Living Room Deep Clean | How To Clean The Living Room Step By Step

This post is all about living room deep clean.

Are you struggling to figure out where to start with your living room deep clean? I’ve been in your shoes. Cleaning, particularly deep cleaning, can be a lot to handle.

I’ve tested various cleaning checklists, but most were too demanding and unrealistic to stick to. In this living room deep clean checklist, I outline a practical approach that helps me manage regular and deep cleaning without feeling overwhelmed. 

Living Room Deep Clean

Here is the most updated checklist of what I clean in my living room when deep cleaning:

• Declutter:
  • Put items away that don’t belong in the room and purge items you need to get rid of. Purge inside drawers, baskets, and cabinets, too.
• Dust and wipe light fixtures
• Dust and wipe ceiling and crown molding
• Dust and clean blinds/curtains
• Wash windows:
  • Window seals and window screens, too.
• Move furniture away from walls:
  • Dust and wipe the walls and baseboards behind the furniture.
  • Vacuum and mop underneath furniture.
• Vacuum and wipe inside drawers, cabinets, baskets, etc.
• Dust, wash, and disinfect ALL other surfaces:
  • Furniture, walls, wall hangings, decor, lamps, doors, baseboards, light switches, door knobs, power outlets, controllers, vent covers, etc.
• Vacuum couch cushions and under cushions
• Remove couch cushions and wash (if safe)
• Wash and/or replace all linen, pet bedding/toys, rugs, etc.
• Steam clean and shampoo carpets and rugs
• Clean and disinfect floors (including grout and crevices)

Below, I share how to clean the living room step by step:

Living Room Cleaning Tools

Here is a complete list of living room cleaning tools I use to deep clean living room.

• Bucket
• Water
• Rags
• Microfiber towels
• Swiffer Duster
• Dawn dish soap
• Hand-held steam cleaner
• Vacuum
• Mop
• Tide Powder
• Bleach
• Brush
• OxiClean

So, how does the Living deep clean checklist actually work?

Here is how I use this living room deep cleaning checklist:

I have a set daily and weekly checklist. I stick to those lists as much as I can. On days or weeks when I can make extra time, I take 2-3 chores from the deep cleaning list that I can tell need to be done and add them to that day or week’s cleaning checklist.

The chores on my deep cleaning checklist stay on rotation, making the tasks more manageable. So, I don’t complete the entire deep clean checklist all in one go. This method has allowed me to keep my home clean without overwhelming myself with one million chores all at once.

The only times I may tackle the entire deep cleaning list and regular chores all at once are during holidays and maybe seasonally, here and there. But if you stay consistent even on those times, you won’t even have the whole list to do as you have been consistently doing them anyway,

How to clean the living room step by step

I always like to start from the top and work my way down when cleaning. I recommend this method because dust and debris will inevitably fall onto the lower surfaces when you dust and wipe off higher surfaces. If you clean the lower surfaces first, you’ll have to clean them again. But by cleaning the top surfaces first, you avoid the double cleaning. So, with that said, below, I broke down how to deep clean your living room step-by-step.

Step 1: Declutter

Put items away that don’t belong in the room and purge items you need to get rid of. Purge inside drawers, baskets, and cabinets, too.

The first thing to do when deep cleaning, whether all at once or in sections, is declutter/purge. I do this every two months or so, so it only takes me a few minutes to maintain it.

None of my drawers are full of random things, making cleaning so much easier. By doing this regularly, I stay ahead of the clutter, which helps maintain a clean and organized space.

Step 2: Dust and Wipe Light Fixtures

Ceiling light fixtures are often forgotten but collect a lot of dust and can get dusty quickly, so I clean them as frequently as possible. How do you clean them? This can vary depending on what kind of light fixtures you have and how accessible they are.

But assuming that, like mine, yours are also easy to get to and remove. All you have to do is use a stepping stool, unscrew the glass covers, and wash them with dish soap and water.

Dry them with a microfiber cloth, and use that cloth to dust and wipe the remaining light fixture parts that cannot be removed. That usually does the trick, and it only takes a few minutes. I also take this time to change any lightbulbs that need changing.

