The living room is often one of the main gathering spaces during holiday parties, but its typically larger size can be intimidating when it comes to cleanup.
Fortunately, you don’t need to carve out an hour to clean this room.
Instead, follow these step-by-step cleaning tips provided by Debra Johnson, training specialist for Merry Maids, to speed clean up your living room in a flash.
Step 1: Product Preparation
Before you start, gather all your cleaning products in a caddy or placed in one location.
This will help prevent precious time from being wasted running back and forth.
For this room, Johnson suggests the following products:
- High dusting tool
- Dry microfiber for dusting
- Damp microfiber for removing smudges
- Box to gather items not belonging in living room
- Extra cloths for washing floors
- Trash bag
- Multipurpose cleaner, glass cleaner, floor cleaner
- Multifunctional vacuum with upholstery attachment
- Floor washing tool
Step 2: Straighten
Place any items that belong elsewhere in the box to be moved to other rooms.
Fluff throw pillows, straighten picture frames and stack coffee table books.
Step 3: Go Top to Bottom
“Working from the top down will prevent repeating steps,” says Johnson.
Remove any cobwebs from the room using a high dusting tool.
If time allows, vacuum any window treatments, lamp shades and baseboards.
For rooms with a fireplace, vacuum the hearth area.
Step 4: Dust
Use a dry terry microfiber cloth to dust items such as doors, window sills, door knobs, ceiling fan blades, light switch plates and outlet covers.
“The ends of the microfiber are open and attract and grab dust rather than spreading it around,” says Johnson.
Dust furniture from top to bottom, and clean glass surfaces.
“Avoid overusing glass cleaning product, which can result in residue and extra work to remove the product,” says Johnson.
Dust and dirt will then just stick to the residue.
Step 5: Vacuum
Vacuum upholstery with an upholstery tool, then vacuum area rugs.
Depending on your floor type, vacuum the hard surface or carpet. “Vacuum floors rather than sweep,” says Johnson.
“The sweeping motion will stir dust in the air, and then the dust will need to settle.”
Step 6: Maintain
Color code your microfiber cloths for each cleaning task: one color for dusting; one for glass; one for floors.
“A cleaning cloth for each function will assist in better cloth use and cloth maintenance,” says Johnson.
Each evening, straighten up the room and return any items that don’t belong in the living room to its proper place.
