The Ultimate Deep Cleaning Checklist
Follow Viva®'s room-by-room deep cleaning checklist and leave every inch of your home sparkling
There’s nothing like a deep clean to make you feel calm, orderly, and accomplished. While daily cleaning tasks such as sweeping, wiping counters, and doing dishes can help maintain cleanliness, completing a deep clean will turn every room in your home into a sanctuary.
When it’s time to deep clean your house from top to bottom, it can be difficult to know where to start. Luckily, Viva® is here to help you bring some method to the madness.
The softest and most durable paper towel*, Viva® Signature Cloth™ is the ultimate tool for a truly deep clean. We’ve used our cleaning know-how to create a room-by-room deep cleaning checklist—guiding you through must-do tasks from your kitchen and bedroom, to your bathrooms and entryways.
Following our checklist won’t just make your home feel pristine. By clearing away grime and hidden mess, you’ll clear your mind and make it easier to destress. You’ll also make every guest who comes through your door feel welcome, comfortable, and taken care of.
With all these intentions in mind, it’s time to get cleaning! Alongside our checklist, we’ve included tips on how often to deep clean, what kind of supplies to have on hand, plus some pro cleaning advice to help you achieve your most polished clean yet.
What supplies do you need to deep clean your house?
When it comes to deep cleaning, having the right tools at the ready is essential. Especially when you’re tackling tasks outside your daily cleaning routine, specialized supplies make it much easier to clean away hidden or stuck-on mess.
You probably have a lot of these supplies in your cleaning cabinet already. Even so, it’s a good idea to double check you have all the essentials on hand so you don’t have to interrupt your cleaning flow.
Wherever you’re starting from, here are the must-have cleaning supplies we recommend stocking up on before your next deep clean:
Cleaning tools
- Viva® Signature Cloth™ paper towels (great for especially tough, stuck-on mess!)
- Large plastic bucket
- Broom and dustpan
- Vacuum with attachments
- Mop or steam mop
- Toilet bowl brush
- Rubber gloves
- Squeegee
Cleaning supplies
- Disinfectant spray
- Baking Soda
- White vinegar
- Dish soap
- Foaming bathroom cleaner
- Wood floor cleaner
- Toilet bowl cleaner
- Glass cleaner
- Olive oil
- Clean spray bottles
- Furniture/wood polish, if applicable
What are some tips to keep in mind when deep cleaning?
When you commit to a deep clean, you’re on a mission to polish every inch of your home like a pro. Before we dig into our deep cleaning checklist, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite deep cleaning tips to help you achieve a professional-grade clean.
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Know when it’s time for a deep clean. You can probably tell instinctively when your house needs a deep clean. Oftentimes, the feeling that it’s time for a refresh comes with the turn of the season—especially in winter and spring. Whatever it may be, we encourage you to trust your gut!For those who like to follow a defined schedule, we suggest the average home needs a deep cleaning every three months. However, you may need to get in the nooks and crannies more often—especially if you have kids or pets. For example, dog owners might want to deep clean entryways once a month or more (goodbye, hidden furballs!)
- Clean each room systematically. We all love to multitask, but when it comes to deep cleaning, it’s best to work methodically. We recommend working around the room in one direction to make sure you don’t miss anything.
- Start with the kitchen. As you prepare to clean one room at a time, we recommend starting with the kitchen. That’s because it’s the heart of the home and often takes the longest to complete (tasks like cleaning out your fridge and cabinets can be meticulous and time consuming—though very rewarding!) From there, you’ll continue room-by-room through the house.
- Use paper towels to make cleaning more efficient. The right paper towels can help you tackle more tasks in less time. Viva® Signature Cloth™ can be rinsed and reused for multiple cleaning jobs, and they’re also the softest and most durable towel—perfect for a deep clean!
- Don’t overcomplicate the easy tasks! Deep cleaning can be a marathon, so keep things simple wherever you can. A paper towel paired with water and dish soap should work for cleaning most surfaces—including cupboards, baseboards, and appliances.
What should I include in my deep cleaning checklist?
Now you have all the supplies and cleaning tips you need, it’s time to dive into our deep cleaning checklist. Follow along methodically through each room to accomplish a next-level clean!
- Discard old or expired food in the pantry and cabinets, before thoroughly cleaning inside using a Viva® Signature Cloth™ paper towel with a vinegar and water mixture. Then, reorganize the contents.
- Empty the refrigerator and freezer and discard old and expired items, then clean fridge shelves and drawers with a mixture of dish soap and water. (For tips on how to reorganize your fridge, check out our step-by-step guide)
- Degrease stove hood and backsplash.
- Clean oven interior and wire racks.
- Descale and clean coffee maker.
- Descale faucet by soaking in vinegar.
- Clean seal around the sink.
- Degrease and dust the tops of high surfaces, including fridge, microwave, and cabinets.
- Wipe down walls, cabinet doors, cabinet hardware, and molding.
- Wipe down chairs, chair legs, and table legs.
- Disinfect door knobs, light switches, and other high-touch areas.
- Clean the washing machine by wiping inside the door and around the seal with a Viva® Signature Cloth™ paper towel and vinegar and water mixture.
- Vacuum out dryer vent and lint trap.
- Clean flat surfaces like shelves and cupboard interiors.
- Organize laundry supplies.
- Wipe walls and molding.
- Disinfect door knobs, light switches, and other high-touch areas.
- Discard expired or unused personal care products, makeup, and medications.
- Descale shower head (soak overnight in vinegar and water, then wipe clean with a Viva® Signature Cloth™ paper towel).
- Descale faucet by soaking in vinegar.
- Remove and wash shower curtains, or replace as needed.
- Wipe down the shower curtain rail.
- Clean shower door tracks and door jambs.
- Wipe walls and molding.
- Disinfect door knobs, light switches, and other high-touch areas.
- Dust ceiling fan and light fixtures.
- Spot clean throw pillows and blankets as needed using a Viva® Signature Cloth™ paper towel.
- Wash pillows per care instructions.
- Declutter closets, nightstands, and dressers, discarding old or underused items as needed.
- Wipe down walls and molding.
- Disinfect door knobs, light switches, and other high-touch areas.
- Clean the front door by wiping the front, back, and door frame with a damp Viva® Signature Cloth™ paper towel.
- Shake out doormats.
- Wipe interior walls and molding.
- Disinfect door knobs, light switches, and other high-touch areas.
Whew! That was a deep dive on deep cleaning. It’s no easy feat to check off all these tasks, but we know you’ve got the cleaning prowess to make it happen! With Viva® at your side, you can accomplish your deepest clean yet.
*when wet vs. nationally branded towels
