How to Clean a Living Room

A living room, similar and often synonymous to a family room, is a more formal sitting area for entertaining guests. The casual, no-frills activities are often reserved for the family room whereas the living room is used for quieter activities and formal conversations. A clean and organized living room is essential to create a lasting impression in the minds of your guests.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Washcloths
• Long-handled broom
• Vacuum cleaner
• Plain water
• Baking soda
• Carpet cleaner
• Glass and hard surface cleaner
• Disinfectant floor cleaner for uncarpeted area
• Spot stain remover
• Disinfecting 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, step ladder, disinfectant wipes, 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 all the surfaces including electronics, entertainment center, books and bookshelves, blinds, picture frames and photographs, windowsills and ledges, and tops of door frames.

4. Use a long brush to remove cobwebs from the corners of the walls.

5. Wipe glass and hard surfaces such as window panes, tabletops and frames with cleaner meant for that purpose. Use a non-abrasive cleaner.

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

7. Gently wipe the furniture with a mild furniture polish. Wipe the area with a dry cloth. Work on a small area at a time.

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

9. 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.

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

11. Vacuum the upholstery including sofa, couches and cushions. Vacuum the rugs and carpet.

12. Use spot stain remover to get rid of tough stains from the carpet or rug.

13. Mop the uncarpeted area with a floor disinfectant.

14. Organize the living room by rearranging objects on shelves and side tables.

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

16. Throw away old newspapers and magazines.

Tips & Warnings

• When vacuuming, move the vacuum back and forth in an orderly manner around the room. Do not be all over the place; you will miss areas. Begin on one wall and start vacuuming in strips, back and forth, as far as you can comfortably reach. Move across the room, and then come back so that you overlap your previous area.
• Be careful when cleaning silver objects or objects with silver plating. If you are unsure, use a soft cloth moistened with plain water to lightly scrub the silver object. Silver is a very delicate metal, prone to scratches and discoloration.