How To Deep Clean An Apartment? [In 13 Steps]

Apartment life is increasingly popular. But just because an apartment is smaller than a house, you can’t get away with half-heartedly cleaning it. There are plenty of deep cleaning steps to make your apartment feel roomier.

Getting rid of dust and dirt will add sparkle to your apartment. Read on for expert advice on deep cleaning.

A top-to-bottom approach 

Cleaning an apartment may initially seem tedious, but the rewarding results make it well worth the effort. In smaller homes, dedicating time to brightening the space creates a more spacious ambience. And if needed, consider renting out an off-site storage facility for your excess furniture and belongings.

Whether deep cleaning an apartment before moving or giving your home a fresh cleanse, you should start from the top. Why? Gravity. When you dust and scrub from the top down, dirt and debris will land on the lower walls and floors you haven’t yet cleaned. 

Begin by dusting the ceiling fan, ceiling corners, and overhead lights. Work your way down the walls and finish with the floors. To clean the floors, you might stand in the doorway and work outwards so you don’t track dirt across the floorspace you just cleaned.

How to deep clean your apartment?

You’ll need to stock up on all-purpose cleaners, microfibre cloths, and paper towels to clean your apartment. Read our ultimate guide to brighten up your home. Here are our top cleaning tips to improve your apartment or house.

Step 1: Wipe ceiling fans. 

You want to start from the top and work to the floors. Ceiling fans and lighting fixtures are an excellent place to begin. You might easily miss the tops of your ceiling fan and lights during a regular clean — they don’t get much attention. But they can accumulate lots of dust. 

Turn the fan off and wipe down the ceiling fan blades. Use a pillowcase to collect any dust and debris. It’s best to clean your fans once or twice a year. You should take the same approach with light fixtures.

Step 2: Vacuum each corner. 

The corners of rooms are renowned for gathering dust, spiders, and debris. You might need to move furniture, but cleaning an apartment properly is worth it. Besides, who knows what you’ll find behind the sofa? Use your vacuum’s crevice tool to clean dirt in corners and along baseboards. Don’t forget to vacuum the corners between cupboards and permanent fixtures. 

Step 3: Clean the faucets. 

Deep cleaning means deep. While you may not consider your faucets particularly dirty (you may not think of them), you’ll notice the difference when you clean your house.

You should descale faucets and showerheads with vinegar. While you should try to do this monthly or bi-monthly, tackling them once a year with a spring clean is okay. Use an old toothbrush to clean your taps thoroughly. Or else, fill a plastic bag with vinegar and tie it around the faucet to soak and eliminate mould.

Step 4:  Clean cabinets and drawers. 

Empty the cabinets and drawers throughout your home one by one. Vacuum inside and wipe clean with a wet cloth and disinfectant wipes. Take the same care with the outside cabinets, and give them a once-over with furniture polish for extra shine.

While digging inside your cabinets and drawers, consider whether you need to keep all your belongings. As humans, we like to hoard things. However, apartment living is not suited to hoarders. If you come across anything you haven’t used recently, consider giving it away or donating it.

Step 5: Sanitise trash cans. 

Hopefully, you clean your garbage cans more regularly than your yearly spring clean. It’s an easy task to add to your deep clean. Wipe out and sanitise trash cans, recycling bins, and wastebaskets with a robust cleaning solution. 

To do the job thoroughly, take it outside and give it a squirt of dish soap or detergent. Use a power hose to clean the insides appropriately.

Step 6: Wipe down electronics. 

Your TV, phones, tablets, and other electronics attract germs, dust, and grime. Check the manufacturer’s instructions before taking your electronics with robust cleaning solutions like rubbing alcohol, as this can do more harm than good.

Use a gentle disinfectant to wipe down all your screens and gadgets. Give the TV and gaming stations a dust or vacuum. 

Step 7: Clean out your fridge and freezer. 

No one likes to open the fridge to find old foods and questionable smells. While it’s best to clear out your fridge regularly and never let out-of-date foods stay for long, you still need to give your fridge and freezer twice-yearly deep cleans.

Unplug and defrost your freezer. You know it’s time to defrost when the frost accumulates to over 1cm. Wash the rubber door seals and insides of the fridge and freezer with soapy water and disinfectant, including the interior shelves, drawers, and walls. Throw away expired food items.

While the fridge and freezer are unplugged, use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust and dirt from the condenser coil and outside.

Step 8: Deep clean the closets.

Declutter your closets. Take everything out and decide whether you’ll wear or use it again. If not, donate it. While everything is out, dust the corners. You might wish to line the shelves and walls with vinyl or decorative paper — this makes cleaning easier and covers any stains or mystery marks.

Step 9: Scrub the stove. 

Whether your stove is stainless steel or ceramic, it needs a thorough cleaning. You should give it a regular wipe-down after use. Remove pot grates and soak the stovetop in hot, soapy water at least once a month. If you have an electric oven, unplug the coils for easier cleaning. 

Some stovetops and ovens have a slideout tray beneath to catch food. Take it out and scrub it thoroughly. Clean all surfaces, knobs, the hood fan, and the filter with a soapy sponge.

Step 10: Replace the toilet seat.

Cleaning your toilet seat once a week is a good idea. But, if your toilet seat is a few years old, left over from the previous tenant or experiencing drain blockage issues, consider replacing it. Toilet seats are relatively inexpensive, so do you and your guests a favour with a new seat. 

Step 11: Clean windows.

Take to your windows with a glass cleaner and a rubber glove. You’ll be amazed how much shiny windows improve the interior design of your home. Apartments are, by nature, small. Letting the light in will make the space feel roomier. If you’re on the ground floor, consider washing your windows from the outside too. 

Step 12: Eliminate foul odours.

If your apartment smells suspiciously like cigarette smoke or has a foul odour you cannot eliminate, masking the scent with flowers won’t work for long. Of course, fresh-smelling flowers will brighten your home, but you need to tackle the root cause. 

Wash the walls and ceilings with a white vinegar and water mixture to eliminate stubborn smells like lingering cigarette smoke. You could also leave bicarbonate soda powder in small bowls around the room or sprinkle it on the floor. Bicarb or baking soda soaks up smells. Wash any curtains and upholstery thoroughly.

Step 13: Make the floors shine.

Finally, tackle the floors. Different types of floors require different approaches. If you have carpet, you can quickly mop, dust, and vacuum hard floors. If you have carpet, vacuum it and give it a once-over with a lint roller. This is especially important if you have pets who are prone to shedding. 

You’ll need a more robust cleaning solution for stubborn stains, like red wine on a white carpet. To remove red wine from the carpet, apply a water and salt solution and leave it overnight. In the morning, scoop up the mixture and vacuum. You might need to contact a professional if it doesn’t work as a magic eraser.

Summing up

By breaking down deep cleaning into manageable tasks, establishing a routine, and maintaining tidiness, you can effectively prevent the accumulation of dirt and grime, ultimately saving valuable time and energy. 

As you consistently stay on top of your cleaning duties, you’ll discover a newfound enjoyment in the process and reap the benefits of a refreshed and inviting home environment.