Complete Deep Cleaning Checklist For Your House Or Apartment

There’s going to come a day when you look around and think…“Ewww! My home is really dirty. I think it’s time to do a deep clean.”

If you’re reading this — you’ve probably reached that day. To make the task manageable and less daunting we’ve compiled pro tips and our in-house same deep cleaning checklist.

This is the exact checklist many of the cleaners on Homeaglow use to ensure your home sparkles. We’ll guide you through how to deep clean your entire house or apartment room by room, and ensure everything is dust-free, dirt free, and smells amazing.

Of course, if you’d like some help, you can always book a professional, affordable cleaner through Homeaglow.

You can see what's included in a standard Homeaglow cleaning here.

How often should you do a deep cleaning?

Most people get the deep cleaning urge in spring, to shake off the musty winter smells, mold, and dust that can easily accumulate over the cold season. Ideally, you should aim to give your home a deep clean every three months or so. 

If you have lots of people living in your home, or if you have groups of friends and family visiting regularly, it can be a good idea to establish a more regular schedule to ensure your house or apartment doesn’t get too far behind in cleanliness.

Professional cleaning tips

Let’s get started with our general tips to ensure you have a successful deep-cleaning mission.

Focus on one room at a time

Whether you’ve got a small apartment or a large family house - the thought of deep cleaning can feel overwhelming. 

Where should you start? Can you fit everything into one day? Should you just focus on the main rooms? Maybe you should think about it a little more while you watch the entire series of Friends. Again.

We hear this a lot. Our best advice for a thorough deep clean is to go room by room and ensure you cover all of the areas that need to be deep cleaned regularly. 

These are typically high-traffic areas such as your kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedrooms. 

Focusing on one room at a time reduces the feeling of overwhelm and will ensure you actually get started. And focusing on one room per week will make it seem even easier.

If you need to declutter your rooms, make sure you attend to tidying before attempting to clean. Trying to work around piles of things on desks and floors will only make the job harder.

Start with your kitchen

The kitchen is one of the best places to start a deep clean, as it’s usually an “easy win” that you can get done quickly. This will give you an instant sense of achievement, and motivate you to keep going.

Make it fun to get stuff done

Try these tips to put in the cleaning mindset and make things more enjoyable.

Put on comfy clothing 

Ideally, you should wear your comfiest, oldest clothing so it doesn’t matter if it gets bleached or dirty. Of course, if you want to put on a fancy evening dress to make things more fun, we won’t judge.

Crank up the music

Create your ultimate deep-cleaning playlist to help the time fly by. We recommend: 

• Queen - Another One Bites The Dust
• Outkast - So Fresh And So Clean
• Eminem - Cleanin' Out My Closet
• TLC - No Scrubs
• Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive

Set the scene to clean

Light your favorite incense or that fancy scented candle that Aunt Marge gave you for Christmas. Put your devices on silent so you don’t get distracted by notifications and texts, and ensure that you have plenty of light in every room so you don’t miss any dust or dirt spots.

If you have kids or pets, it can be a good idea to make sure they stay out of your way during the cleaning process, to avoid any cleaning-related accidents that might undo all your hard work.

Prepare in advance

Nothing derails a deep clean like running out of shower spray, or realizing you only have one scrub sponge that you can’t use to clean the toilet…and the kitchen.

Before you embark on Project Deep Clean, make sure you’re well-stocked with all the things you’ll need for each room. 

Essential deep-cleaning items to stock up on

When you begin a deep clean of your house or apartment, make sure you have any relevant items on hand, such as:

• Trash bags
• All-purpose cleaner
• Kitchen cleaner
• Bathroom cleaner
• Glass cleaner
• Floor cleaner
• Toilet cleaner
• Toilet brush
• Furniture polish
• Carpet shampoo
• Fabric fresheners/stain removers
• Stovetop/oven cleaner
• Paper towels
• Scrub sponges
• Soft sponges
• Multi-purpose cleaning cloths
• Dusting cloths
• Rags
• Antibacterial wipes
• Bucket
• Mop
• Broom and dustpan
• Vacuum cleaner or hand vacuum 
• Steamer
• Cleaning gloves
• Baking soda and vinegar for a homemade cleaner
• Spray bottles
• Old toothbrushes to get into those pesky, hard-to-reach spots

Deep cleaning checklist

Tackle every room in your house or apartment with our easy-to-follow deep-cleaning checklist.

We recommend that you start with your kitchen or bathroom, as these are the most high-traffic areas in any home. These rooms are also relatively easy to get done, so you won’t feel too overwhelmed as you begin the deep clean process.

