How to Deep Clean a Living Room - Part 2

The article details the final stages of Deep Cleaning Living Rooms. The first stages are detailed in 'How to Deep Clean a Living Room - Part 1'.

Continued from Part 1..... If you have a t-piece and squeegee (traditional window cleaning) set you can wash the windows using a solution of hot water and washing up liquid: Wash the windows with the cotton-covered t-piece and squeegee off used solution. You could clean the glazing with a microfibre cloth and glass cleaner or using newspaper and vinegar. A internal spring clean is an ideal opportunity to spruce up the outside of your home, so arrange for the window cleaners to come out to clean the outside glazing, or if you have 'easy clean' or inward opening windows you can do this yourself using any of the above methods.

Take down any items from shelving and display units and dust and clean these before putting them back onto clean surfaces. CD cases and other such items can be cleaned using a solution of warm water and washing up liquid a soft cloth that has been thoroughly wrung out. The washing up detergent acts as a de-greaser so is particularly good at loosening dirt on sticky surfaces, for example items that have received heavy handling from greasy fingers. Take this opportunity to organise your shelves, perhaps investing in some decorative storage boxes which will make the room look a lot less cluttered.

Dust and polish all furniture, ensuring that all surfaces are dust free. Clean all fixtures and fittings using a dry cloth and a very small amount of universal cleaner. Dust and clean all woodwork; doors and frames, skirting boards, dado and picture rails. Use a microfibre cloth and a small amount of glass cleaner to clean mirrors and screens.

Tidy up any houseplants by removing any dead-heads and trimming leaves where necessary. Thoroughly wash out decorative plant pots and vases which can suffer from a build up of smelly stagnant water.

Using the appropriate attachment; vacuum out the crevices of sofas and chairs and beat and plump out all cushions. Soiled cushion or upholstery covers can be sent for professional cleaning. Carpets should be vacuumed using an upright vacuum with a beater brush to ensure that the carpet pile is lifted and all trodden-in dirt and debris is brought to the surface and vacuumed up. Move furniture to vacuum underneath and make sure you vacuum behind the doors. If carpets are looking discoloured or stained then its time to call in the carpet cleaning professionals. If you have a carpet cleaning machine or are looking to hire one in yourself, be sure to read instructions carefully and to make sure you use the correct shampoo for your carpets (i.e. a wool-safe solution for woollen carpets).

Put out the final touches, for example, replace candles with new ones and put out fresh flowers. Then simply sit back and enjoy your efforts.