Planning is key to ensure that once an area has been cleaned in your house, you do not disturb it while cleaning the rest. We have all established that we need to start from the inside and finish outside and in case of a multi-storied building, start from the top and finish at the bottom. However, with dust piling up in every corner it gets difficult to stick to a rough plan and we end up cleaning more than we should. Enter detailed checklist.
(You may want to refer to my 'Checklist for Equipping your Ultimate Home Cleaning Caddy' before you start.)
Tackle the most difficult area first. The Bathroom.
In case of multiple bathrooms, work room-wise. Starting with the room furthest away from the main front door of the house:
Clear all products: bottles, soaps, toilet paper, towels, etc and place them in the adjacent room.
Apply disinfectant to the toilet seat and back and let it sit.
Pour a good amount of toilet cleaner into the pot and scrub the sides with a toilet brush. Do not flush. Close the lid.
Apply disinfectant (you can mix in cream cleaner if you want to scrub) first to the walls and then to the floor of the shower room or bathtub. Let it sit.
Spray glass cleaner on the shower glass cubicle door. Let it sit.
Spray glass cleaner on mirrors and glass platforms and wipe clean.
Wipe down wall mounted cabinets and under the sink storage units with disinfectant.
Apply disinfectant to the shower and bath taps and fixtures and wipe.
Squeegee the shower cubicle glass door.
Wash or wipe the walls of the shower room followed by the floor.
Spray disinfectant on the flush button and toilet paper holder and wipe.
Wipe down the toilet seat with a cloth. Flush.
Using a scrubber and multi surface cleaner wash the vanity working outside to inside, including the tap.
Wipe down vanity.
Mix multi surface cleaner, disinfectant and warm water and mop the floor, working your way to the door.
Let it dry. Replace products and move onto the next room.
In case you have an attached Balcony, clean this first before moving onto the bedroom:
Move any furniture into the bedroom.
Dust the corners for any cobwebs and dirt.
Using glass cleaner squeegee external faces of windows and doors.
Mop or wipe down the floor with floor cleaner.
Mix multi surface cleaner in a bucket of warm water and wipe down furniture with a sponge.
Wipe the furniture dry with a cloth.
Move furniture back into the balcony.
Next clean the Bedroom:
Clear all loose clutter from surfaces, the bed and the floor.
Draw your blinds or push curtains away.
Using a duster, clean your ceiling fixtures – lights, fans, installations, etc
Remove wall art and mirrors if possible and place them on a surface.
Dust or wipe the wall behind them.
Using glass cleaner, spray and wipe down the wall elements and windows. Replace removed art.
Remove your bedding and take it straight into the laundry or leave it outside the room temporarily.
Dust behind and over all surfaces and pieces of furniture.
Move duster and glass cleaner into the caddy outside the room.
Using a damp cloth wipe them down to prevent dust from resettling.
Return damp cloth to caddy.
Vacuum the blinds and curtains.
Vacuum the floor, underneath furniture, working your way from the corner diagonally opposite the door.
Leave the vacuum outside the door.
Mop at discretion.
Move cleaning tools out.
Remake the bed.
Repeat the bathroom- balcony - bedroom process for all the rooms before moving onto the lobby or Living area
Remove all the clutter before starting.
Remove rugs and carpets and move them outdoors
Draw your blinds or curtains.
Using a duster, clean your ceiling fixtures – lights, fans, installations, etc
Remove wall art and mirrors if possible, and place them on a surface.
Dust or wipe the wall behind them.
Using glass cleaner, spray and wipe down the wall elements and windows. Replace removed art.
Return glass cleaner to caddy.
If your sofa has detachable cushions, remove these and place them on the floor.
Vacuum the blinds.
Vacuum hard furniture next
Vacuum your soft furniture (sofas, pouffes, etc.)
Vacuum the detached cushions one at a time and place them where they belong.
Vacuum the floor and mop at discretion.
Move vacuum cleaner outdoors and clean the removed carpets or rugs.
Bring rugs in and rearrange furniture.
Using a damp cloth, wipe down the hard furniture to remove fingerprints and to prevent dust from resettling.
Move cleaning tools into the kitchen.
The Kitchen should be cleaned last and this is where you should ideally store your home cleaning caddy.
Clear your counters.
Wash off any dirty dishes.
Fill sink with warm water and froth with dishwashing liquid.
Mix warm water and dishwashing liquid (or cream liquid) in a medium size bowl, put a sponge scourer in it and place it on a counter.
Remove the exhaust grills, microwave turntable, baking racks, stove grills and place them in the sink to soak.
Dust ceiling lights and fans.
Spray multi surface cleaner on the overhead cabinets and wipe down.
Next scrub the backsplash with dishwashing liquid and wipe clean with a damp cloth.
Give the inside of the microwave, stovetop and oven a quick scrub with the dishwashing liquid mixture. Do not wipe down.
Apply the dishwashing liquid mixture on the counter top and let it sit.
Using a wet towel, wipe the insides of all the appliances.
Spray multi surface cleaner or stainless-steel cleaner on the vertical faces of all appliances and wipe clean.
Wash and wipe the exhaust grills, microwave turntable, baking racks and stove grills that have been soaking.
Reinsert them and drain the sink.
Pour off remaining dishwashing liquid mixture and scrub the sink.
Start wiping the countertop from the part furthest from the sink.
Wipe the sink last.
Spray multi surface cleaner on the under the counter cabinets and wipe clean.
Move cleaning caddies into their designated place.
Mop the floor.
…And you’re done! This checklist can be repurposed for any additional spaces that you have according to purpose.
Happy sequential cleaning!
תגובות