How to deep clean your house room by room – and everything you’ll need

It gives us a sense of control and satisfaction, reducing stress and improving the quality of our sleep. Though I'm perhaps a bit odd to think it's okay to use baby oil on my stainless-steel fridge door (it leaves it looking super shiny), I'm certain there are numerous cleaning tips still waiting to be uncovered. I consulted the experts and was surprised at what I found.

Kitchen

What you need

Method

So, it's just that we often concentrate on the things right in front of us (I've just noticed a cobweb hanging above my cupboards). "We notice what's under our noses," she says, "And routine takes care of those things. But if we take a closer look in the out-of-the-way places, that's where we usually find the mess."

I get down on my hands and knees and follow a trail of dust and fluff along the skirting board until it vanishes behind the washing machine. I'm intrigued, so I pull the machine out from its corner and discover a tangled mess of hairs and fabric fibres, a hardened lump that looks like it might be bits of old chicken and a few dead ants. I grab the Astonish Germ Clear Disinfectant spray. It's a good reminder that some larger items of furniture and appliances might need to be moved. There's a considerable quantity of grease at the back of the cooker, and the sideboard in my living room is hiding nearly an inch of dirt at its rear.

Numerous cleaning professionals I have spoken to remarkably often suggest a traditional combination of equal parts water and white vinegar to give their homes a thorough clean. Alternatively, if you dislike the citrusy smell of this mixture, you can temper it by adding a small quantity of essential oil. For instance, I found it not only cleaned the interior of my refrigerator but also performed well on my worktop cutting boards; however, it's worth noting that it's not suitable for use on granite or marble surfaces as it can cause etching. I also used it on the top of my cupboards where stubborn grease residue had been building up for months.

Claims recommend The Pink Stuff (a mild abrasive paste) and a scourer or baking soda as effective cleaning agents, necessitating plenty of friction to tackle tough stains. I tackle smaller tasks by clearing out the cutlery drawer by removing corner crumbs, de-scaling the kettle, swabbing and cleansing storage cupboards, disposal of expired Tabasco bottles and empty plastic containers, rinsing the sink with water and vinegar, cleaning the plughole with baking soda and vinegar, leaving it to soak for 30 minutes, followed by hot water and repeated if necessary, and shaking the toaster to dislodge old Hovis residue, cleaning the scrap-collecting tray and replacing it.

I decided to take drastic measures to tackle the unpleasant, subtle stench of rotting vegetables in my pedal bin, which had a rather pungent aroma reminiscent of a geriatric rabbit's breath. I pulled the bin into the garden and gave it a thorough treatment with disinfectant spray, scrubbing away vigorously with a soft sponge. Next, I hosed it down with a powerful jet of clean water. Another popular solution I tried was a method endorsed by Mrs Hinch, who advises soaking a kitchen towel in Zoflora disinfectant, leaving it at the bottom of the bin with a liner. I ventured to do the same, and amazingly, my kitchen was filled with the scent of Sunshine Escape fragrance for several days.

Living area

What you need

I have two dogs, Nelly and Diddy - a mother and daughter duo. I adore them dearly, yet their muddy paws can be a nuisance when they rush into the house, leaving a trail of dirt and mess behind. I've spoken to housekeeper Lily McBane from north London, who looks after a wealthy family and their pets. According to her, the family's dogs are required to wear specific socks before stepping back into the house after a walk. Similarly, Hugo Pena, the manager at the Bryanston apartments near Marble Arch, tells me that staff often towel-dry residents' dogs after a wet walk. While I'm not as meticulous about it, I've noticed that my white painted floorboards have taken a beating. Lily McBane shared a clever trick with me - using wooden barbecue skewers to clean between the narrow cracks in the floorboards. I gave it a try, but cleaning this large living room is a tedious task. Cleaning between the 10th floorboard exhausted me - surely life has more exciting things on offer than this monotonous task?

McBane explains that she uses a sable artist's brush to clean dust from sensitive ornaments and lighting fixtures. In my opinion, observing spore growth in a petri dish is more intriguing, but I've found using a long, thin toothbrush or a cotton bud works wonders in tight spaces. My old Victorian windows accumulate black mould due to condensation, but I've found that using a small amount of soapy water and a toothbrush to clean the corners is quite effective. I've also noticed that my wall pictures are remarkably dirty. McBane recommends using a damp microfibre cloth without any chemicals to wipe the glass and frames, then buffing them with a dry cloth.

"You were required to thoroughly scrub every area. The instruction was to leave everything as it was, and clean everything else, rather than cleaning around objects maintained their pre-cleaning position. Essential was a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush to eliminate particles from drapes, worktops and light fixtures.”

It's surprising, but using shaving foam on carpet stains has proved effective. Apply the foam to the affected area, allow it to sit for 15 minutes, and then scrub it off with a carpet brush. It's a surprisingly effective solution.

Bathroom

What you need

In my opinion, the most difficult room to clean in the house is the bathroom. A potential breeding ground for limescale, grime, and mould. Paul Whiteson, who runs Quest Property Services in London, says, “Our go-to cleaning company for all our rentals tells us that the biggest challenge they face in bathrooms is dealing with built-up mould and limescale. If a bathroom isn't well-ventilated, mould can develop on ceilings, in the grout between tiles, and around bath tubs and showers. Limescale causes problems with stainless steel sink mixers and shower attachments, and affects the bowl of the toilet below the waterline. There are various commercial cleaning products available, but pouring white vinegar into the toilet bowl and leaving it overnight does the trick.”

