Getting your home spic and span before the festive season begins is on the priority list for most folks. In fact the festive season begins with intensive deep cleaning your home followed by decoration.
For some it is a belief that festival deep cleaning is required to welcome the goddess of Wealth to your household, for some it is a part of the hygiene routine and for some it is both. Either way, it is better to tick off the home deep cleaning item from your checklist first, so that you can focus on other fun stuff and festivities.
Before you kick off with the actual deep cleaning job, we put together a list of items you might need to get the job done. We have put the items in an Amazon Festive Cleaning wishlist, in case you need to buy any of them, you can do so in a jiffy.
And before you roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty, here are a few things to consider –
- Festive home cleaning can be tedious, do not try to clean all rooms in one go.
- Declutter the room you want to clean first, remove the items from cupboards, stack them in an adjacent room, deep clean the room, put the items back in place, repeat with the next room.
- Do not attempt doing this alone, have someone to assist you. If you are short of time or energy, you can hire a professional cleaning service to get the job done.
- Keep our checklists printed and handy so that you don’t miss anything. You can download them here
Here are the main areas to be cleaned (click on the room to jump to the section) –
Now that we have the right tools for the job and planned things out, let’s start with the Kitchen.
KITCHEN CLEANING
Getting your kitchen in shape is perhaps the most straightforward one because most of the time it is maintained tidy. It needs an extra effort to remove the stubborn oil stains or grime on tiles but in general, it is cleaned every day. It might take a couple of hours to finish this, if you include deep cleaning your kitchen to include the appliances, cooking range and shelves. Festival cleaning asks for deep cleaning, so make sure you have something to eat handy or start this cleaning exercise after preparing the day’s meal. You can as well get your kitchen cleaned by a Professional Cleaning Agency like McLean for lasting results.
What you need?
Dusting(static) brush, Microfiber cloths(dry), wet wipes, cleaning liquid, Cif, vacuum cleaner or cobweb remover
Approx Time required :
2 hours
You can bookmark our Professional Kitchen Cleaning guide here for future reference. You can download a kitchen cleaning printable checklist here.
Step by step procedure for Kitchen Deep Cleaning
- Cover your cooking range, stove, ovens and other appliances with a plastic sheet before you start.
- Start with the ceiling, remove cobwebs using a vacuum cleaner or cobweb cleaner.
- Clean the exhaust fan and wipe the chimney before proceeding further. Cleaning chimneys can be tedious, hire an expert for chimney cleaning if you face difficulty.
- Dust all windows using a static duster. For stubborn stains or grease, use lime. If you have a cleaner like Cif available, that could save time and effort.
- Spread a portion of baking soda or all purpose cleaner on the kitchen sink and leave for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile you can finish doing the cupboards.
- Dust inside the cupboards with a dry cloth or a static duster. Put back the storage containers and other items before proceeding further.
- Cleaning the kitchen platform & gas stove/cooking range can be tiring. If you have a steam cleaner handy, it can make your job easy. Spray vinegar or lemon and leave for 15-20 minutes, meanwhile you can finish wiping the cupboard surfaces.
- Use mild detergent water or diluted all purpose cleaner, use a spray and wet wipes to clean most cupboard outer surfaces.
- Wipe off the vinegar or lemon sprayed on cooking range, oven and kitchen platforms. After finishing this, we can proceed to the sink.
We have put together separate guides for appliance cleaning, you can read in detail below –
BATHROOM CLEANING
You might be cleaning your bathrooms every week or at least fortnightly, if that’s the case there is nothing extra you need to do for festive cleaning. It is the typical bathroom run down which you are well aware of. Here we go!
What you need?
Cobweb cleaner, Toilet Cleaner & Scrub, Floor Cleaner, Cif, Gloves, Glass cleaner, Squeegee
Approx Time required :
1/2 hour
You can bookmark our Professional Bathroom Cleaning guide here for future reference. You can download a bathroom cleaning printable checklist here.
Step by step procedure for Bathroom Deep Cleaning
- Start off with cobweb removal, reach behind shower or geysers to ensure there are no cobwebs left behind. Do not forget to wear gloves.
- Clear all items and put them back in storage, these can be the shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer bottles and all other personal care items lying around.
