To make your living room sparkle quickly and efficiently, follow these expert cleaning tips.
Step 1: Declutter
Housekeeping becomes easier if you start by tidying up. Clear any items that don’t belong on couches, bookshelves, coffee tables, and other surfaces.
Step 2: Start with the dusting
Start with a soft cloth or feather duster, cleaning from top to bottom to avoid doing it twice. Make sure to dust all areas, including hard-to-reach spots like cornices, picture rails, high shelves, curtain rods, and spaces behind and around radiators.
Next, use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe down baseboards, picture frames, door frames, and other hard surfaces. To get the most out of your microfiber cloth, fold it in half, then fold it again, using one section at a time.
Step 3: Take care of the couches and armchairs
To clean dirt and debris from furniture, use a hand vacuum or the brush attachment. Make sure to vacuum all the crevices where pet hair, food crumbs, and dirt gather. Take off the cushions and vacuum both sides thoroughly.
Clean wood or metal parts, like sofa feet, with warm water and liquid dish soap. For couch stains, use baking soda on fabric couches, rubbing alcohol on microfiber, and a mix of water and vinegar on leather couches.
Step 4: Tackle the glass
Glass windows and doors often get smudges and streaks. Clean them using a glass cleaner or a homemade solution of equal parts white vinegar and hot water with a bit of liquid soap. For a deeper clean, spray the mixture and wipe from top to bottom.
Step 5: Leave the floor for the end
Always clean the floor last. Start by taking rugs and carpets outside to shake off the dust. Then, move the furniture and begin vacuuming.
Vacuum your entire living room by starting at one wall and moving slowly towards the opposite wall, slightly overlapping each pass. Go over the whole carpet twice.
For large sofas or beds that are hard to move, try to vacuum as far under each piece as possible, or use the hose with the powerhead attachment for better reach.