How to Clean a Family Room

A family room is an informal living area where family, friends and close relatives usually gather to chat, watch television, have informal meals and basically just hang out casually. Dust and prep your family room on a daily basis to keep it tidy and organized. Follow these steps to thoroughly clean your family room:

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Washcloths
• Vacuum cleaner
• Long-handled broom
• Plain water
• Baking soda
• Carpet cleaner
• Glass and hard surface cleaner
• Disinfectant floor cleaner for uncarpeted area
• Spot stain remover
• Disinfectant wipes
• Old t-shirt
• Step ladder
• Duster
• Furniture polish/cleaner

1. Gather your cleaning supplies. You’ll need glass and hard surface cleaner, furniture polish/cleaner, duster, disinfectant wipes, step ladder, long-handled broom, washcloths, vacuum cleaner, carpet cleaner, spot stain remover and disinfectant floor cleaner for uncarpeted area.

2. Climb on the step ladder with a long-handled broom and clean the corners and ceiling. Also clean the ceiling fan.

3. Dust the furniture and vacuum the sofa, couches and cushions.

4. Wipe down cabinets, tables, table tops and glass panels with glass and hard surface cleaner.

5. Replace the light bulbs if they are broken. Wipe the lamp accents with a damp cloth.

6. Use disinfecting wipes to clean phones, switch plates and door knobs.

7. Mix ¼ cup vinegar with a few drops of lemon oil to create an effective, homemade furniture polish. Fill up a spray bottle with this solution and use it to clean your polished furniture by wiping it with an old t-shirt. The vinegar will clean out the dirt and the lemon oil will ensure that the wood does not dry out.

8. Use specific cleaner to polish metal surfaces such as brass sculptures, chrome picture frames or silver artifacts. You can also use Worcestershire sauce or tamarind (available in Asian grocery stores) water to clean brass and baking soda to clean chrome.

9. Vacuum the carpet and rug. If the carpet is soiled or has tough stains, use a spot stain remover and saturate the area with the cleaning liquid.

10. Move the furniture around and vacuum the area thoroughly.

11. Organize the family room by rearranging objects on shelves and side tables.

12. Organize the entertainment center. For cleaning the entertainment center, go through related e-how.

13. Throw away old newspapers and magazines.

14. Fluff the pillows and fold the throws after use.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a good quality doormat to trap the dirt and grime.
• Sprinkle dry cornstarch or baking soda on a stain on the carpet or rug and repeatedly blot with a cloth soaked in solution made of equal parts vinegar and soapy water.
• Before undertaking any kind of cleaning, it is important to check silver objects for hallmarks or other identifying marks that will tell you if the object is sterling silver or silver plate. Always use gentle, non-abrasive products to clean silver. Wipe with a damp cloth, soaked in plain water if you don’t want to use any chemical on your silver object.