and take outside to hose out with water. With a scrubbing brush and dishwashing liquid or disinfectant, scrub each bin clean both inside and outside, including lids. Allow them to fully dry, in the direct sunlight.
• Drains – Pour boiling water down each drain, followed by 1 cup of baking soda. Pour a mixture of 1 cup water and 1 cup vinegar down the drain. Leave for 1 hour. Pour another jug of boiling water down the drain.
• Behind electronics & appliances – Wipe down with a duster or dry cloth to remove dust build-up from large electronics, such as televisions and computers, and behind or beneath appliances.
• Dust surfaces – Use a duster or slightly damp microfibre cloth to dust all surfaces, shelves, tops of doors and cabinets, tables and any other exposed surfaces where dust may have gathered.
• Baseboards & wall trim – Dust baseboards and wall trim. Remove any cobwebs from corners and behind doors. Keep an eye out for marks on the walls that you can wipe down too.

Do these tasks after the rest of the deep clean is done:

Do the floors last in case any dust, dirt and general icky stuff falls to the floor during your room by room deep clean.

• Vacuum – Vacuum all floors and under any furniture, you can move, such as couches and beds.
• Grout – If you have floor tiles, the grout can get very dirty and discoloured over time. Use a grout brush and grout cleaner to scrub between the tiles to get it back to the correct colour. This is not a fun job but satisfying!
• Mop – Mop all hard floor surfaces such as tiles, lino and wood. Use a floor cleaning solution or vinegar to get the floors sparkling.

Deep Cleaning Checklist By Room

Follow this guide for how to deep clean your house, room by room, with this simple step by step process:

How To Deep Clean A Bathroom

The bathroom is one area of the home that needs more regular deep cleaning and by doing these tasks more frequently, it will make your job much easier overall too with less elbow grease needed in future.

Here is your bathroom deep clean checklist:

• Shower – Use a grout cleaner to clean any discoloured or mouldy grout. Spray glass or shower cleaner wipe down glass doors. If you have shower curtains and a shower curtain liner, remove if you can and wash them. Scrub the shower floor and any other surfaces.
• Bath – Scrub down the bath, removing any soap scum and build up. Clean around the edges and outside of the tub. Scrub grout with a grout brush.
• Toilet – Clean your toilet thoroughly both inside and outside, taking care to scrub away any stains inside the bowl. Clean the outside of the bowl and behind the toilet, as well as the seat and toilet system.

TIP: For in-between shower cleans, add a dish brush with a mix of half dish soap and half vinegar to scrub shower screens. This helps leave the glass shiny and it makes it really easy to clean the shower too. Then use a squeegee after every shower to avoid hard water stains.

• Faucets & Showerhead– If needed, descale faucets and showerhead using this descaling method. Wipe everything down.
• Sink & vanity – Spray sink, vanity and cabinets with a vinegar spray and wipe clean.
• Mirrors – Spray with water or glass cleaner. Wipe with glass cleaning cloth.
• Toothbrush holder – Clean toothbrush holders with hot water and dishwashing liquid.
• Toilet brush holder – Place toilet brush and holder in a bucket of very hot water with disinfectant. Soak for several hours, allow to dry completely in direct sunlight before returning to the bathroom.
• Personal items – Hairbrushes, hair accessories, contact lens cases and other personal use items can be cleaned in hot soapy water or soaked as suitable for the items.

How To Deep Clean A Kitchen

We spend a lot of time cooking and making a mess in the kitchen. It is no surprise over time some of these areas get pretty grubby, including the ones we don’t notice as easily.

This kitchen deep cleaning checklist will get those areas sorted:

• Oven – Clean your oven, including racks, doors, and the inside of the oven. Scrub any mess off the stovetop and backsplash.
• Toaster – Turn your toaster upside-down over the sink to remove any crumbs. Ensure no larger pieces of food remain stuck. Wipe down the outside.
• Microwave – Clean the inside of the microwave using this microwave cleaning method. Wipe down the outside of the microwave.
• Dishwasher – Remove the food trap from your dishwasher and clean out anything stuck in the filter. Clean the inside of your dishwasher by running a cleaning cycle. This method using vinegar and baking soda is effective.
• Fridge / Freezer – Empty your fridge and freezer of all food, shelves and storage containers. Clean the inside of the refrigerator and freezer with a spray of vinegar and water. Defrost your freezer if needed. Wash all shelves and containers with hot soapy water. Dry completely before placing back in the refrigerator. Wipe down the outside and handles with disinfectant.
• Small Appliances – Wipe down the outside of all appliances in your kitchen. Use a degreaser spray if needed to remove any greasy residue.
• Pantry – Remove everything from your pantry shelves. Wipe down each shelf and the pantry floor with all-purpose cleaner. Vacuum the floor of the pantry if needed. Put back your pantry contents (this is a good time to declutter and organise your pantry).
• Cabinets – Wipe down the shelves, doors, insides and handles of each of your kitchen cabinets. If you have time, remove the contents to make this a more thorough kitchen deep clean.
• Sink & faucets – Clean and descale faucets. Wipe down the sink and surrounding surfaces. Wash drying racks and any other sink equipment in hot soapy water.
• Countertops – Spray and wipe down all countertops and other kitchen surfaces you have not already cleaned.