- Apply a generous amount of all purpose cleaner or lemon juice to the shower heads, faucets & taps and leave for 15-20 minutes. For stubborn scaling or grime use a strong cleaner like Cif. Use a wet wipe from ScotchBrite to wipe off the cleaner after some time.
- Simultaneously, apply a generous amount of toilet bowl cleaner to the toilet bowl and let stay for 30 minutes.
- By the time the toilet cleaner you applied does it’s job, you can finish doing the washbasin and bathtub.
- If you have a bathtub spray a generous amount of all purpose cleaner, apply Cif for stubborn stains or scales. If necessary scrub off with ScotchBrite, else use wet wipes to clean off the surfaces.
- Use a glass cleaner like Colin and spray generously on glass and mirrors. Use a squeegee to stroke away the cleaning liquid. This quick video will show you the right way to use a squeegee to clean glass/windows – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iApBJYyi67k
- Finish scrubbing the toilet bowl & taps/faucets.
- Do the floor as usual, if you have a floor scrubber (like Prestige Floor Scrubber) handy your task becomes simpler, else you know the drill.
- Finally replace the toilet paper roll and dustbin bags if required.
BEDROOM CLEANING
This is probably your least cluttered area and this shouldn’t take too long. Your kids bedroom might be a little challenging though. Let’s get started, we have multiple bedrooms to clean.
What you need?
Dusting(static) brush, Microfiber cloths(dry), wet wipes, Lizol or Domex floor cleaner, Old Pillow covers
Approx Time required :
2 hours
You can bookmark our Professional Bedroom Cleaning guide here for future reference. You can download a bedroom cleaning printable checklist here.
Step by step procedure for Bedroom Deep Cleaning
- Cover your bed, dressing table, bedside tables and any other objects/furniture in your bedroom with a plastic sheet before you start.
- Start with the ceiling, remove cobwebs using a vacuum cleaner or cobweb cleaner.
- Clean the fans & tube lights. You can easily clean the fan with old unused pillow covers as seen in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yMqqGbNbUY . By following this hack you can easily collect all the dust in the pillow covers.
- For those stubborn cleaners who are not satisfied with dry dust removal, you can spray little baking soda on the fans and then use the pillowcase to collect dust and wipe it off.
- Once you are done with cleaning fans and lights, use a static duster to clean the windows in the room.
- Clean the window curtains with a vacuum cleaner. Use a damp microfiber cloth to clean the blinds.
- Dry clean the bedside tables and other furnitures using a microfiber cloth.
- Use wet wipes & colin to clean the mirror of the dressing table & a microfiber cloth or a static duster to clean the shelves and rearrange the items again.
- Start cleaning your wardrobes by removing everything and then dust the shelves using a microfiber cloth or a static duster. Once done, neatly fold all the clothes and arrange them in the shelves.
- For a more deep cleaning, you can use the vacuum cleaner to remove dust from the wardrobes and put some naphthalene balls in your wardrobe.
- Bed is the most important part of your bedroom. Vacuum the mattress and if possible put it in sun for sometime.
- Clean the cot with a dry cloth, clean the storage of the cot with a dry cloth and rearrange all the items.
- Now change the pillow covers and bedsheet.
- Dry clean the floor using a vacuum cleaner or your regular gala broom stick and clear all the dust.
- Mop the floor, use domex to have a lasting effect. If you have a floor scrubber handy like Prestige Typhoon 2, it can give better results. Make sure to concentrate in the corners where lot of dust gets accumulated.
You are now done with cleaning of your bedroom. Pat yourself for all the hard work done and move ahead to other areas of your house
LIVING ROOM CLEANING
Living room is where your family spends most of the time and no wonder it is generally the most cluttered and messy area. If you are tired cleaning the Kitchen & Bedrooms, it would be ideal to schedule it for another day.
What you need?
Dusting(static) brush, Microfiber cloths(dry), wet wipes, cleaning liquid, Cif
Approx Time required :
2+ hours
You can bookmark our Professional Living Room Cleaning guide here for future reference. You can download a living room cleaning printable checklist here.
Step by step procedure for Living Room Deep Cleaning
- Cover the TV unit, Sofa Set, Chairs, Center table and any other furniture or objects in the living room with plastic sheets / blankets before starting.
- Start with ceiling, remove the cobwebs using a vacuum cleaner or a cobweb cleaner.