Deep clean overview

This is a quick guide to what you should clean and check across all the rooms in your home.

• Dust, mop, sweep, and vacuum
• Wipe walls
• Empty trash and waste paper baskets
• Clean ceiling and floor fans
• Clean air conditioner vents
• Check and replace air filters
• Clean windows and window sills
• Move and clean behind furniture where possible 
• Clean table and chair legs
• Clean door frames and baseboards
• Clean doors and door handles
• Clean light switches
• Wash curtains
• Clean blinds
• Check smoke alarms and CO2 monitors are working
• Replace lightbulbs
• Clean light shades and fixtures
• Unblock and freshen drains

Bathroom deep clean checklist

• Declutter and organize cabinets
• Throw away any toiletries or medicines that have expired
• Scrub shower base or bath
• Clean sink and faucets
• Clean in, on, and around the toilet
• Clean tiles and grouting
• Clean mirrors
• Clean shower glass
• Wash or wipe down shower curtain
• Use bathroom-safe bleach to remove any shower mold
• Clean toothbrush holder
• Wash rugs, towels, and facecloths
• Clean hairbrushes and makeup brushes
• Clean the showerhead

See our bathroom cleaning checklist for more info.

Bedroom deep clean checklist

• Wash bedding, pillows, blankets, duvets, and any other soft furnishings
• Fold and put away clean clothes
• Flip or air the mattress
• Organize and declutter closets, shelves, and drawers
• Dust tables, dressers, shelves, ornaments, etc.
• Wash curtains
• Clean blinds
• Move and clean under the bed
• Move and clean under furniture
• Wash or sanitize kids' toys
• Shampoo rugs and carpet

See our bedroom cleaning checklist for more info.

Kitchen deep clean checklist

• Clean countertops
• Clean stovetop and grates
• Move and clean behind stove (if possible)
• Clean oven inside and out (including racks, door seal, and glass)
• Degrease backsplash areas
• Clean microwave inside and out
• Clean coffee maker inside and out
• Clean any other benchtop appliances (eg. toaster, kettle, juicer)
• Clean and deodorize dishwasher 
• Wipe down dishwasher door and frame
• Throw away any expired food in pantry or refrigerator
• Move and clean behind refrigerator
• Clean refrigerator inside and outside
• Defrost freezer
• Clean freezer and refrigerator door seals
• Declutter drawers and cupboards
• Clean drawers and shelves
• Replace drawer and shelf liners
• Clean cutlery drawer compartments
• Clean range hood
• Clean or replace range hood filter
• Wash or replace kitchen cloths, tea towels, and sponges
• Wipe down walls
• Dust and clean high surfaces (top of cupboards, top of fridge, etc)
• Clean and deodorize sink
• Mop floors
• Clean mats
• Clean pet bowls
• Clean utensil holders
• Replace dishwashing brush

See our kitchen cleaning checklist for more info.

Dining room / living room deep clean checklist

• Dust and polish surfaces and furniture
• Wash blankets, cushions, and linens
• Vacuum sofas and chairs (remember to get into all the yucky spots under the cushions)
• Wash slipcovers
• Wash curtains
• Dust blinds
• Dust curtain rods
• Shampoo carpet and rugs
• Shampoo or spot clean soft furnishings
• Clean window sills
• Clean window glass
• Clean ceiling and floor fans
• Dust or clean lampshades and stands
• Dust electronics
• Sanitize remotes
• Sweep, mop, or vacuum floors
• Dust ornaments
• Polish silver or brassware

See our dining room cleaning checklist and living room deep clean checklist for more info.

Office deep clean checklist

• Declutter and organize desks, cupboards, shelves, drawers
• Dust electronics

• Sanitize keyboards, mouse
• Clean all desktop equipment (staplers, headphones, speakers, remotes, etc.)
• Clean device/computer screens
• Clean chairs and chair arms
• Clean desk utensil holders
• Clean laptop stands
• Organize drawers
• Throw away/recycle unnecessary paperwork
• Wipe down desktops
• Wipe down cupboards and bookshelves
• Sweep, mop, or vacuum

See our office cleaning checklist for more info.

Make deep cleaning your home a breeze with our checklist

We hope you find this deep clean checklist helpful as you begin the essential task of making your house or apartment look, feel, and smell as amazing as the day you moved in.

Deep cleans can be a lot of work, but Homeaglow is always available to help out when needed. Find and book your perfect cleaner online today.