Deep Cleaning Checklist: What a Deep Clean Covers Room by Room

A deep clean only works if nothing gets missed, and that is where a checklist helps. Use this room by room deep cleaning checklist to plan a full clean of your home, tick off each task as you go and spot the areas a regular weekly clean leaves behind. It works for a DIY clean or as a brief when booking professionals.

Why Use a Deep Cleaning Checklist?

Deep cleans take hours, and it is easy to finish the obvious jobs and forget the rest. A checklist keeps the work in a logical order, stops you cleaning the same surface twice and gives you a record of what was done. It also makes quotes easier to compare, because every company is pricing the same tasks.

Before You Start

• Clear surfaces, floors and the inside of cupboards you plan to clean.
• Gather supplies: microfibre cloths, a degreaser, a limescale remover, a HEPA vacuum, a mop and an extendable duster.
• Open windows for ventilation.
• Work from top to bottom and from the back of each room towards the door.

Room by Room Deep Cleaning Checklist

Kitchen

• Degrease the hob, splashback and extractor hood, and soak the filters.
• Clean the oven, racks, trays and door glass.
• Pull out the fridge and cooker where possible and clean behind and underneath.
• Empty, wipe and dry the fridge and freezer, including seals.
• Wipe inside and outside every cupboard and drawer.
• Descale the kettle, taps and sink, and clean the plughole.
• Run a cleaning cycle on the dishwasher and washing machine, and clean the drawer and door seal.
• Wash bins and wipe light switches and handles.

Bathrooms

• Descale shower screens, heads, taps and tiles.
• Scrub grout and sealant, treating any mould.
• Clean the toilet inside and out, including the base and behind the cistern.
• Clean the bath, basin, mirrors and cabinets inside and out.
• Wipe the extractor fan cover and radiators or towel rails.
• Mop the floor, working into the corners.

Bedrooms

• Wash bedding, mattress protectors and pillows if the label allows.
• Vacuum the mattress and turn or rotate it.
• Dust the tops of wardrobes, light fittings and picture frames.
• Wipe skirting boards, door frames and switches.
• Vacuum under the bed and behind furniture.

Living areas

• Vacuum sofas and cushions, and wash removable covers.
• Dust shelves, electronics, lamps and decorations.
• Clean windows, sills and window tracks inside.
• Wash or vacuum curtains and wipe blinds.
• Wipe radiators, sockets and skirting boards.
• Vacuum carpets edge to edge or wash hard floors.

Hallways and stairs

• Wipe banisters, handrails and spindles.
• Clean doors, handles and the front door.
• Vacuum stair edges and corners with a crevice tool.
• Wipe the coat area, shoe storage and any mirrors.

What a Deep Clean Covers That a Regular Clean Misses

A weekly clean keeps visible surfaces tidy. A deep clean reaches the places dust, grease and limescale build up over months: behind appliances, inside cupboards, on high surfaces, under furniture and in grout and seals. That is why most homes need a full deep clean once or twice a year even with a good weekly routine.

How Long a Full Deep Clean Takes

For a typical 2 or 3 bedroom home, working through this checklist alone can take a full day or longer. A professional team with the right equipment usually finishes much faster. Kitchens and bathrooms take the most time, so start there while you have the most energy.

When to Book a Professional Deep Clean

Hand the checklist to a professional team when the home has not had a deep clean for a long time, when you are short of time, or before an event such as a house sale or family visit. To understand the meaning of a deep clean in more detail, read what deep cleaning means. To book a full clean, see our deep cleaning services.