Do you have the spring cleaning bug? You want things clean, but are feeling a little overwhelmed at the thought of it? Well guess what, deep cleaning a house has never been easier! Yes, you heard it right, there is an easier way.
With this method there is no need for spring cleaning! Just scroll on down and I’ll share my inspiration and method with you. It only takes 10 minutes a day and as a result my home is deep clean all year long.
In fact, it only takes 10 minutes a day, five days a week. Are you curious? Do you want to learn a little more about it? Then by all means, take 5 minutes to learn more. You will be glad you did!
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Deep Cleaning a House - The Inspiration
The inspiration for this deep cleaning a house method came from a book I read many years ago called, Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley. Not only is this book a great read, but it made me look at keeping an organized and clean home in an entirely different way.
Marla helped me realize that keeping an organized and clean home was blessing my family. Wow, have you ever thought of a clean and organized home as a blessing for your family?
Clearly, I began to look at the upkeep of my home in a whole new light, indeed having order and cleanliness did bless the lives of my family, as well as me.
Not only does it helps me create a peaceful home where my family wants to be, but also a sanctuary from the world.
Weekly, I have always vacuumed, dusted and cleaned the bathrooms. However, when it came to deep cleaning the entire house, that was a real CHORE and I didn’t look forward to it. 😩
The idea of short bursts of deep cleaning daily became a real game changer for me.
Daily Routine
Make My Bed
- Make my bed! I do this every day. Why go to the expense and work of making your bedroom beautiful if you don’t make your bed? I also believe that all children are capable and should make their bed too. The little ones may need a little help and it may not be perfect, but that’s ok. There is a real sense of accomplishment for children when they learn to do hard things. (If this is challenging in your family, try a reward system.) BTW, I read an article recently that stated that if you’re a bed maker you will be more successful in life. Now who doesn’t want that!
Always Squeegee
- After I shower, I ALWAYS squeegee! I know that it may seem like a pain in the buttocks, however it saves so much time in the long run. Who likes to scrub off soap scum and hard water spots? Not me, I’ve been there and done that! It takes less than 1 minute to squeegee the shower and it is so worth it! If, I take a bath, I wipe it down afterwards with a cloth. Once again, no soap scum which makes it’s so much easier to keep clean. BTW, I’ve trained my hubby to squeegee too, he doesn’t enjoy scrubbing off hard water spots or soap scum either.
Wipe Countertops
- I wipe down the countertop, sink and mirror in the bathroom after I do my hair and makeup. Keeping a cleaning cloth in the bathroom makes it convenient to keep the bathroom tidy. I keep one hanging in my shower, that way it’s always easy to grab and use. This takes less than 30 seconds to do this and my bathroom always looks clean. All items I use to get ready in the morning are always put away in the cabinet right after I use them.
Fill Dishwasher
- To make my mornings run smoothly, I make lunches the night before. Then it’s easy to grab and go in the morning. I also make sure that all dishes are put in the dishwasher after breakfast and wipe the sink and counters with a cloth. Training your family to put their own dishes in the dishwasher after they are finished eating will really lighten your load. Then there will never be a pile of dishes in the sink.
That is it! Pretty simple, and I follow the same routine after lunch and dinner.
I never leave dishes in the sink. It really only takes a couple of minutes to load the dishwasher and wipe down the counters, but if I were to leave dishes in the sink and let them pile up then it is a real chore!
Another time saving tips is to unload the dishwasher while preparing a meal. Then it will be ready to load after the meal.
Weekly Routine
Once a week, I dust the furniture and shelves, vacuum, sweep, mop and clean the bathrooms.
This can all be done rather quickly if I am not picking up clutter. Getting in the habit of putting things away when finished also saves time and energy!
As our business has grown there has been less time for me to do this all myself. So, I’ve enlisted the help of my husband. We equally divide the chores between us and it can all be completed in an hour.
When my children were young, they were each given assignments weekly to help keep the house clean.
Create an age appropriate list of what they can do to help maintain your home. It will help them build a sense of belonging and pride in doing a job well.
In fact, I learned that as they were responsible for an area in our home, they took pride in it and made sure to keep it looking nice all week.
Enlist the help of your family, you do not need to do it all yourself.
Deep Cleaning a House - The Method
Deep cleaning can be quite a chore, especially if you are trying to do it all in a day or a weekend!
After all, weekends should be filled with fun family time, not trying to catch up on household chores. However, by setting aside 10 minutes a day, weekends can be first and foremost for family time.
I follow this method daily, or almost. If I have a crazy busy or stressful week, I may miss a day or two or even a whole week, but if I get right back on my schedule, it all works out.
