Today I am sharing my what my realistic deep cleaning routine looks like in my home as a full time homemaker!

Hello friends! I often talk about how I like to keep my home tidy and organized on a daily basis, but today I thought I would go through my deep cleaning routine for those days when tidying up just isn’t cutting it. Keep in mind that this routine isn’t something I do every week. In fact, this deep cleaning routine isn’t something I even do monthly!

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Of course, if I can squeeze in a deep clean once a month, that’s a good month for me haha I love to clean (Type A personality) so I always feel so good after giving my house a good, thorough cleaning. However, as a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom, sometimes deep cleaning my home once a month just isn’t realistic.

Give yourself grace for the season you’re in. Being present for your children is so much more important than dusting the baseboards. Our time with them is fleeting, so it’s perfectly okay if you choose to hold your baby while they nap instead of vacuuming your couch cushions.

With four boys and two cats however, a deep clean is totally necessary to do as often as I have time to do it. This post will guide you through my realistic deep cleaning routine as a full-time homemaker with a step-by-step whole house reset, including the tools I use and my best homemaking cleaning tips.

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Step 1: Dust the Entire Home (Including Moldings)

In my opinion, dusting is the best first step in a deep cleaning routine because any dust that falls to the ground can be vacuumed or mopped later. It’s important to start top to bottom so you can get as much of the dust as possible as you clean downward.

I’ll start with my ceiling fans or light fixtures, and then move to moldings, shelves, and wall treatments before finally finishing with trim. I also like to move my decor items or wall art off my shelves and walls and give them a good dusting/cleaning. Removing the decor helps me ensure that I’m cleaning the entire surface area properly and not just cleaning around items.

The tools I use for dusting are actually just my Norwex microfiber cloths! I talk about them all of the time because they are truly just that good. I still have the same cloth I started with, which I purchased probably about ten years ago now. You really only need one cloth to clean your entire house.

The densely woven, superfine fibers physically remove up to 99% of bacteria from a surface using only water. You just wet it with some cold water and clean. That’s it! So simple, yet so effective. When you’re finished cleaning, rinse it off with hot water.

I like to boil mine every few months, and Norwex also makes a laundry detergent that you can use as well. I know I sound like a broken record talking about these cloths, but I hope that shows you how much I truly love and use them. They are an essential part of my deep cleaning routine.

Norwex also makes dusting specific products that I have and use. However, if you’re cleaning on a budget, just their basic microfiber cleaning cloths with a little cold water will get the dusting done just fine. Plus, I love that they are safe and effective to clean with, versus the harsh chemicals and toxins that can be found in modern cleaning products.

Step 2: Wipe Down All Glass Surfaces

I don’t know about you, but with four boys in my home, nearly all of my glass surfaces are constantly covered in handprints, smudges and streaks. It can drive me a little nuts at times haha My mirrors, windows and french doors leading to my sunroom get cleaned more often due to my OCD, but when I’m doing my deep cleaning routine, I still make sure to clean all of my glass surfaces even if they’ve already been wiped down multiple times a week.

If the weather is nice, I may take it one step further and clean the outside of my windows and storm doors as well. There is just something so nice about looking out a window that’s free of smudges and streaks. Clean glass has a way of instantly brightening the house.

My favorite glass cleaning product is (you guessed it haha) my Norwex window cloth. It’s made out of the same material as their basic cloths, but it’s woven in a way that leaves glass surfaces looking sparkling clean. No more Windex and paper towel needed and this cloth will last you years and years.

Step 3: Vacuum Floors, Furniture and Remove Pet Hair

Many of you don’t know that I own two cats. My husband Mike is actually a huge animal lover, so we rescued to little kittens about five years ago. Even though I’m not a big cat lover (I have some mild allergies), my boys love them just as much as Mike does.

I’m happy my boys are happy, but the downside of owning animals is all of the fur that piles up in the many corners of my home. This is where a rigorous vacuum of my entire home becomes a necessary step in my deep cleaning routine. When the dusting is finished, I bring out the vacuum to get all the dust, fur and crumbs that have settled onto my floor and furniture.

Thankfully my chair slipcovers can be easily tossed in the laundry to be washed, but my couch cushions get vacuumed as well as under the cushions. I love my Shark vacuum for its suction power and different attachments that make cleaning up dust and dirt a breeze. The detachable hose also makes it easy to reach high and low places, and really get in those corners full of animal fur.

Step 5: Deep Clean the Kitchen

My deep cleaning routine for my kitchen is broken up into a few different steps. Kitchens can be tricky because they can easily overwhelm you if you try to tackle too much at once. Don’t try to clean out every cabinet and reorganize your pantry on a deep cleaning day. You’ll likely burn yourself out. Try to pick a day that you dedicate just to the inside of your kitchen cabinets and pantry so you can really focus on that task.

Wipe Down Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are one of those sneaky surfaces where grease and fingerprint smudges slowly build up. I like to take my Norwex cloth and give them a good wipe down. If some spots are a little tougher to wipe than others, you can use Magic Erasers, but just be careful that you don’t scratch the paint off your cabinets from scrubbing too hard haha

Clean Backsplash and Countertops

My Norwex cloth once again goes to work on my honed granite countertops and subway tile backsplash. I just love my countertops. We installed them a few years ago and they’ve honestly held up so well. They truly make cleaning a breeze!

Wipe Down Appliances

Next I like to wipe down my appliances. I use my Enviro Cloth to clean both my fridge and stove. You can use your Norwex cloth to wipe down stainless steel, or you can use stainless steel wipes for tougher jobs. Sometimes if I’m really in the mood, I’ll take everything out of the fridge and deep clean the entire thing. However, that doesn’t happen as often as I’d probably like.

Step 6: Mop Hardwood and Tile Floors

,Mopping is a final step in my deep cleaning routine. It’s probably an obvious statement, but I never mop before vacuuming. I use my Norwex mop system on my hardwood and tile. I like that they have a Swiffer-like dry pad for picking up hair and dust between vacuums, as well as a wet pad for when you’re ready to mop. You can also adjust the handle which is handy depending on the surface you’re cleaning.

Step 7: Deep Clean the Bathrooms

Bathrooms are the next step in my deep cleaning routine. Once again I use my Norwex cloth, and although you can technically use your cloth for your entire home (even your toilets), I like to have a cloth dedicated just to my bathroom. I also like to use their Power Cleaning Paste when I need just a bit of extra cleaning power.

I clean the entire toilet, including the base and then clean my bathroom vanity and mirror before finishing with the floor. You can read all about my English cottage bathroom makeover here.

My Whole House Deep Cleaning Routine Checklist

Bullet checklist:

• Dust entire home
• Wipe glass surfaces
• Vacuum furniture
• Vacuum floors thoroughly
• Clean kitchen surfaces
• Mop floors
• Deep clean bathrooms

Well friends, that’s my full deep cleaning routine! I hope you found it helpful. Just a reminder, this isn’t something I do every week. Give yourself some grace. Your home doesn’t have to be perfect. Staying on top of daily tidying can go a long way until you’re ready for a deeper clean.

What are some must-do steps in your deep cleaning routine? I’d love to hear, so share them in the comments below. And don’t forget to sign up for my free mini homemaking course for more cleaning and organizing tips.

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