Cleaning supplies I use to clean light fixtures: Water | Dish Soap | Microfiber Cloth

Step 3: Dust and Wipe Ceiling and Crown Molding

Dusting these areas is a breeze using a Swiffer or a vacuum attachment. However, I prefer the Swiffer for its ease of use. When cleaning my ceiling and crown molding, I check for any stains or gunk that may need to be wiped/washed off; however, this is more common in the kitchen than in the living room.

But still, sometimes random stains appear in random places, so I always check. I use my favorite rags and a bucket with clean water and dish soap for this. Rinse and repeat until clean.

Cleaning supplies I use to clean ceilings and crown molding: Swiffer Duster | Rags | Bucket | Water | Dish Soap

Step 4: Dust and Clean Blinds/Curtains

If you have curtains, remove them, throw them in the washer, and follow the washing instructions. How often you do this is up to you.

I have horizontal blinds, so I typically deep clean them about every four months or so. I dust them in between, so they are usually not too bad whenever I deep clean them.

How do you clean horizontal blinds without removing them? I have a detailed post on this topic. Still, I’ll quickly summarize it here:

To clean horizontal blinds, I vacuum each slat with the brush vacuum attachment one at a time. I repeat this step on both sides of the blinds. Then, I use soapy water and clean rags to clean each slat one at a time. I air them out to dry with the window closed.

Cleaning supplies I use to clean blinds: Vacuum with a brush attachment (you can also use a Swiffer) | Water | Bucket | Dish Soap | Rag

{Related Post: House Cleaning Supplies | Essential Cleaning Products You Need For a Professionally Clean Home}

Step 5: Wash Windows (including window seals and window screens)

I also clean the window seals and screens when I clean my windows.

A steamer is my favorite tool for getting window seals perfectly clean with ease. This tool helps me reach all the crevices I would otherwise be unable to. So, I use the steamer for the window seals and a bucket with warm water and dish soap to clean the window.

I use these rags to clean the window (rinse and repeat as needed), then finish it with a squeegee and a dry microfiber cloth to get it streak-free and dry. It’s that easy! If you want to wash the window screen in place, use the same method.

However, if you want them super clean, you can remove them and wash them outside with soap and water using the garden hose. I leave them to dry for an hour and then put them back on. It’s super easy and quick, too!

Cleaning supplies I use to wash windows: Dish soap | Rag | Microfiber cloth | Bucket | Water | Hand-held steam cleaner | Swiffer Duster

Step 6: Move Furniture Away from Walls and Clean

• Dust and wipe the walls and baseboards behind the furniture.
• Vacuum and mop underneath furniture:

Deep cleaning means cleaning behind all furniture, too. I usually do this about every three-four months or so. I typically have to do this more often for my couch since I have a Husky that sheds like crazy, but otherwise, about three/four months works for the rest.

I move furniture, dust walls and baseboards, and use my bucket of soapy water with my favorite rags to clean the walls, baseboards, and behind the furniture. I also mop the floors underneath the furniture before pushing it back in place.

Cleaning supplies I use to clean behind furniture: Dish soap | Rag | Bucket | Water | Mop

Step 7: Vacuum and Wipe Inside Drawers/Cabinets/Baskets, etc.

I rely on a few key tools when cleaning my living room drawers, cabinets, and baskets. I use my vacuum attachment to remove any accumulated dust or debris.

This is particularly useful for drawers and cabinets that are harder to reach. Once the vacuuming is done, I use a lightly damp microfiber or rag to clean the surfaces.

This routine is usually enough unless there has been a spill, which is more common in the kitchen than in the living room. I typically do this chore for my living room a few times a year, and it has maintained these areas clean and organized.

Cleaning supplies I use to clean behind furniture: Vacuum | Microfiber Cloth

Step 8: Dust, Wash, and Disinfect All Surfaces

Surfaces: Furniture, walls, wall hangings, decor, lamps, doors, baseboards, light switches, door knobs, power outlets, controllers, vent covers, mirrors, glass, etc. If it’s a surface and it exists in your living room, clean it. Wash, clean, and or disinfect as appropriate.

