Whether you are planning on selling your home or staying right where you are, a thorough cleaning every few months is a good idea.
Certain areas of the home are neglected during daily routine cleaning. These are usually the hard-to-reach and seldom considered aspects of the home. It is important to tackle these areas during a deep cleaning session to ensure that your home is looking its best. Even though you may not think about the dust on the ceiling, or the streaky windows in your upstairs bathroom, having these thoroughly cleaned can change the overall appearance of your space.
Start at the Top
Start from the ceiling and work your way down. Not only is it good to get those hard to reach places out of the way first, but dust and other debris can fall and having to clean the floors twice would be less than ideal.
Cleaning Ceilings and Walls
Use a microfibre mop or duster
Anything above eye level: A spritz of water will do
Anything below eye level: Mix warm water with a bit of dish soap (these areas tend to have actual dirt on them whereas higher areas are just dusty).
Rinse your mop/cloth/duster often to ensure you are sweeping up dirt and dust – not just spreading it.
Cleaning the Windows
Cleaning windows, especially the high ones, can seem like a very daunting task. It is usually a job that is left for intense cleaning that happens only once or twice a year. Here are a few guidelines to simplify the task:
Cleaning Windows
Vacuum sills and tracks
Spritz window with glass cleaner: wipe up and down on the inside, and from side to side on the outside. Doing this will allow you to see and fix any streaks from the appropriate side of the window.
Wash drapes and curtains, and dust/wipe blinds thoroughly.
Get Rid of (Some) Clutter
During a deep clean, it is best not to focus too much on organizing your belongings (as this can take up A LOT of time and distract you from cleaning). However, a little bit of de-cluttering can go a long way. When deep cleaning a room, take out anything that does not serve a purpose in its current location. For example putting away extra/out of season shoes, clothes or sports equipment. This will clear some space and make for easier cleaning. As well seeing tidy surfaces might give you a little extra motivation!
Cleaning The Floors
When doing a deep clean, the floors are very important. To do this properly, all areas should be reached. This means furniture and rugs need to be moved. If you have carpets, consider getting them professionally cleaned – especially if you have pets, or if the carpet is in a high traffic area.
Cleaning Floors
- Laminate Flooring – Use a dry mop or vacuum (on tile mode) and spot-clean with a slightly damp mop.
- Hardwood – Mix a mild soap with water and clean with a dampened mop. Steer clear of acidic vinegar solutions as they can dull hardwood over time.
- Linoleum – Mix hot water with a few drops of dish soap. Use a spray bottle to spritz a section of floor at a time and wipe down with a microfibre cloth.
We all clean our homes regularly, but every once in a while it pays to do a really deep clean. Your home will smell amazing, and you will be rid of dust and other allergens that can contribute to respiratory issues. Happy cleaning, and if you have any questions about how to prepare your home for sale, contact me any time or call me at 416-960-9995.