How to deep clean your house

Most of us wipe down surfaces, keep on top of laundry or run the hoover round the house every couple of days. But sometimes only a deep clean will do.

A deep clean will leave your house feeling fresh and tidy and you know what they say – tidy house, tidy mind!

We have put together all of our deep cleaning house tips, to help you on your way to clean house heaven.

When is the best time to do a deep clean?

You can do a deep clean of your house whenever you want. Just ensure that you have put aside enough time to do it and that you are feeling in the right frame of mind!

Some of the best times of year to consider a deep clean are the new year, spring (hence, spring cleaning!) and before the Christmas decorations go up in December.

This will help to give you the motivation to do a deep clean.

How often should you deep clean your house?

How frequently you decide to do home deep cleaning will ultimately depend on how clean you would like it to be and, of course, your available time.

We recommend a full deep clean every three to six months.

Preparation for a deep clean

Before you start your deep clean, it is important that you take some steps to prepare.

First of all, make sure that you have all the cleaning products you need available to you. There is nothing worse than running out of something when you are in the middle of cleaning!

You should also make a plan and work out which rooms you are going to tackle first and how long it will take to do the full deep clean.

Remember, it does not all need to be done in one day. You can take a couple of weeks to fully deep clean everywhere.

Deep clean house checklist

We have put together this deep cleaning schedule for houses that you can use to ensure that you can keep track of all the tasks which will make for a successful deep clean.

You can use this as a guide for a six monthly deep clean or even as a weekly deep cleaning schedule if you want to clean more often.

Tidy round

Before you really get into the deep cleaning, you should have a tidy round first.

Putting everything in its place will help you to see what needs doing and will ensure that nothing gets in your way as you are going round. Ah, feels better already!

Bathrooms

• Clean shower tray, bath, sink and toilet
• Clean glass shower doors
• Clean or replace shower curtain
• Clean mirrors
• Wash bathmats in the washing machine
• Clear out bathroom cabinets, remove anything unwanted and then wipe down inside
• Clean the grouting between tiles
• Disinfect plug holes

Kitchen

• Wipe down counter tops
• Wipe down cupboard doors
• Clean inside of cupboards
• Clean out the fridge, removing any old sauces or food which is past its best by date and wiping down the insides
• Defrost the freezer
• Wash cloths, tea towels and oven gloves
• Clean the hob and hood
• Clean the oven
• Clean the microwave
• Disinfect the sink and plughole

Utility room

• Wipe down counter tops
• Clear out cupboards and wipe down inside
• Wipe down cupboard doors
• Clean washing machine
• Clean out the lint trap in the tumble dryer

Living rooms/dining rooms

• Wash cushion covers
• Vacuum the sofa – both on top and underneath the cushions
• Clean rugs and carpets with a carpet cleaner
• Polish any wooden furniture
• Disinfect telephones and remote controls

Bedrooms

• Wash all bedding including duvet covers, duvet and pillows
• Flip and vacuum the mattress
• Dust headboard
• Vacuum under the bed and underneath any other furniture in the room

All rooms

• Dust and clean light fixtures
• Clean windows inside
• Disinfect door handles and light switches (this is important to )
• Wipe skirting boards
• Dust any artwork, picture frames and ornaments
• Dust around the top of the walls to remove spider webs and dust particles
• Mop or vacuum the floor, depending on the surface

Garage

• Have a clear out and get rid of anything that you do not need
• Sweep the floor
• Wipe down any surfaces

Garden

• Spray patios or decking with a pressure washer
• Clean down outdoor furniture
• Clean playground equipment
• Weed the lawn
• Mow the lawn, if needed

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Last Updated: 21st January 2021

Expertly reviewed by:

Doaa Al Mosawi, Regulatory Affairs Joined Holland & Barrett: March 2019 Qualifications: BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science After completing her BSc in Biomedical Science, Doaa worked in Research and laboratory for 3 years. Doaa was also a member of a product development team in a manufacturing company specialising in sun care and personal care products, researching and providing regulatory advice regarding international regulations. Doaa is now an International Senior Regulatory Affairs Associate at Holland & Barrett.