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How To Deep Clean Bedrooms

The time it takes to deep clean bedrooms will depend on how many bedrooms your home has and how many are occupied.

Spare bedrooms still benefit from a deep clean, even if they have not been used recently. Even with the door closed, dust will settle.

• Wash Bedding – Put all bedding through the wash. This includes bed skirts, covers, quilts, pillows and cushions. If you do not have a dryer, make sure you do this on a hot day to ensure they dry completely. If hanging bedding on the line, deep clean one bedroom per day to ensure enough hanging space.

Tip: Natural sunshine is the best way to dry linens and pillows. The UV rays can help eliminate bacteria. If this isn’t an option, use an industrial dryer at the local laundromat.

• Mattress – Freshen up mattresses by sprinkling with baking soda and leaving for 1-2 hours, then vacuum. For stains, spot-treat them with these stain removal methods. Allow natural sunlight to penetrate the room and mattress if possible. Rotate mattress before putting fresh linens on.
• Vacuum – Move the bed to the side and vacuum underneath.

Check out these closet decluttering tips if you have time to declutter your clothes when you deep clean your house.

How To Deep Clean The Living Room

The living room and family room areas tend to get a lot of traffic and as a result, there usually ends up being a few things we forget to clean in these living spaces.

Here is how to deep clean your family rooms:

• Remotes & controllers – Spay a light mist of disinfectant onto a cleaning cloth and wipe down.
• Couches – Remove cushions and covers if you are able and wash them. Spot clean any stains (test a small area first). Check crevices for any lost valuables then vacuum each gap. Move couches and vacuum underneath. Wash decorative cushions and air-dry outdoors.
• Decorations – Dust and wipe down all decor, including vases, lamps, photo frames and trinkets.
• Electronics – Dust and wipe down electronics, including behind them.
• Bookshelves – Remove and dust all books, dust the bookshelves shelves and return books to their place.
• Rugs – Clean soiled rugs. If you have a carpet steamer, steam-clean them. Otherwise, scrub stained areas with a cloth and suitable cleaner. When dry, sprinkle baking soda and leave for several hours or overnight, then vacuum for fresh-smelling rugs.

How To Deep Clean The Laundry

When you deep clean your house, the laundry room is an essential room that needs your focus!

• Washing machine – Add 2 two cups of distilled white vinegar to the detergent dispenser and run a complete cycle. Add 1 cup of baking soda and run another cycle on the highest level. Wipe inside the drum and the lining with a damp microfibre cloth. Remove and clean the washing machine filter. Drain the pipe at the bottom into a shallow bowl. Clean outside, underneath and behind your washing machine.
• Dryer – Remove lint from each of the filters. Give the inside and outside of your dryer a wipe down with all-purpose cleaner.
• Sink – Descale the faucet if needed. Clean down the sink and any other surfaces.

How To Deep Clean The Dining Room

Get your dining room in sparkly clean condition with these steps:

• Linen – Wash all tablecloths, linen placemats, table runners, napkins and chair covers into the wash. For non-fabric placemats, wipe down with disinfectant.
• Table & chairs – Wipe down the tabletop, legs, base and chairs.
• Decor – Take care to clean any decor, china and silverware individually. Dust surfaces and clean glass doors with water and glass cloth.

Make sure you don’t forget to clean any of these places. Some of them are easily overlooked and can get very cringe-worthy over time!

Finishing Your Deep Clean

Once you have worked through each room in your house and all the extra spaces, following the checklists, you will want to maintain your hard work!

Finishing a full house deep clean is the perfect opportunity to set yourself up a regular cleaning schedule.

This cleaning schedule should include tasks to do daily, weekly, fortnightly and monthly, as well as a few you may do only once or twice a year.

It helps to have a cleaning checklist for each of these cleaning schedules. Keep your checklists in a home cleaning binder for easy reference. This can help you keep track of when you last did your deep cleaning tasks too, so you can avoid letting them lapse too long.

I hope this guide on how to deep clean a house has covered everything you need to make your house feel fresh and properly clean again!

To help you keep on top of your regular cleaning schedule and deep cleaning routine, create a home management binder where you can keep a deep cleaning house checklist, as well as other general home organisation information.

Want additional deep cleaning tips? Save time with these simple cleaning hacks or use these time-saving habits to cut down your clean time. Expecting guests? Check out this speed cleaning guide to clean your house in 2 hours or less!

Get the whole family involved by adding some fun to your cleaning routine or try one of these cleaning games.