Let's take a look at this method . . .
When I talk about deep cleaning, I am talking about cleaning the baseboards, doors, walls, blinds, draperies, ceiling fans, kitchen cabinets etc. The items, that generally get cleaned only once or twice a year, usually the spring and fall.
Now this method of spending 10 minutes a day deep cleaning a house was a game changer for me.
These short burst of cleaning, which only last 10 minutes go by so quickly. However, you will be surprised what can be accomplished in just 10 minutes. And you can do anything for 10 minutes, even if it is a chore you hate!
This 10 minutes can be in the morning, afternoon or evening. It really doesn’t matter, what matters is that you do it.
Deep Clean a House Plan
I have divided up the deep cleaning jobs in the house into 5 zones or areas. That corresponds with 5 weeks in a month.
As you look at the calendar, you will notice that I have assigned one zone for each week of the month.
The 1st week and the 5th week may not always have a full 5 day work week, but that doesn’t matter.
Zones 1 and 5 will have less items to clean or items that take less time. Clearly, it all works out in the end.
Take a look at Zone 1
This is how it works. If it’s the first week of the month, I look at my schedule for zone 1. Then I choose something on the list to clean.
Next, I grab the cleaning supplies needed, turn on some energizing music, set a timer for 10 minutes and clean.
Usually, I can clean a couple of items from the list in the 10 minute time. I mark them off my list, then on the following day, I will choose another couple of items to clean in that particular zone.
Each day of the week I focus on one particular zone. Then the following week I will move on to zone 2 and so on throughout the month.
Each item to be cleaned should take less than 10 minutes. I break it down into small jobs that can be done quickly.
The Home Binder
The deep cleaning zone schedules are kept in a HOME binder. You can learn more about the binder from the post Conquering Paper Clutter. Not only do I keep the deep cleaning zone schedules, but also other important items for keeping my home running smoothly.
Finally, I keep the deep cleaning zone schedules for my home in sheet protectors and mark off the jobs when completed using a dry erase marker. When the entire zone is completed, simply erase and start again.
Zone 2
As you look at zone 2 which is the kitchen, you will notice that there are less items on the list. This is because with all the cooking, surfaces get greasy and need to be cleaned more frequently. Therefore, the chores on the kitchen list will be repeated more often.
My Method for Deep Cleaning a House
Generally, I do not use chemical cleaners, I use Norwex cloths for all my general cleaning. I’m not promoting them, I don’t work for them or receive any compensation. It is just what I prefer to use.
They are a micro fiber cloth with a silver thread woven into them that disinfects them. This makes it super fast to clean without having to get a separate cleaner.
For the kitchen cabinets for instance, one day I will wipe down all the outside surfaces of the cabinets. On day 2, I may wipe down the inside of a section of cabinets.
My Old Routine
Previously, using my old method of spring cleaning, I would empty out a cabinet then clean it and put the dishes back in. NOT now, I remove items from one side of the shelf, wipe, slide the items over, wipe, then put the dishes back.
This method is much less time consuming, which means accomplishing more in my 10 minutes. The idea here is to accomplish as much as you can in 10 minutes time and still get the job done.
Tips for Deep Cleaning a House
Cleaning Lights
The pendant lights in the kitchen can get a greasy film on them. Once again, I use my Norwex cloth to clean and a polishing cloth to dry. This method leaves no streaking or lint.
Plantation Shutters
To clean the plantation shutters, I use my damp Norwex cloth and quickly wipe each shutter. Usually I will clean the inside of the window and window sill at the same time, since I will need to slide out the furniture.
Cleaning Drapery
Using an upholstery brush attachment on my vacuum, I can clean my draperies and rods. Usually once a year I will toss them in the dryer on low heat with a damp bath towel for about 20 minutes. Using this method, the dust attaches to the damp towel and I will not have to have the expense of having them dry cleaned.
Blinds
For blinds, I tilt them all the way up, and with a damp cloth, reach behind (the side facing the window) and wipe them down. This gets the top edge of the blind clean.
Then I flip them all the way down and wipe the front side. I find this method to be pretty quick. I have tried other methods and products cleaning each slat. I find this to be time consuming and no better than the method I use. Once again, I will usually clean the inside of the window and sill at the same time.
More Cleaning Tips
Upholstery Cleaning
Upholstered furniture should be vacuumed on a regular basis. Think about all the dust that gets on your hard surfaces and floors. All that dust is also getting into the fibers of the upholstery too. Definitely a regular vacuuming will extend the life of the upholstered furnishings.
