Your One-Week Plan For Cleaning Your Entire House
Updated: Aug. 17, 2020
Over the course of a week, these cleaning ideas will make the whole house shine. Spend one day in each room, so nothing is overlooked.
Attic
Start your cleaning from the top of the home to the bottom. The attic may not be a space used or seen every day, but this doesn’t mean it should be overlooked. First, dust the space and remove any cobwebs.
Separate and organize any stored items into similar groups (i.e. Christmas decorations, old clothes). To take your organization one step further, add inexpensive shelving units and clothing rods so everything has it’s designated spot. And be sure to label any storage boxes, so nothing is lost. If you see ants in your home, your attic might be the problem.
Bedrooms
First, strip the bedding, including the mattress pad. Wash the bedding and the pillows. Pillows only need to be washed every few months, but they do collect dust and pollen so they shouldn’t be ignored. Here’s why you should be washing your sheets each week.
Next, empty and sort dresser drawers and get rid of any clothes that don’t fit or you no longer wear. Remove all items from the dresser and dust it from top to bottom. Don’t forget to dust and clean lights and fans, you’ll be surprised how much dust they collect.
Finally, clean the windows, and dust the blinds. Put all of your clothes back into the dresser and organize the closet into types of clothing: pants/bottoms, dresses, tops etc. Save vacuuming for last, so you can suck up all the dust that has settled on the floors.
Bathrooms
When it comes to bathrooms, a mixture of vinegar and baking soda will be an extremely helpful cleaning agent. To get rid of hard water and mineral build-up on your bathroom fixtures fill a plastic baggie with white vinegar and secure the solution over the fixture with a rubber band. Leave the solution on the fixtures overnight so the vinegar can fully do its job. Once done, spray the shower down with a disinfectant and scrub clean.
Next, clean your toilet and don’t forget to spray the handle and outside of the bowl with a disinfectant cleaner. Next is the sink, sprinkle baking soda into the drain then rinse with very hot water. Then spray with disinfectant. Finally, mop the floor. Make sure you’re avoiding these common bathroom cleaning mistakes.
Living Room
Touch up any scuffs and marks on the wall with a Magic Eraser (but avoid using a Magic Eraser on these surfaces). Remove any mirrors, artwork and photos from the wall to dust and clean the pieces.
Clear off tables and dust. Declutter your living room by throwing away old mail and magazines. Remove couch and chair cushions to vacuum the furniture clean. Then vacuum the floor, if you have carpet. And be sure to move the larger pieces of furniture when vacuuming to get the tough to reach spots. And, if you have a pet use a lint roller on furniture to collect any fur the vacuum left behind.
Remove any large area rugs, place them outside to air out and shake out any loose dirt. Remove and wash curtains, and clean the windows with your favorite glass cleaner.
Kitchen
Empty and disinfect the fridge. Throw away everything that is expired, stale and moldy. Eliminate bad dishwasher odors by cleaning food scraps from the tub and running a dishwasher cleaner through a cycle.
To clean the garbage disposal, place lemon rinds in the drain, run the disposer for a few seconds and then leave it for 15 minutes. Next, run water, add ice cubes to the disposal and run for a few seconds to flush out the system.
To clean the microwave, place a microwave-safe glass with one cup of water, a sliced lemon and a couple tablespoons of vinegar inside. Run it for a couple of minutes and let cool. The stuck-on grime should easily wipe away.
Finally, spray the counters with a disinfectant and wipe clean, then sweep and mop floors. This spring cleaning checklist will give you more ideas in case there’s anything you miss.
Garage
If your garage is a mess, you can fix it. Set a goal of clearing out and separating everything you absolutely need to keep from the things you can, want or should donate, sell or throw away. Give yourself no more than one weekend and take items to the donation center before end of business that day. Later, photograph the items you want to sell and get them up on Craigslist, pronto.
Once your tools are sorted and cleared out of the garage sweep the floor and hose off anything that super dirty. Additionally, garage floors tend to have many stubborn stains from chemicals, oil and more. Remove those garage floor oil and grease stains with this easy to follow guide. It will make your concrete look good and improve garage safety.
Basement
Much like attics, basements often become storage areas. Use storage shelves and bins to keep things organized. If possible, keep delicate items stored in airtight bins and off the floor. This will keep items safe from moisture damage.
Use a shop vac to vacuum any debris on the floor. Next, mop the unfinished basement floor with a mixture of bleach and water. Bleach helps kill mold and mildew. To be safe, wear a mask and run a fan to protect yourself from fumes. Let the floor dry and clean with soap and water.
Like any other appliance, the washing machine needs a cleaning every once in a while. Run a cycle with a special mold-killing tablet. And keep it smelling fresh by leaving the door open to promote drying. Next, read up on these organization ideas from the pros.
