How to deep clean a living room, top to bottom

To deep clean a living room, clear the surfaces, then work from the top of the room down: ceiling fan and light fixtures, cobwebs and frames, shelves and furniture, upholstery, baseboards, and the floor last. Budget about 3 to 4 hours for one person, and move the lighter furniture so you clean what's under it.

A regular clean keeps the room looking good. A deep clean gets the layers a regular clean skips: the dust on top of the fan blades, the grime on the baseboards, the crumbs that have worked their way under the sofa cushions.

What do you need?

• A vacuum with the crevice tool, upholstery tool and dusting brush
• An extendable duster for the fan and high corners
• Four or five microfiber cloths, some dry and some damp
• A bucket of warm water with a few drops of dish soap
• Glass cleaner, or water with a splash of white vinegar
• A cleaner made for your floor type
• A stable step stool
• An old toothbrush for corners and the tracks on windows

Skip furniture polish with silicone in it if you use it every week. It builds up into a cloudy film that holds dust.

Step 1: Clear the room before you clean it

Pick up everything that isn't furniture or décor: mail, remotes, toys, cups, blankets. Put it in a basket and take it out of the room. You can't clean a surface you can't see, and moving things one at a time while you dust doubles the job.

Strip the throws and removable cushion covers and start them in the wash now, so they're dry by the time you finish.

Step 2: Start at the ceiling

Turn the fan off and let it stop. Slide an old pillowcase over each blade and pull it back toward you so the dust lands inside the case, not on the sofa. Wipe the motor housing and the light fixture with a damp cloth. Glass globes can come off and go in a sink of warm soapy water; dry them fully before you put them back.

Then run the extendable duster along the ceiling corners and the tops of the window and door frames. Cobwebs gather where the wall meets the ceiling, and they're easy to miss from eye level.

For the full fan method, see our guide to cleaning ceiling fans.

Step 3: Walls, doors and switches

You don't need to wash the walls. Spot-clean the marks: around light switches, along the path people walk, behind the sofa where heads rest. A damp cloth with a little dish soap handles a lot of it. Test a hidden spot first on flat paint, because rubbing can leave a shiny patch.

Wipe the doors, the door frames, the knobs and every light switch plate. These are the places hands touch and they show it.

Step 4: Shelves, furniture and electronics

Take everything off one shelf at a time. Dust the items, wipe the shelf, put the items back, then move to the next shelf. Doing the whole bookcase at once means a floor covered in books.

• Wood furniture: a barely damp cloth, then a dry one. Wet wood leaves rings.
• Picture frames and décor: dry dust, then a damp cloth on the glass.
• TV and screens: power them off and use a dry microfiber cloth. If you need moisture, spray the cloth, never the screen.
• Remotes and game controllers: a cloth with a little rubbing alcohol, and a toothbrush between the buttons.
• Lamps: dust the shades with the vacuum's brush tool on low.

Step 5: Upholstery and fabrics

Take every cushion off the sofa and chairs. Vacuum the deck underneath, the crevices and the sides, then the cushions on both sides with the upholstery tool. This is where the crumbs, pet hair and lost coins live.

Check the care tag before you spot-clean. A "W" means water-based cleaner is fine, "S" means solvent only, and "X" means vacuum only. For water-safe fabric, blot stains with a cloth dampened in warm water and a drop of dish soap, then blot with plain water. Blot, don't rub.

Flip and rotate the cushions when you put them back, so they wear evenly.

Step 6: Windows and glass

Wipe the window sills and the tracks first. A toothbrush and the vacuum's crevice tool get the grit out of the corners. Then clean the inside of the glass and any mirrors with glass cleaner and a dry microfiber cloth, working in an S pattern from the top.

Blinds take dusting slat by slat with a microfiber cloth, or a full wet wipe if they're greasy. Our guide to cleaning window blinds has the detail.

Step 7: Baseboards

Vacuum them with the brush tool first, then hand wipe with a damp cloth. Kneeling is slower than a mop on a stick, but it's the easiest way to get the top edge and the corners. A dryer sheet wiped over them after can slow dust from sticking.

Step 8: Under and behind the furniture

Slide out what moves easily: side tables, the ottoman, lighter chairs. Vacuum the floor and baseboards behind them. Use the crevice tool under the sofa if it's too heavy to move safely. Don't drag heavy pieces across a hardwood floor; lift or use furniture sliders.

Step 9: Floors last

Vacuum the rug slowly, in two directions. Then vacuum the hard floor, edges and corners first with the crevice tool, and mop with the right cleaner for the surface. Our guides to mopping floors properly and caring for each type of living room flooring cover the technique.

Put the clean cushion covers and throws back once they're dry, open a window for a while, and you're done.

When to have it done

Standard House Cleaning, RoutineCare, covers the floors vacuumed and mopped, dusting of reachable surfaces and furniture, mirrors and glass, window sills, and counters, shelves and tables that are clear of clutter. It doesn't include ceiling fans.

On Deep Cleaning, PureRenewal, floor edges and corners are detailed, décor and picture frames are dusted, baseboards are hand wiped, doors, frames, switches and handles are cleaned, reachable ceiling fans and light fixture exteriors are done, cobwebs are removed, blinds are dusted, and furniture that moves easily is cleaned under and behind. Every item on the list is cleaned whether or not it looks like it needs it.

What a deep clean doesn't cover: carpet shampooing or steam cleaning, washing whole walls, moving heavy furniture, and organizing. Interior window glass is an add-on.

FAQ

How long does it take to deep clean a living room? For one person, a typical living room takes about 3 to 4 hours if you include the ceiling fan, baseboards, upholstery and moving the lighter furniture. A room that hasn't had a deep clean in a year or more can take longer.

What order should you deep clean a living room in? Clear the surfaces first, then work from the top down: ceiling fan and light fixtures, walls and frames, shelves and furniture, baseboards, and the floor last. Dust falls as you go, so the floor is the final step.

How often should a living room be deep cleaned? Two to four times a year, with regular dusting and vacuuming in between. Homes with pets, smokers or heavy allergy seasons benefit from the higher end.

Does a deep cleaning include the ceiling fan and baseboards? Yes. Deep Cleaning includes reachable ceiling fans and light fixture exteriors, hand-wiped baseboards, doors and door frames, and cobweb removal. Standard House Cleaning doesn't include ceiling fans.

Book a deep cleaning

We clean homes across South Jersey and Central Jersey. Book online at tinascleanteam.com/book-now, or call or text (609) 831-4455, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.