Good Housekeeping: Step-by-Step
- 1). Gather together all of your basic cleaning equipment in one area. Store the products in a large bucket, which also can double as a tool.
- 2). Start with the kitchen. Clean dishes or load the dishwasher. Any stuck-on stains can be soaked while you clean the counters and purge your refrigerator of spoiled food.
- 3). Move through the house and pick up any items that don't belong in a specific area. Put them where they belong.
- 4). Dust items like bookcases, lamps, end tables and coffee tables. Do all of the dusting at once before vacuuming. Use furniture polish on surfaces that require it.
- 5). Clean bathrooms consecutively. Allow toilet bowl cleaner and water stain cleaners to work while you clean mirrors and counters.
- 6). Make up the beds before cleaning any bedrooms. The laundry can run while you are completing other tasks.
- 7). Vacuum the carpets, then clean the floors. Clean the baseboards and window coverings once a month.
- 8). Empty all of the trashcans in the house and immediately take the trash outside. Refill the cans with fresh bags.