Deep Clean Your Living Room in 3 Steps

By Corrie Forcet, Realtor® | The Forcet Group | KW Suburban Tampa

Company is staying overnight, the kids have slumber parties planned for winter break, and you are hosting one too many family meals over the course of the next few months. On top of all of this, your living room is a mess! Now, you might feel overwhelmed by the idea of “deep cleaning.” Sure, the term might hold more weight than a normal every day tidy, but the task does not have to be as daunting as it sounds. With the right tools and a good plan, you can refresh your entire living room and still have time left over for some much needed relaxation this weekend.

Living Room Cleaning Tools

Here are some things you’ll need to make your living room deep cleaning easier and more efficient:

• Microfiber cloths

• Glass cleaner

• An All-purpose cleaner

• Long-handled duster

• Vacuum

• Wet mop or brush-on-pole

3 Steps To A Living Room Deep Clean

Step 1: Organize and Declutter

Before you begin any real “cleaning” it’s important to remove anything that doesn’t belong. Living rooms are a common location for clutter to accumulate because of the high traffic and multi-purpose nature of the space. Identify what needs to be put away, thrown away or tidied up. Gather up items such as clothing articles, personal entertainment and more into a designated basket and put them away when you’re done with the living room. Finally, take care of garbage or recycling you might have lying around. Tidy and straighten up things like seat cushions, throw pillows, and decorative decor you want to keep in the living room.

Step 2: Dust, Disinfect & Polish

With your microfiber cloth, wipe every horizontal surface you can find including the tiny lip of baseboards. Dust is everywhere, so to avoid missing spots, try working around the room clockwise. This will help you hit every nook and cranny with your dusting tools. Some commonly forgotten spots include the tops of books on shelves, behind the television or entertainment center, and window sills. Use the disinfectant cleaner on commonly shared items such as remote controls, electrical component buttons, and light switches. Just a quick sweep with the disinfectant can help reduce the spreading of germs. If you have any glass surfaces, use the glass cleaner to bring back their shine. This is also a great time to use special treatments like leather cleaners on furniture needing some extra attention.

Step 3: Finish With Floors

Whether you’re vacuuming or activating your helpful robot cleaner, floors should always be last on your list to clean. Anything you didn’t capture with your dusters or cloths will eventually end up on the floor, so avoid making extra work for yourself by waiting until the very end to clean the floors. When vacuuming, an excellent strategy is to begin in a corner opposite the entrance to the room. This way you will eventually work toward the exit and avoid retracing your steps. If you have any hard floor surfaces, vacuum or sweep before you mop.

While there are far more detailed steps you can take in a living room deep clean, this three-step strategy is an excellent place to begin. Use these tips and build upon them to find what works best for you in your home. Cleaning is a big part of home maintenance and keeping your place "sell-ready". Check out our post on Maintaining A Sell-Ready Home for more insights.