The complete deep cleaning checklist

Routine cleaning maintains a space. Deep cleaning resets it. The difference is not intensity. It is reach: behind, beneath, above and inside the things that daily cleaning works around. Use this checklist as a working document; print it, tick it, and hand it to whoever does the work.

Before you start

• Declutter every surface first. Deep cleaning around clutter is not deep cleaning
• Open windows and set up ventilation before chemicals come out
• Lay out equipment room by room so you are not walking back and forth
• Work through the property in one direction, finishing each room completely
• Leave floors until last in every single room

Every room

• Cobweb and dust ceilings, cornices and ceiling corners
• Clean light fittings, shades, bulbs and ceiling fan blades
• Wipe down door frames, doors, both sides of handles and finger plates
• Clean light switches and socket plates with a barely damp cloth
• Dust and wipe skirting boards along their full length
• Wash walls where marked; spot-treat scuffs and handprints
• Clean windows inside and out, including frames, sills and tracks
• Launder or vacuum curtains; wipe blind slats individually
• Move all furniture and clean the floor beneath and behind it
• Vacuum upholstery including under and behind cushions
• Dust the tops of wardrobes, cupboards, picture frames and door frames
• Clean mirrors and glass to a streak-free finish
• Vacuum, then mop or extract the floor as the final task

Kitchen

• Empty, wipe and reline all cupboards and drawers, inside and out
• Degrease cupboard doors, handles and the extractor hood
• Clean the extractor filter: soak it, do not just wipe it
• Deep clean the oven: racks, trays, door glass, seals and interior
• Clean the hob, burner rings, control knobs and the surround
• Descale the kettle and clean small appliances inside and out
• Empty and clean the fridge and freezer; wipe seals and defrost if needed
• Pull out the fridge and cooker and clean the floor and wall behind
• Descale taps and sink; flush and deodorise the drain
• Scrub tile grout and re-seal where it has failed
• Clean and disinfect the bin inside and out, including the lid mechanism

Bathrooms

• Descale showerheads, taps and glass screens
• Deep clean and re-grout or re-seal silicone where mould has taken hold
• Scrub the toilet including the base, hinges, cistern and behind the pan
• Disinfect all high-touch points: flush handle, taps, door handle, light pull
• Clean extractor fan covers and clear the vent
• Wash bath mats, shower curtains and towels
• Empty, wipe and reorganise cabinets; discard expired products
• Polish mirrors, chrome and glass last

Bedrooms

• Strip and launder all bedding including mattress protectors
• Vacuum the mattress on both sides; arrange professional mattress cleaning if it has never been done
• Rotate or flip the mattress
• Vacuum the bed base and the floor beneath the bed
• Empty and wipe out wardrobes and drawers
• Dust headboards, bed frames and slats

Offices and commercial spaces

• Clear and sanitise every desk surface, including under monitors and keyboards
• Clean keyboards, mice, phones and shared peripherals
• Wipe down chairs including armrests, bases and castors
• Extract-clean fabric chairs and partition screens
• Deep clean carpets with hot water extraction
• Clean internal glass, partitions and door glass on both faces
• Sanitise kitchenette, microwave, fridge and communal crockery
• Deep clean restrooms and restock all consumables
• Clean reception seating, coffee tables and display surfaces
• Dust and wipe cable trays, server racks and vents where safe to do so
• Clean and disinfect lift buttons, handrails and door push plates

Post-construction additions

• Remove all debris, packaging, offcuts and protective film
• Vacuum fine dust from every horizontal surface, twice, on separate days
• Clean inside ceiling voids, vents and light fittings
• Remove paint splatter, adhesive and silicone residue from glass and tile
• Clean and polish all fixtures, ironmongery and sanitaryware
• Wash and seal floors as appropriate to the finish
• Run air movers to speed drying before handover
• Conduct a final inspection walk against the snag list

Fine construction dust settles for days. A single clean is never enough. Professional post-construction work always includes a second pass.

Finishing the job properly

Walk the whole property at the end, in daylight, from the doorway of each room rather than up close. Standing back is how you catch the missed corner, the streaked window and the smeared skirting board. That final walk is what separates a deep clean from a long clean.