What is the difference between deep cleaning and regular cleaning?
We often get asked… what’s the difference between regular cleaning and deep cleaning?
Regular cleaning definition
The simplest way to describe regular cleaning is a set of cleaning tasks that are performed on a regular basis. This is sometimes also referred to as domestic cleaning.Regular cleaning is what most people do on a daily or weekly basis. Deep cleaning is normally carried out every 6 months to a year.
Regular cleaning maintains a good level of cleanliness around the house. Regular cleaning tasks often cover things like:
- hoovering and mopping the floors
- cleaning bathrooms – sink, mirror, bath and toilet
- Tidying up
- cleaning the kitchen – wiping down work surfaces, cupboard doors, hob etc
Deep cleaning is very different and is often a requirement before a tenant moves in or out, also known as an end of tenancy clean.
Deep cleaning definition
Deep cleaning is different from regular or spring cleaning because it reaches the deep grime and dirt in your home.
It covers areas which aren’t traditionally covered by a regular or spring clean for example:
- behind kitchen appliances like the washing machine and oven, cutting through the grime that builds up
- under the sink
- inside the oven including the oven door glass
- inside of window frames and patio doors
- inside and outside of all windows – read our vinegar window cleaning tip
- washing all blinds
- full and deep dusting including all the corners of rooms for cobwebs
- scale removal from all bathroom tiles, kitchen tiles, taps, shower heads etc
What Do I Need to Deep Clean My Home?
- Disposable rags, scrub pads or towels that you don’t mind throwing away
- Two buckets: one for the dirty/greasy water and another for fresh clean water
- Your favorite degreaser, dish soap and disinfectant spray
- A pair of rubber gloves
- An abrasive scrub pad
- A spray bottle with 1:1 vinegar and water
- A scrub brush or an old toothbrush
How often should you clean your house?
How often should you clean your house? Every day? Once a week? Less than that? For a lot of us, this Easter weekend be the first time we’ve given the place a thorough clean since Christmas. In fact, according to a 2016 survey by cleaning experts Jeyes, only 47 per cent of Brits admitted to cleaning regularly. Which is worrying, because it’s potentially allowing harmful bacteria to run riot across your home, and make you and your family sick.
If that thought leaves you shuddering, don’t panic. We’ve created a list of how often you should clean key household items. Find out if you’re cleaning often enough… or in fact, too much!
How often should you wash your bedding?
Once a week. Air your bed daily by throwing back the top sheets and duvet. Pillow cases and duvet covers should be machine washed at a minimum of 40°C, but it’s better to clean them at 60°C if the fabric will take it. That way, you stand a better chance of any harmful bacteria being killed.
It’s also wise to vacuum your mattress every fortnight to prevent dust mites from building up.
How often should I clean my washing machine?
Once a month. Add a cup of white vinegar to the detergent drawer and run an empty hot cycle.
How often should you clean your oven?
Every six months. Use a specialist deep-cleaning spray or cream, but avoid scouring away tough grime as you could damage the lining.
How often should you clean your dishwasher?
Once a month. Remove the racks and clean them separately with warm soapy water, then run what we call a vinegar wash. This involves emptying the dishwasher and placing a cupful of white vinegar in the upper rack, then running the machine at its hottest cycle. It’s a great way to remove any grease or odours.It’s a good idea to wipe detergent drawers and rubber seals after every few washes.
How often should you clean your toilet?
Once a week. You may think your toilet is the dirtiest thing in your home. But you’d be wrong, as chopping boards and dishcloths are more likely to harbour harmful bacteria. For that reason, you can get away with cleaning the bowl properly once a week – although we would recommend giving the seat a daily going over with a soapy cloth or sanitised wipe. Your toilet brush should be cleaned with bleach once a month, and replaced every six months.
How often should you clean your makeup brushes?
Once a week. This is especially important for liquid foundation and concealer brushes, as otherwise a nasty bacteria called streptococcus can build up. Not only can this cause skin irritations, but also serious illnesses like scarlet fever. A dedicated make-up brush cleanser is the best option, or you could use shampoo. If you have beauty blender sponges
How often should I clean the curtains?
Every three months. Check the washing instructions on the curtains to see if they’ll need to be dry cleaned or if you can put them in the washing machine. At the very least give them a going over with steamer – if it has a vertical steam option, you could use your iron.
How often should you clean your fridge?
Once every six months. Use soapy water and a soft cloth.
How to clean your keyboard or laptop – and how often you should do it
Once a week. Take a can of compressed air and spray between the keys. then take a sanitising wipe and go over every surface.
How to clean a lampshade – and how often you should do it
Clean every three months. Use hot water if the material allows. Otherwise, remove any dust with a lint roller. Ideally, you should also dust them twice a week.
How often should you wash your towels?
Every two days. Hand towels and guest towels should be machine washed at 40°C every two days. Bath towels should be hung to dry properly after your bath or shower, and popped in the wash after every four to five times of being used.