- Clean the fans & tube lights. You can easily clean the fan with old unused pillow covers as seen in this video here . By following this hack you can easily collect all the dust in the pillow covers.
- Clean the windows using a static duster. If there is lot of dust accumulated then use the blower of vacuum cleaner.
- Clean the windows with the vacuum cleaner and use a damp microfiber cloth to clean the blinds.
- Use a microfiber cloth or a static duster to clean the TV. Remove all the items from the TV cabinet and then clean the cabinet with a static duster or a microfiber cloth.
- Clean all the items stored in the TV cabinet and rearrange them properly once the cabinet is cleaned.
- Remove all the items stored in the drawers or shelves and clean with a static duster. Clean all the items and rearrange them.
- Sofa accumulates a lot of dirt over a period of time. Start by vacuuming the sofa. Use a mild spray cleaner to clean the sofa. If the sofa is made of leather use an alcoholic spray for better results and for upholstery use steam or soda to remove stains. For long lasting results, you can hire a professional cleaning agency who use injection extraction technique which will make your sofa look like new.
- Dust the cushions and change the cushion covers for a fresh look.
- Clean the center table with a microfiber cloth. In case of stains, spray and leave for a few minutes and then wipe it off with wipes.
- Chairs can also be cleaned in a similar fashion as Sofa cleaning.
- Carpets and door mats accumulate lot of dirt and start smelling over a period of time. Start cleaning them with a vacuum cleaner and put them in sun for an hour or so. In case of any stains on the carpet, it is better to engage a professional cleaning agency for long lasting results.
- Clean the shoe rack by removing all the footwear and dusting from inside using a static duster. Neatly arrange the footwear back in the rack.
- Dry clean the floor using a vacuum cleaner or your regular gala broom stick and clear all the dust.
- Mop the floor, use domex to have a lasting effect. If you have a floor scrubber handy like Prestige Typhoon 2, it can give better results. Make sure to concentrate in the corners where lot of dust gets accumulated.
DINING ROOM CLEANING
This is probably the easiest area in the house, you have come this far cleaning the other rooms, now is the time for some light cleaning. So let’s get started.
What you need?
Dusting(static) brush, Microfiber cloths(dry), cleaning liquid, Cif
Approx Time required :
1/2 hour
You can bookmark our Professional Dining Room Cleaning guide here for future reference. You can download a dining room cleaning printable checklist here.
Step by step procedure for Dining Room Deep Cleaning
- Start by covering the table and removing the cobwebs.
- Empty the cupboards of crockery and other items and dust with a static brush. Once done put the items back. An assistant would be handy to speed up the process.
- Clear table of all items and wipe down with spray and wipes or use a wet wipe. For stubborn stains if any, spray and leave for few minutes.
- Use a mild spray cleaner to clean the chairs. If the chairs have leather use an alcoholic spray for better results and for upholstery use steam or soda to remove stains. For long lasting results, you can hire a professional cleaning agency who use injection extraction technique which will make your cushioned chairs look like new.
- Finish off with floor by vacuuming/broom first, followed by wet mop. If you have a floor scrubber handy like Prestige Typhoon 2, it can give better results.
POOJA ROOM CLEANING
The Pooja Room is perhaps the most important area to be readied for the festival season, it would be prudent to do this area in the end.
What you need?
Vacuum cleaner, Dusting(static) brush, Microfiber cloths(dry), wet wipes, cobweb cleaner, floor cleaner like Lizol
Approx Time required :
1/2 hour
You can bookmark our Professional Pooja Room Cleaning guide here for future reference. You can download a pooja room cleaning printable checklist here.
Step by step procedure for Pooja Room Deep Cleaning
- Remove all the items from the puja mandir and keep them away before starting the cleaning process. The idols and silverware can be washed separately and shined using silver polish.
- Remove the cobwebs using a cobweb cleaner or a vacuum cleaner. Be sure to reach the corners, any domes or lights, etc.
- If there are any soot stains on the walls due to usage of dhoop or lamps, be careful not to spread the same while scrubbing. Depending on your wall coating, read the manual before cleaning else you may end up making it look worse.
- Finish off with the floor, vacuum the floor or use a floor scrubber. Mop the floor with a generous portion of floor cleaner like Lizol with a Gala mopstick.
- Put back the pooja items back in place and you are ready for the auspicious moments.