Occasionally, I employ a trick where I fill a plastic zip-lock bag with white vinegar and attach it to the taps and shower head for an hour. This method is quite effective, but for more stubborn deposits, I've found it's best to use the Kilrock gel lime scale remover recommended by my local hardware store. With regards to the tiles, I apply Astonish Mould and Mildew Spray and then scrub the grout until my arms are sore using a toothbrush typically used for cleaning dentures - the design allows for scrubbing with both a stiff and softer brush. However, my bath or shower's silicone sealant has seen better days and has accumulated quite a bit of mould. Using neat bleach on a toothbrush is usually enough to get rid of it, but perhaps it's time to give it a bit of a facelift with some new sealant.

The shower screen is driving me mad. Its flip-down glass doors continually create a buildup of grime, and I'm constantly using a fine toothbrush to scrub out the blockage. This is an annoying but essential weekly task for me. Another area that contributes to the mess is my toothbrush holder, which requires a good spraying of disinfectant and wiping clean every few days. I must say, I'm quite fond of Marks & Spencer's Shower Shine at the moment. I apply it after each shower - the watermint and cedar scent is lovely, and it does a better job than any other product I've tried. Additionally, I'd like to pass on a helpful tip shared by Nicola Lewis: "Purchase a cheap plughole hair catcher, which will save you time and effort trying to retrieve hair from the drain."

Ceramic stains - however high your standards may be - are stubborn areas of grime. Lakeland offer a cost-effective Sonic Brush, a battery-powered cleaning brush with four interchangeable heads for those who prefer not to touch the bowl directly. It also reaches into the affected areas (dodge around any obscured screws and hinges at the back of the toilet lid where germs accumulate) and underneath the rim.

Bedroom

What you need

My large bed is taking over the room and commanding centre stage. I think the last time I moved it was around the time Boris Johnson stepped down as Prime Minister. I shift it to one side and chuckle at the cloud of dust that rises from the carpet as I give it a good vacuum.

Mrs Hinch recommends stripping the beds back to basics, and Nicola Lewis agrees, changing her bedding every seven days, including washing the mattress protector. “I leave the mattress uncovered for about an hour to get some air with the windows open, then I give it a good hoover to remove any dead skin cells and dust mites. This is my regular routine, come rain or shine.” Mrs Hinch also advises sprinkling bicarbonate of soda over the mattress using a flour sieve to even it out, and removing any unpleasant odours. With the base layer looking refreshed, I shake out and plump up the duvet and add a crisp, ironed white bedding set. My bed is looking lovely and plush, it's so inviting that I'm unsure whether I should climb in or try and take a bite.

It seems I have a significant dust problem in my bedroom. It's present everywhere, so I give the bedside cabinets and skirting boards a good wipe down using a damp cloth. I also tackle the bottoms of my fitted wardrobes, where shoes, bags, and belts are caked in dust. It's rather impressive, like the snow-capped mountains of Everest. A damp cloth and some elbow grease should do the trick, but if there are any stubborn marks on the skirting boards, a cream cleaner like Cif can help. If there's a lot of dust, I keep rinsing my cloth and wiping the area. Next, I turn my attention to my radiator, which appears to be harbouring a layer of ancient dust inside its metal casing. According to McBane, a radiator brush is an incredibly effective tool for cleaning hard-to-reach areas, and they're inexpensive to boot - you can get one for under a tenner. I'm rather fond of mine, it's brilliant at its job.

Hallway

What you need

What with the constant rain and living near a park, my hallway's been regularly invaded by mud. Despite having a no-shoes policy, the track marks from my outdoor shoes still somehow make their way inside. The stair carpet is particularly susceptible to these unwanted visitors, which is why I'm intrigued by Armen Adamjan's cleaning hack. He recommends a DIY cleaner consisting of baking powder, soap, vinegar, salt, and lemon juice, mixed into a foamy solution. You're supposed to dip a cloth into this mixture, wring it out thoroughly, and then insert it into a saucepan lid to act as a soft cleaning buffer for carpets and sofas. I decide to give it a try, but the soap seems to have left my white cloth looking a peculiar shade of worn-out chewing gum. I shall have to enforce my shoe-wearing rule more rigorously upstairs going forward.

I spend hours cleaning the end of the busy hallway, where dust and dirt seem to accumulate endlessly. I find myself going through countless earplugs, but the real surprise is a crumpled sock, buried deep down, that my husband is still missing from three weeks ago. It makes me ponder whether he really doesn't notice he's lost it while constantly walking about. The relentlessness of dirt and grime is enough to make me feel frustrated and want to scold the dusty hallway with a determined scrub at the sponge. A disheartening cleaning mindset.

Office

What you need

It appears that there are more germs on an ordinary computer keyboard than on the average toilet seat. Iwan Carrington recommends a clever trick - by sticking the sticky side of a Post-it note into the keypads, you can remove the tiny leftover fragments from last week's lunch. What an ingenious idea.

A damp cloth, with the electrics sorted here, should resolve the issue.

As I use the window blind cleaning tool from Amazon, I feel a pleasant increase in dopamine. Firstly, spray the blinds on one side with a dilution of water and vinegar. Then, slide the tool along each section of the blind to remove dirt. Flip the blinds over and repeat the process (it does take some time). A helpful tip is to vacuum the really dirty areas with a soft-bristled brush attachment first. Alternatively, some people swear by using a tumble dryer sheet, as its anti-static properties attract the dust.

Windows

What you need

There are an awful lot of different views on how to get the best results from cleaning your windows. Some people simply use newspaper and water, whereas others prefer a vinegar and water solution. Many opt for a scraper and water, or even a specialist window spray. For that mind-bogglingly perfect shine, however, the top tip is to turn off any lights in the evening, close the doors, and use a torch or your phone to inspect for any remaining streaks that you've missed.

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