The easiest way to clean your whole home is room by room, working top to bottom in each one and leaving floors until last. Start with the kitchen and bathroom, as they take the most effort, then move on to bedrooms and living areas. Finish with a quick sweep of the spots everyone forgets, such as switches, handles and the tops of door frames.
This guide covers what to do in each room, a time-saving order, and how often each space needs attention.
Before you start
- Put together one caddy with a multi-purpose spray, washing-up liquid, a bathroom cleaner, limescale remover, glass cleaner, microfibre cloths, a scrubbing brush and rubber gloves. Carry it with you from room to room.
- Declutter first. Clear surfaces and floors in each room before you clean. It is much quicker to clean an empty surface.
- Open windows while you work, particularly in the bathroom.
- Never mix products. Bleach must never be combined with ammonia-based cleaners or with acids such as vinegar or limescale remover, as this releases harmful gases.
The kitchen
- Clear the worktops and empty the bin.
- Spray the hob with a degreaser or warm soapy water and leave it to soften grease.
- Wipe the extractor hood, then cupboard doors and handles from the top down.
- Clean the splashback and tiles, then the worktops.
- Wipe appliance fronts, the microwave inside and out, and the fridge door seals.
- Go back to the hob, which should now wipe clean easily.
- Scrub the sink and taps, then sweep and mop the floor.
The oven, the inside of the fridge and the areas behind appliances are deeper jobs. Do them every month or two rather than every week.
The bathroom
- Apply toilet cleaner under the rim and leave it to work.
- Spray the shower, bath and tiles with bathroom cleaner and leave for a few minutes.
- Clean the mirror, then the basin and taps.
- Scrub and rinse the shower, screen and bath. Treat limescale on taps and showerheads with a limescale remover, following the label.
- Clean the toilet last, from the cistern and handle down to the base, using a separate cloth.
- Wipe the extractor fan cover, then clean the floor.
Squeegeeing the shower screen after each use is the simplest way to stop limescale building up in hard water areas.
Living areas
- Dust from high to low: light fittings, shelves, picture frames, windowsills, then the TV and other surfaces.
- Wipe remotes, light switches and door handles.
- Vacuum sofas and cushions, and turn cushions over.
- Vacuum the floor, including under and behind furniture, then mop hard floors.
Bedrooms
- Strip the bed and put the bedding in the wash first so it is drying while you clean.
- Dust the tops of wardrobes, shelves, bedside tables and headboards.
- Wipe mirrors and any glass.
- Vacuum the mattress now and then, and under the bed every time.
- Remake the bed with fresh bedding, then vacuum or mop the floor.
Hallways and stairs
Wipe the front door, handles and banisters, dust skirting boards, and vacuum stairs from the top down. Shake out or vacuum doormats, as they stop a lot of dirt reaching the rest of the house.
The spots everyone forgets
- Tops of door frames, picture rails and wardrobes
- Light switches, door handles and remote controls
- Skirting boards and the grooves in radiators
- Extractor fans and vent covers
- Under and behind large furniture
- Bin lids and the inside of the kitchen bin
Room-by-room cleaning at a glance
| Room | Priority tasks | Often missed | Suggested frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | Hob, worktops, sink, floor | Behind appliances, extractor | Weekly, with a monthly deeper clean |
| Bathroom | Toilet, basin, shower, floor | Grout, showerhead, extractor | Weekly |
| Living room | Dusting, vacuuming, surfaces | Skirting, behind the sofa | Weekly |
| Bedrooms | Bedding, dusting, vacuuming | Under the bed, light fittings | Weekly or fortnightly |
| Hallway | Floors, door, handles | Banisters, doormat | Weekly |
A time-saving order that works
- Start products working first (toilet cleaner, hob, shower) and do other tasks while they soak.
- Do all the dusting in a room before any wiping, and all the wiping before the floor.
- Leave floors until the end of each room, and vacuum the whole house in one go if that is easier.
- Work towards the door so you are not walking over clean floors.
For a deeper, more detailed list of what gets cleaned in each room, use our cleaning checklist.
FAQs
What order should I clean my house in?
Start with the kitchen and bathroom, then bedrooms and living areas, and finish with hallways and stairs. In each room, work top to bottom and leave the floor until last.
How long does a full home clean take?
It depends on the size and condition of the home. A regular weekly clean is far quicker than catching up after several weeks, which is why a steady routine saves time overall.
How often should each room be cleaned?
Kitchens and bathrooms benefit from weekly cleaning. Living areas and bedrooms can usually go a little longer, with a deeper clean every few months.
When is it worth getting a professional in?
When the home needs a full reset rather than routine upkeep, for example before moving in, after a long gap, or when you are moving out of a rental.
Skip the scrubbing
Our deep cleaning teams clean every room top to bottom, with products and equipment included, and can add carpet cleaning or oven and appliance cleaning to the same booking. Get Free Quote for an itemised price or Book Online.