How to clean a toaster – and how often you should do it
Once a week. Start by removing and emptying the crumb drawer. Then tip it upside-down and shake out any remaining crumbs. Finally, wipe with a dishcloth soaked in warm, soapy water.
Fast House Cleaning Tips
- Clean the whole house, not one room at time
Cleaning is much more efficient if you pick one task (dusting, vacuuming, mopping) and do the same task in every room in the house, rather than cleaning the kitchen, the bathrooms and then the bedrooms. Doing it that way prevents you from feeling like you’re in an endless cleaning cycle, starting the same task over and over again.
- Gather all your cleaning tools in a caddy
Whether it’s a caddy, bucket or tote, having everything you need to clean in one portable place makes it much easier to get the job done. You won’t waste time looking for tools while you clean, and don’t have to worry about gathering them before your next go around.
- Clear the clutter
Before you even start cleaning, go room to room and pick up the clutter. As you pick up each item – magazines, well-read paperbacks, old sneakers – consider whether you should put it away, toss it or donate it.
- Dust and vacuum
Before you start dusting, make sure ceiling fans are turned off. Concentrate your dusting on the tops of furniture and the undersides of shelves, on handrails, picture frames, knickknacks and TV screens. For hard-to-reach areas, like blinds and upper shelves, tie a microfiber cloth to the end of a mop or broom. Change the sheets in the bedrooms before you vacuum.
- Wipe mirrors and glass
Use one damp microfiber cloth, followed by one dry cloth in wiping clean all the mirrors and glass surfaces.
- Disinfect countertops and surface areas
Go through your house and wipe down the hard surfaces – from countertops, appliances and cabinets to doorknobs, light switches, TV remotes and telephones. You should disinfect some of those surfaces, particularly the ones that might deliver germs to people’s fingers and faces. Make a nontoxic disinfection solution by mixing one-fourth to a half cup of white or apple cider vinegar with a cup of water.
- Focus on tubs, sinks and toilets
Spray cleaner on the kitchen sink then on bathroom sinks, tubs and toilets. Let it sit for a few minutes so the cleaner has time to dissolve dirt and stains. Then return to the kitchen and start scrubbing. Don’t forget to wipe down the inside of the microwave. Clean toilets last.
While in the kitchen, you also want to make sure your garbage disposal is in tip-top shape. If you aren’t sure the best way to clean a garbage disposal, for some useful garbage disposal cleaning tips.
- Sweep, then mop
Sweep the kitchen and bathroom floors. Start mopping from the farthest corner of the room and move backwards towards the doorway (that is, don’t mop yourself into a corner). Rinse the mop every time you complete a 4-by-4-foot area.
- Keep moving when you vacuum
Don’t worry about getting every nook and cranny when you vacuum. Just keep moving through the house, running the vacuum in every carpeted room in one pass through.
Some tasks don’t need to be done each week. These include waxing the furniture, cleaning the windows, and washing area rugs and bath mats. Inspect these accessories and use your own judgment.
- Don’t forget to routinely wash your cleaning tools
An often overlooked part of cleaning the house is maintaining your cleaning tools. Using a dirty mop or a vacuum with a full bag is much less effective, and you’ll end up spending more time trying to clean.
- Make cleaning a group activity
Making cleaning a team effort is one of the best ways to clean a house fast. Schedule a time in advance with your family, and assign tasks to each person. Working together can add some fun to cleaning, and your house will be sparkling in no time.
2 Hour House Cleaning Plan
The 2 hour house cleaning plan is where you get to take a bit of extra time doing things you otherwise just couldn’t do.
Let’s get started:
- Strip the bedsheets & put them in the washer (10 mins). You can have the washer going while you’re doing the rest of the cleaning.
- Put away the mess (10 mins). I like to do this room-by-room so I don’t get overwhelmed and distracted.
- Dust (10 mins). Again, it is a good idea to do this room-by-room. You can dust all surfaces (shelves, windowsills, etc) as well as baseboards.
- Wipe down windowsills, shelves, etc (10 mins). Go room to room and do this.
- Wash the dishes (15 mins). The time on this can vary depending on if you use a dishwasher or not.
- Wipe down the kitchen counters/cabinets & clean the backsplash (5 mins). This shouldn’t take long at all if you’re doing it regularly as there’s less time for things to build up.
- Wipe down/clean appliances (5 mins). You could put a small glass of water in the microwave to heat up while you’re cleaning other appliances. It’ll make it super easy to clean.
- Clean the bathroom/s (10 mins). A great tip is to actually clean the shower just before you take one. It’ll save time in that you won’t have to include it in this cleaning routine.
- Clean mirrors (5 mins). I love using this window vacuum to do just that. It makes it SO much faster!
- Clean the walls (5 mins). Take 5 minutes to go through the house and wipe off any obvious marks you see on the walls.
- Vacuum (15 mins). You can do the entire house in one go and it’ll save you time in the long run.
- Mop (10 mins). Mop the floors that need it.
- Make the beds (10 mins). While the floors are drying, you can make the beds.
That’s it, really. If you have any other tips up your sleeve, please do share!