Your complete guide to cleaning your house

Here is a systematic approach to cleaning your house from the attic to the basement, and throughout all other rooms in the home. These tips will help you work smarter, without much effort, for results that shine!

Everyone wants to live in a clean house, but few people enjoy cleaning. No need to be daunted by this task! So how to start?

•  With a plan to organize your cleaning routine to accelerate the large cleaning spaces, starting by getting your hands on good cleaning supplies and common cleaning products that everyone has at home.
• Next, develop a checklist noting the daily, weekly and occasional tasks and tackle one room at a time.
• Regardless of the room you cleaned, follow a specific order for cleaning.

In short, utilize the plan of attack by zones (PAZ) in order to focus successively on different parts of the house. It’s the fastest and most effective strategy for cleaning.

Here are more details on each zone of the house:

Why start with the attic? When you clean the whole house, start with the top floor and go down gradually to avoid having to go to the previously cleansed.
Cleaning the attic can seem daunting, but rest assured: you don’t have to clean it more than once a year.
• Before cleaning your attic, wear a disposable mask to avoid inhaling dust and other irritants.
• Vacuum everywhere — ceilings, beams, walls and floors, then apply a damp cloth soaked in a mixture of water and liquid mild dish soap on all surfaces.

Mold in the attic is a sign that you have a moisture problem — maybe a leaky roof, or maybe poor ventilation. It is essential to get rid of mold.

Stairs are an important part of your house and are subject to constant daily use — hence the need to clean your interior stairs.

• Whether your stairs are carpet or not, always start with the bottom to ensure a clean work environment.
• Wipe painted railings with a soft, damp cloth. If the ramp is particularly dirty, add a few drops of liquid dish soap with hot water. Carefully dry with another cloth.

Regardless of the room of your home, you should occasionally clean the walls, ceilings and the floors. You must take into consideration the type of flooring to use the right tools.
Wood flooring. Take caution when washing wood floors. If you use too much water, the wood may swell.

• Vacuum your floor every week.
• Never use water to clean a wood floor, which can cause deformations and even rot.
• Instead, wrap the head of a mop with a soft, damp cloth. Tend to small areas at a time by wiping with a second cloth before moving on to another surface.

Vinyl flooring.

• Avoid using products with ammonia or abrasives on linoleum and vinyl, since they may dull the surface.
• Use a mop with a little detergent, and rinse.

 Ceramic flooring. After cleaning with a broom or vacuum cleaner, wash it by area with a cloth, from the back of the room to the door.

• Do not use the brush for carpet vacuuming, which will scratch your floor.
• Once a week, clean the ceramic floor with a wet mop to remove stubborn dirt.

Stone flooring.

• Use a regular broom and vacuum cleaner.
• Clean spills immediately by blotting rather than rubbing.
• Clean stone or slate floors with water and a little cleaning product.

Carpet and rug. The secret of a well-maintained carpet is to simply invest in a quality vacuum cleaner and use proper techniques.

To clean your wood furniture in your living room or your bedroom:

•  Maintain your wooden furniture depending on its type of wood and how it was manufactured.
• Dust them with a damp cloth.
• If necessary, leach timber with water and mild soap.

If you have a couch or leather armchair, avoid expensive leather cleaners.

• Opt for a good old upholstery soap and baseball glove softener.

For sofas made of fabric, start by vacuuming to remove dust.

• Remove the covers and wash as directed.
• Set your machine to dry at a low temperature and remove the covers as soon as they are dry.

In your bedroom, ventilate and shake duvets and pillows daily not only to evenly distribute their stuffing, but also to limit the proliferation of mites and other organisms that thrive in heat and darkness. For impeccable bedding, wash your bedspread.

The kitchen is the room that accumulates more grease and spills than any other. Clean a little each day and to keep your kitchen clean as can be. And do not forget to clean the dining area!

Countertops and sinks. Counters and other surfaces frequently used in your kitchen require daily attention to keep them clean and free of bacteria.

• Consider the type of material of the counter to clean it properly.
• To refresh your wooden cutting board, cut a lemon in half and add a handful of salt to the board.

The kitchen sink is often one of the most frequently used areas in the house.

• Use natural products like baking soda, white vinegar and salt to clean your sink.

Appliances. It’s important to keep the room where you prepare and consume food as clean as can be. The same goes for kitchen appliances.

Range hoods
Clean the outside and underside with hot water and dish detergent to remove grease residue.

• Clean the outside and underside of the hood. Hot water and dishwashing liquid remove all the fat.

Oven and stove
Because cooking can be very messy on a stove, get into the habit of wiping your cooker after each use.

• Periodically deep-clean all parts, including the oven racks and the oven door.

Fridge
Cleaning your refrigerator regularly helps it function optimally.

• Do not forget to clean the inside of the refrigerator, as well as outside, coils and drain pan, and then defrost the freezer as needed.

Dishwasher
Your dishwasher also needs a little cleaning with detergent to remove odours and greasy residue. Select the most economic washing cycle and let it work its magic.

Small appliances
Do not forget to clean your small appliances, such as the microwave oven, toaster, coffee maker and kettle.

Kitchen cabinets
Make sure that your kitchen cabinets are clean and tidy so that everything is easy to find and ready to use.

• To regularly clean out closets, dust regularly with a clean cloth and wipe with a damp cloth from time to time.
• To remove the traces of dirt around the handles of doors and drawers, soak a cloth in all-purpose cleaner, let the product work for a few minutes, then rinse with a damp sponge. Then wipe with a dry cloth.

The bathroom is one of the most used, and thus one of the dirtiest parts of the home. For mold and grime, you can use natural products to easily clean your bathroom.

Shower and bath. To clean a bath or shower in no time, make a habit of washing surfaces immediately after you’ve used them when steam in the air eases dirt removal.

• Minimize the mold and remove the dirt from a shower curtain by applying a paste of baking soda and lemon juice. Soak and rinse with warm water. The best anti-mold treatment remains effective moisture-wicking ventilation.
• Clean your showerhead with a mixture of baking soda, vinegar, a plastic bag and tape — all of which you already have at home!
• To keep your shower doors spotless, rub them with a solution of 125 ml (1/2 cup) of vinegar mixed with one litre (one quart) of water.

Sink and mirror. The sinks and basins often experience an accumulation of dirt over time, but it's easy to keep them sparkling clean.

• Rub lemon juice around drains to remove grease and limestone.
• To clean the mirrors, tiles and glass, dilute vinegar in water. 

Toilet. Cleaning the toilet isn’t usually an enjoyable activity, but you can do so by respecting the environment.

• Start at the top and work your way down in this order: Tank, seat, inside the bowl and base.
• To eliminate persistent urine odours, pour a bit of vinegar into the bowl and let it sit overnight.
• To remove stubborn dark circles, apply a paste of borax and lemon juice. Let it dry overnight, scrub and flush the toilet.

Often overlooked compared to other floors of the house, unfinished garage floors and basements suffer daily. Do not forget to clean them occasionally.

• Be sure to remove mold in the basement, which is due to moisture.
• Get rid of items you do not use and invest in storage accessories for the garage.
• Keeping garbage in your garage can be a smelly nuisance, so wash those areas accordingly.

For a large cleaning project, it’s best to go a piece at a time so as not to get discouraged. Rest assured: Whenever you see a perfectly clean room, you will feel glad to call your house a home.