8 Tips for a Deep Clean

A few weeks ago, I was getting ready to go on a vacation mid-week. One of the tasks I always do before going on vacation or any trip is cleaning. I love nothing more than coming home to a spotless house after vacation. It'd probably be my worst nightmare to come back from a relaxing, fun vacation to see a dirty and messy home! While I was cleaning, I started thinking of some things I do to deep clean my home. Since I want my cleaning to last from now until I get back home, I went the deep cleaning route. The tips below are nothing revolutionary, but they urge you to clean a little further than normal to get that lasting sparkle. I try to complete the following cleaning activities about once a month. Fellow cleaners, read on!

8 Tips for a Deep Clean

1. Wipe off baseboards with a dry microfiber cloth. Wipe over them with a dryer sheet to prevent future dust build-up (the dryer sheet repels dust).

2. Take everything off your kitchen counters (yes, everything) and scrub counter tops with the rough side of a sponge, getting all the caked on food build up and crumbs in the corners. If you have darker counters or just don't do this often, you'll be amazed at what is still hanging out on your counters. Finish with a disinfecting wipe before putting everything back.

3. Take every item off of a piece of a wood furniture (dresser, bookcase, table). Mist a microfiber cloth with pledge or your dusting cleaner of choice. Wipe down the whole piece, rubbing the pledge or oil into the wood really well. Put items back and enjoy the shine. I do this to all of my furniture at least once a month. It's a lot of taking off and putting back together (especially for my 16 cube Ikea unit!), but it's worth it get the dust away for real instead of just wiping around things.

4. Deep clean the bathtub by using a vinegar and blue dawn solution once a month. Let the solution sit for as long as you can stand (the longer, the better). Wipe clean with a sponge. The solution mixture can be found here.

5. Get on your hands and knees with a dust pan and brush to sweep the floor. Stuff piles up in the corners that a normal broom or swiffer miss. Take your time and dust up the hidden crumbs!

6. Wash your rugs (if they're machine washable). I wash my bathroom and hallway rugs once a month. You can also fluff them up in the dryer for ten minutes or so with a dryer sheet between washes.

7. Windex your windows! I was amazed when I started doing this, and couldn't believe I wasn't doing it before. You can see out of them again afterwards - go figure! This also applies for anything glass: the fireplace doors, French doors with windows, etc.

8. Wipe down the front of any cabinets you have (kitchen, bathroom, etc.) I usually use a disinfecting wipe for this because my cabinets aren't wood but plastic laminate. Again, I was amazed at how much grossness I was wiping off when I started doing this. My cabinets are white too, so this makes a world of difference. If you dare... wipe down the inside of the cabinets as well, especially if you keep your trash under the sink.

I hope these inspire you to clean! What other deep cleaning tips do you have?