Easy Wall Cleaning
Using a wall duster, I go around the edge of the ceiling, wiping down cobwebs. I also use the duster to clean the entire wall. A telescoping dust mop also works great for this.
I only use a damp cloth around door knobs, light switches and in the hallway where the kids drag their hands.
Behind & Under the Furniture
Remove the dust under and behind furniture using the attachments on the vacuum and a dusting wand. If you struggle with allergies, you might be surprised at how much dust is hiding behind and under furniture.
Don't Forget Cold Air Returns
Once again, using the brush attachment on the vacuum I clean the cold air returns. For the cold air return in the kitchen I will remove it from the wall and clean it in the sink with a little Dawn. This vent tends to have a greasy film on it.
Cleaning under the beds can be done quickly and easily by laying my vacuum flat. If you do not have that much space under your bed you can use your hose attachment to clean under the bed.
Don’t forget to vacuum your mattress regularly too. Dust mites are lurking in your mattress.
FREE Deep Cleaning Zone Schedule
Once you start this method of 10 Minutes a day to a Deep Clean Home, and you complete every job in a zone, and it’s time to start over again, you may think it’s clean I don’t need to clean this again.
However, if you keep it up, it takes even less time the next go around, then your home really never gets really dirty, indeed it’s always clean! And that feels GOOD!
For a FREE copy of my deep cleaning a house zones and how to implement this method of 10 Minutes a Day to a Deep Clean Home, click the button below.
My Favorite Deep Cleaning Tools
Make it a Family Affair
Not only can this method of deep cleaning a house be a game changer for you, but also for your family.
Enlist your family to help with the 10 minutes of cleaning a day, just divide up the time among all family members.
Without a doubt, you will always have a clean home with minimal effort on your part.
Has this inspired you to give this method a try? Please let us know how it is working for you.
Do you have areas in your home that you need help with and are struggling to know how to keep it clean and orderly, please comment below. We would love to hear from you! We would love to help you come up with solutions.
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I also am not finding the zone checklist and schedule. I do not see a printable library. I would love if you could email me a copy of the printables.
thank you
Nevermind, I figured it out and now have the information. THANK YOU!!!!
You’re welcome Jill. Thank you for stopping by our site. We hope you will continue to find helpful information and inspiration for your home and life. Have a wonderful day!
I signed up, entered the password and unable to locate the five cleaning print outs.
Christie, the cleaning schedule is located in the printable library on the left column, scroll down about 10 images. I hope this helps.
I signed up and did the password and still can’t find your five cleanings on print outs. All I get is scrolls and scrolls of ads. Very frustrating!
I’m sorry that the download was so frustrating. I’ll email you the file directly to your email.
I signed up for the news letter and confirmed my email but I still don’t see how to download the cleaning checklists. Can you help?
I’m sorry you are having troubles Susan. When you click to confirm your email, you are sent another email with a direct link to the cleaning checklist in our printable library. You will need to scroll through the free printables until you see the cleaning list and can download it from there. Please email me if you have any troubles at 2thesunnyside@gmail.com
I can’t access the home binder, which has the 5 cleaning zones. Any suggestions?
I’m sorry you’re have troubles Tina. You should have receives a confirmation email. Once you click and confirm you will be given a password to access the printable library.
How can I down load and print the 5 zones for cleaning 10 min per day?
You first need to sign up for our email and confirm your subscription. Then you will receive a 2nd email with the link and password.
When I first started reading this I was like ok, yeah ok, ok…because I do this all the time. Then I got the “Zones” and I was like…hmmm now that’s awesome! It’s only me that does the cleaning now and I’m really too old to do it any longer but I still try. Well I actually have health issues that keep me down but I do love a clean house and thought I might give this the best shot I can at working this out…lol. Thank you for the push!
Thank you Shirley! I think it really helps to do the deep cleaning in just short amounts of time. It’s easy to get overwhelmed it you look at all that needs to be done. However small increments of cleaning add up and really make a huge difference over all. Please keep in touch we would love to know how it works for you.
Thanks so much for the inspiration. I live in a log home and have wood heat for most of the winter. I find a log home much harder to maintain than a regular home, but I’m going to give your method a good go. I followed Fly Lady many years ago but I find your method simpler and organized so it’s not overwhelming.
I am happy that you found this post helpful. Please let us know how it works for you.
I just read this post an loved it! It’s very inspiring.. we are definitely in that spring cleaning phase and it is so much work! We are working to get to this point. Thanks for the encouragement 🙂
Thank you Heather. Happy Cleaning!