To dust and wash most surfaces, I first use a Swiffer Duster to remove all the dust. Then, I use a bucket with a solution of water, such as Tide Powder and Bleach, to wash and disinfect.

This formula leaves your surfaces super clean! I use water and dish soap only for all other surfaces that cannot be cleaned with bleach. I rinse and repeat as needed.

Cleaning supplies I use to clean behind furniture: Swiffer Duster | Bucket | Water | Tide Powder | Bleach | Dawn Dish Soap | Rags

Step 9: Vacuum Couch Cushions and Under Cushions

My weekly couch vacuuming is usually quick, and I don’t always clean the crevices thoroughly. That’s why I have included a deep cleaning of my couch in my living room deep clean checklist to ensure I keep deep vacuuming my couch in rotation.

During this “deep” vacuuming, I use the narrow vacuum and brush attachment to reach every surface and crevice, ensuring I leave the couch as hair-free as possible.

Cleaning supplies I use to clean behind furniture: Vacuum

Step 10: Remove Couch Cushions and Wash (if safe)

If you can do this safely and your couch has removable cushion covers, washing the cushion covers is life-changing and will save you a lot of time.

I know some people wash their couches with fabric washing machines, but I am sure that will eventually make them moldy, so I avoid that. I would only use that on the handrest as needed.

However, I mostly use soap, water, and a trusty microfiber cloth to wipe that area from stains. If I do it often, it usually works.

I would only use the fabric washing machine if absolutely necessary. I use Tide and OxiClean to wash my couch covers; they always come out stain-free!

Cleaning supplies I use to clean behind furniture: Tide Powder | OxiClean

{Related Post: House Cleaning Supplies | Essential Cleaning Products You Need For a Professionally Clean Home}

Step 11: Wash and/or Replace All Linen, Pet Bedding/Toys, Rugs, etc.

You decide how often you wash and/or replace linen in your living room or any fabric. However, I have found that some items must be washed weekly, others bi-weekly, and some can even go a month or two between washes.

For example, my couch throw pillow covers can last a month or two, but the throw blankets can’t last more than two weeks. Other items, like my dog’s bedding, need weekly washing due to odor.

I also use this time to see what needs to be replaced, so I have it in my deep cleaning chore list to make sure I dont forget to clean wash any of these items and also to make sure I’m replacing them as needed.

Step 12: Steam-Clean and Shampoo Carpets and Rugs

I do not have carpets or large rugs, and the rugs I do have are small enough to throw in the washer.

But if you have rugs and carpets, investing in a steam shampoo carpet cleaner is the best way to deep clean them. Some larger rugs can be washed, too, but if not, your best bet is to use shampoo carpet cleaners.

Step 13: Clean and Disinfect Floors (Including Grout and Crevices)

When I do a regular mop, I mop until it looks clean. But if you pay attention, you start to notice grout getting stained, and the corner where the floor meets the baseboards can sometimes accumulate dirt and gunk into these crevices.

When I say clean and disinfect floors, I mean these areas that can start making your floors look dirty even when you have already cleaned them. How do I clean these areas? I use my steamer for the grout. And yes, it is a backbreaker, but that’s what I find cleans it without damaging the grout. I only do this once a year, so it’s not too bad.

Regarding the corners and areas where the floor meets the baseboards, I also use my steamer paired with Tide powder, water with bleach, and a brush and scrub until clean.

I then do a regular mop with warm water, Powder Tide, and bleach. Rinse and repeat a few times. And trust me, your floors look amazing after this,

Cleaning supplies I use to clean behind furniture: Tide Powder | Mop | Bleach | Hand-held steam cleaner | Brush

And there you have it! That is my entire living room deep cleaning list and step-by-step instructions for cleaning each area. I hope this helps you get your living room nice and clean and that you found these living room cleaning tips helpful!

This post was all about living room deep clean.

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