How to Deep Clean Your Home in One Day—Plus, an Hourly Schedule to Help You Stay on Track (2024)

One of the hardest things about deep cleaning your home is setting aside the time to do it. Giving each room the attention it needs can take hours—time you may not have if you need to tackle multiple rooms. But believe it or not, it is possible to give your home a thorough clean in just one day. It's all about creating a manageable schedule you can stick to. Instead of scrambling to find an elusive window of time, block off an entire day to refresh your home from top to bottom using our hour-by-hour cleaning schedule.

Before Getting Started

Before you tackle your deep clean, take the time to tidy up by eliminating unneeded items and organizing what you decide to keep. "This will streamline the cleaning process," says Marla Mock, president at Molly Maid, a Neighborly company. You should also gather all of the cleaning supplies you will need for the day before you begin cleaning.

Plan to clean from top to bottom, starting upstairs and working your way down. "This approach helps guarantee that no spots are missed and prevents dirt from settling on areas that have already been cleaned," says Mock. "By cleaning from top to bottom, you can be efficient, cleaning just once and gathering any remaining dirt at the end."

Materials Needed

These are the items to have on hand when deep cleaning your home.

• All-purpose cleaner
• Baking soda
• Laundry detergent
• Glass cleaner
• Rubbing alcohol
• Grout cleaner
• Countertop cleaner
• Water
• Cleaners for specific appliances
• Vinegar
• Soft-bristle brush
• Rubber gloves
• Mop
• Bucket
• Vacuum
• Broom
• Microfiber cloths
  

Schedule for Deep Cleaning Your Home in One Day

While the order in which you clean your home will depend on its layout, this rough schedule will help keep you on track. Feel free to modify it as you see fit. For example, if you only have a bathroom on your lower level, you may opt to clean it later in the day when working from top to bottom.

9 AM: Clean the Bathroom

To give your bathrooms a quick, but thorough clean, start by moving all your toiletries and décor out of the space to create a clean workspace, says Paulo Filho, the owner of Celestial Cleaning Service.

1. Place your bathmats, hand towels, and shower curtain in the washer (if they're machine-washable).
2. Dust and clean any light fixtures with an all-purpose cleaner (or a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar).
3. Apply a grout cleaner to the grout lines in your bathroom and let sit for 20 minutes.
4. While the grout cleaner sits, spray your sink, tub, and toilet with an all-purpose cleaner and scrub clean with a soft-bristled brush. Rinse these surfaces with hot water and wipe clean.
5. Clean mirrors using a cloth and glass cleaner for a streak-free shine.
6. Scrub the grout, rinse, and wipe clean.
7. Vacuum and mop the floor with hot water mixed with an all-purpose cleaner.
8. Return your bathmat, shower curtain, and towels to your bathroom.

10 AM: Clean the Bedroom

Depending on how many bedrooms you have, this may take more or less time—but generally setting aside about two hours to clean your room is ideal.

1. Dust the highest points of your bedroom, like ceiling fans and the tops of windows and door frames.
2. Work your way down to ensure all surfaces are dust-free, like your dresser and bedside tables.
3. Remove your bedding and run it through the washing machine.
4. Dust your mattress with baking soda, vacuum, and flip the mattress to repeat on the other side.
5. Use a glass cleaner to wipe down all the windows and mirrors.
6. Vacuum and mop the floor with hot water mixed with an all-purpose cleaner.
7. Place fresh linens back on the bed.

12 PM: Clean the Kitchen

The heart of your home will require more time than other spaces—set aside two hours to get the job done, says Lauren Doss, the owner ofNashville Maids.

1. Place kitchen runners, dish towels, etc. in the washer (if machine-washable).
2. Empty out cabinets and drawers and set these items aside in an out-of-the-way area.
3. Wipe down cabinets and drawers with an all-purpose cleaner, working from top to bottom.
4. Clean your countertops with a damp, microfiber cloth and an applicable cleaner.
5. Clean the interior and exterior of your kitchen appliances, including the dishwasher, stovetop, oven, microwave, and refrigerator.
6. To freshen up your dishwasher, run it empty on a hot cycle with 1 cup of baking soda.
7. Pour baking soda into the sink drain and give the sink a good scrub with hot water.
8. Vacuum and mop the floor with hot water mixed with an all-purpose cleaner.
9. Place the items you removed from cabinets and drawers back in their designated area.
10. Return your clean runner and dish towels to your kitchen.

2 PM: Clean the Dining Room

Move from your kitchen into your dining room and give this space a quick refresh.

1. Dust the highest points of your dining room, like ceiling fans and the tops of windows and door frames.
2. Work your way down to ensure all surfaces are dust-free, like your dining room table.
3. Use a glass cleaner to wipe down windows.
   
4. Dust and clean your window treatments, according to the manufacturer's instructions.
5. Vacuum and mop the floor with hot water mixed with an all-purpose cleaner.

3 PM: Clean the Living Room

Next, move to the living room. Depending on its size, you may need about two hours to clean this room.

1. Dust the highest points of your living room, like ceiling fans and the tops of windows and door frames.
2. Work your way down to ensure all surfaces are dust-free, like end tables, lamps, picture frames, etc.
3. Use a glass cleaner to wipe down all the windows and mirrors.
4. Dust and clean your window treatments, according to the manufacturer's instructions.
5. Take off any removable covers, cushions, or decorative pillows to wash if applicable.
6. Vacuum between and beneath the cushions of your furniture and spot treat any stains.
7. Gently clean your TV and other electronic devices with a fresh, damp microfiber cloth to avoid scratching.
8. Disinfect remote controls, game controllers, and similar small gadgets using rubbing alcohol and a microfiber cloth.
9. Vacuum carpets or rugs.
10. Mop the floor (if applicable) with hot water mixed with an all-purpose cleaner.
11. Return the items you washed to your living room.

5 PM: Clean the Laundry Room

Finish deep cleaning your home in the laundry room once all of your linens, hand towels, upholstery, etc. have been cleaned and put away.

1. Dust the highest points of your laundry room, like the tops of windows and door frames.
2. Remove any detergents, fabric softeners, and other products from shelves.
3. Dust and clean the shelves with an all-purpose cleaner, then return the products.
4. Clean the utility sink thoroughly, making sure to rinse it out well with hot water.
5. Clean your washer and dryer according to the manufacturer's instructions.
6. Vacuum and mop the floor with hot water mixed with an all-purpose cleaner.

6 PM: Wrap Up

Once you hit the end of your list, it's time to do a final sweep of each room to make sure you didn't miss anything. "Double-check windows and mirrors for streaks, shelves for dust, and make sure everything is in its place," says Doss. Finally, take out any trash in each of the rooms, empty the vacuum, and store any cleaning supplies you have left over.