The interior rooms of your house are often the most used rooms of your home, and there are many different tasks to consider when cleaning these rooms. Some of these are easily left out or forgotten, which, over time, can cause your house to look a bit grubby. This is why we have created this step-by-step guide to cleaning your interior rooms so that everybody can live in a clean and healthy environment and enjoy the most from their homes. We will look at how to complete a deep clean in a way that allows you to keep the rooms clean with minimal effort. These tips can apply to all your house’s interior rooms, including your living room, dining room, study, bedrooms and even the hallways.
De-clutter
The first step in deep cleaning your interior rooms is to de-clutter. Although some of us find it hard to get rid of old things that we no longer use or even want de-cluttering, your rooms will enable you to keep them clean more efficiently and give you more space and a happier home. If your house is highly cluttered, you will benefit from removing up to 50% of your belongings! For less cluttered homes, aiming for the 20% mark is still good. Room by room, ask yourself if you love every item there or regularly use it – if the answer is no, recycle it, bin it, or donate it. After you have completed the clean-out, you will need to ensure that everything that remains is well organised and tidy and that everything has its place so it can be easily tidied after it is used.
Equipment you will need
First, look at all the equipment and products you will need to complete an ideal, deep clean of your interior rooms – if you do not have all of these items, you can use alternatives or workarounds.
- Microfibre cloths/kitchen towels/rags.
- Polish (you can use a shop bought or make your own, more natural, one if you prefer).
- Window Cleaner Spray (a shop-bought one is OK, or you can make your own) and a Window Brush are necessary to clean the outside windows.
- A broom and dustpan and brush.
- A feather duster – preferably with an extendable handle.
- A Vacuum Cleaner – where possible, we recommend investing in a top-quality hoover as the they require much less time and effort.
- A Steam Cleaner / Mop and Bucket or Floor Cleaning Wipes.
The Deep Clean
Now we will look at each step for you to take in cleaning your rooms. Targeting all the downstairs rooms with the same task is an excellent idea rather than concentrating on each room at a time.
- Dusting – when dusting, it is essential to start at the top to prevent dust from dropping down on the areas you have already cleaned. You can begin by using a vacuum cleaner or feather duster to clean any vents, light fixtures and ceilings (paying extra attention to the corners), then work your way down the walls and polish any surfaces, shelves or windowsills with your cleaning spray and a cloth. Also, ensure you dust each induvial item kept on the shelving etc.
- Doors and Walls – Your doors and walls do not always need a thorough cleaning but look for any marks and clean these off using a damp sponge, being careful not to damage any paint work. If the spot is more stubborn, try mixing a small amount of dishwashing soap with water and trying again.
- Windows – to clean your inside windows, we recommend starting at the top of the window, spraying some window cleaner onto the window, and wiping in small circles with a piece of kitchen roll until there is no sign of any solution left. This will prevent any smearing.
To clean the outsides of the windows, use a small amount of dishwashing liquid mixed with warm water and a window cleaning brush to scrub them. Ensure you thoroughly rinse them afterwards, and to prevent any hard water stains, use a window drying squeegee.
- Upholstery – wash your bed linen and sofa cushions, vacuum or steam clean your mattresses, vacuum under your sofa cushions, and put your curtains or nets into the washing machine to freshen up.
- Floors – if you’re floors are carpeted, then have a look for any stains or marks. We don’t recommend using shop-bought products on your carpets as they are one of the most common causes of damage and discolouration. If your carpet is grubby or has stains, it may be time for a professional cleaning. If the carpet is in good condition, give it a thorough vacuum ensuring that you use the nozzle to get along all the edges into all the corners of the room. If you have hard flooring in your house, always sweep the floors first to remove any loose dirt and debris, then there are a few options for how to clean your floors depending on the equipment you have at home –
Steam Cleaning is the preferred option as steam cleaning kills bacteria and usually gives the best results. We recommend adding some essential oils to the water you put in your steam cleaner, making your whole house smell fresh and renewed.
Mopping – This is also a good option for cleaning the floors. Use a mop and bucket with some floor cleaner and wash the floors, ensuring you regularly change the water.
Floor Wipes – You must scrub the floors with floor wipes on your hands and knees. This method can be effective but is best for smaller areas as it can take a lot of time and effort.
Whichever option you choose to clean your floors – ensure they are fully dry before walking back on them again.
Keeping On Top Of Cleaning Your Interior Rooms
Now that you have gleaming, clean interior rooms of your house, it is best to try and keep on top of them so that you don’t have to repeat another deep clean for a while. We like to use the method that if you buy someone new, you should also get an item you own and try to put everything back in the place you have made for it. See any spillages or marks on floors, doors and walls immediately, and change bedding fortnightly. We also recommend vacuuming twice a week (or more if you have children or pets) and dusting roughly once weekly. We hope you have enjoyed our guide to cleaning your interior rooms, and if you follow every step, your rooms need never look grimy again.