The Ultimate Deep Cleaning / Spring Cleaning Checklist

By The Cleaning Lady

Deep cleaning your whole house can be a big job, but it can be well worth it in the end.

Why deep clean your house?

It makes your house look great and can improve your health by removing dust and improving your indoor air quality.

How often should you deep clean your entire house

How often you deep clean really depends on how often a room gets used. Kitchens and bathrooms may need to be deep cleaned more often than living rooms and spare bedrooms. I like to use a general rule of thumb to deep clean at least once every few months.

How to make the job easier

Pro Tip: Get all your cleaning supplies and tools together beforehand and put the in a caddy or cleaning apron so you are not wasting time running back and forth through the house grabbing things you need.

For larger clean-ups, considering calling professionals like 1300 Rubbish can be a game changer, especially if you need to get rid of bulky items.

And of course, having a list of things you need to clean helps you keep track of this pretty big job.

This ultimate deep cleaning checklist comes from a user in one of my Facebook groups. It’s quite thorough and will take you a few days to a week. From Claudia Mendizabal-Castellanos:

“This is my deep cleaning list for my own home. It is a very long list and takes a couple of days to do if not a week. I was never taught how to clean when I was a kid and as an adult I cleaned enough so that my house looked clean but it never quite felt fully clean. I started compiling this list and went room by room to complete it. I also had my daughters pick a room to do. Keep in mind this list is not for every day cleaning only a deep clean once you do this it will be maintenance from then on. Also it has the tiniest task on there because for me it is very satisfying to check things off as I go, it gives me a sense of accomplishment. It’s a psychological thing. Hope it helps”

-Claudia Mendizabal-Castellanos

If you need some tips on how to stick to a cleaning schedule, check out this article.

The Ultimate Deep Cleaning Checklist:

Kitchen

Clean out inside of fridge

Throw out old leftovers food

Throw out anything expired

Clean under and behind fridge

Reorganize containers tallest in back shortest in front

Label leftovers so you know when you have to eat things or throw them away.

Put things away

Clean all appliances on outside

Clean inside of microwave

Clean dishes or run dishwasher

Put away dishes

Clean light-switches

Clean over stove hood

Clean spiderwebs

Clean stove

Clean under and behind stove

Clean fryer

Clean out bread crumbs from toaster

Clean outside of cabinets

Clean coffee stains from Keurig fill with water

Refill k-cups

Clean countertops

Clean sink surface and garbage disposal

Clean floor

Clean grout

Clean door

Clean walls

Clean baseboards

Clean window and frame

Clean door knobs

Dining room:

Clean light-switches

Clean fan

Clean windows and frame

Clean glass on clock

Clean frames

Clean table with brush and wipe down

Clean floor

Clean any spiderwebs

Clean dog bowls and area around them

Throw out any old fruit

Dust clock

Clean door knobs

Clean walls

Clean baseboards

Living Room

Swifter under couches, bar and bookshelves

Sweep ashes from fireplace

Remove anything that doesn’t belong in the room to where it belongs

Clean door knobs

Clean TV

Wash throw blankets

Wash pillows

Wash cushion covers

Vacuum between cushions

Clean desk

Clean light-switches

Clean all glass

Dust every hard surface, book shelves, bar, mantle

Clean spider webs

Clean shutters

Clean windows and frame

Vacuum window sills

Clean walls

Clean baseboards

Hall Bath

Clean shower

Clean shower door and frame

Remove any spiderwebs

Wash towels

Clean window and window sill

Clean light-switches

Clean door knobs

Clean baseboards

Clean door

Clean toilet

Clean outside under and behind toilet

Restock toilet paper

Clean floor

Clean inside sink

Clean mirror

Wipe countertop

Clean sink

Clean walls

Clean faucets and hardware

Wash carpet

Master Bath

Wipe countertop

Clean faucets and hardware

Clean frames

Clean white cabinet

Wipe down outside wood part of vanity

Clean light fixtures

Clean soap dish

Clean shower

Clean tub

Clean shower door and frame

Clean outside under and behind toilet

Remove any spiderwebs

Clean door

Wash towels

Wash carpet

Clean window and window sill

Clean light-switches

Clean door knobs

Clean baseboards

Clean toilet

Restock toilet paper

Clean floor

Clean inside sink

Clean mirror

Take dirty clothes to the laundry sorter

Hallway

Organize hallway closet

Remove spiderwebs

Vacuum filter vent

Dust thermostat

Dust carbon monoxide detector

Clean baseboards

Clean light-switches

Clean door knobs

Clean doors

Clean floor

Clean walls

Kids Bedrooms

Put clean clothes away

Wash sheets

Wash pillows if needed

Swifter under bed/vacuum

Dust tops furniture

Clean door

Clean walls

Remove spider webs

Dust fan

Sort clean clothes from dirty

Declutter

Vacuum clean mattress

Vacuum bed

Declutter

Clean mirrors

Dust tv

Vacuum window sills

Clean windows and frame

Clean floor

Clean light-switches

Clean walls

Clean door knobs

Master Bedroom

Sort clean clothes from dirty

Put clean clothes away

Dust fan

Wash sheets

Wash pillows if needed

Declutter

Vacuum clean mattress

Swifter under bed/vacuum

Vacuum bed

Declutter

Clean mirrors

Dust tv

Vacuum window sills

Clean windows and frame

Dust tops furniture

Clean floor

Clean door

Clean light-switches

Clean door knobs

Clean desk

Clean nightstands