“I vacuum my way out the bedrooms, down the stairs, through the living room and out of the house,” Romero says. Focus on completing one chore, such as dusting, throughout the entire house before starting the next activity. Devote one bucket or caddy to carry around the house with you while you clean, suggests Wendy Silberstein, professional organizer and founder of The Aesthetic Organizer. Create a designated cleaning station with all your cleaning supplies and products in one place. This ensures that you have everything you need within easy reach while cleaning. While there’s no right or wrong way to clean, there are ways to make the cleaning process more efficient.

Then treat stains with a one-to-five ratio of distilled water to hydrogen peroxide. If your carpet is in particularly bad shape, look into purchasing a steam cleaner from your local hardware store. You can also hire a professional service that can knock out all carpeted rooms in your house in a single visit. Microfiber rags will pick up more dust than regular cotton ones.

Tough, burned on stains can be removed with a razor-edge scraper. For induction cooktops, you can use the same vinegar and baking soda combination, but use a soft cleaning cloth instead of a scrubber. Next, move onto your windows and mirrors (use glass cleaner or make your own)—and don’t forget about glass fixtures.

Bedroom

The following mostly need deep cleaning and can take long hours. More time will need to be spent if what needs to clean has more dirt since these are rarely cleaned in a month.

Floor to ceiling

You’ll need a collection of cleaning supplies to get the job done right. Below are simple methods to clean everything from the floors, bathroom, refrigerator, and more. Read more about cleaning service here. A general rule for cleaning any room is “start high, finish low,” since dust and dirt will fall to the floor as you clean. Use a dust wand or vacuum extension to clean the ceiling, particularly the corners, ceiling fans, and above and under any cabinets. Then dust the cabinets themselves, countertops, tables and any other furniture. Clean any lighting fixtures in these spaces and replace any blown-out bulbs before you start dusting. “Wipe down walls, baseboards, windowsills, and window treatments,” Doss says, adding that you’ll need to finish by vacuuming carpets, hard floors, and any furniture.

Easy Oven Roasted Bell Peppers

The disinfectant will attack germs in places like inside the toilet or on the kitchen counter. And the window cleaner is formulated to make sure that it doesn’t leave streaks or deposits. If the area isn’t too bad, you can use the spray bottle and a cloth scrubber or sponge.

It’s also important to wipe off baseboards and clean fingerprints from light switches, railings, doorknobs, cabinet hardware, and appliances. Use a good scrub brush or scrub mop to clean the walls, floor, corners, door, water guard on door, and grout between tiles in the bathtub/shower. Use a soft sponge or brush to clean the fixtures (shower head, handles, and tub spout), so as not to scratch them. “[They are] great to have as opposed to having many different chemicals under your sink which can lead to clutter,” she points out.