General cleaning is a responsible and large-scale event, the positive result of which affects the cleanliness and comfort of your home. And if we are used to systematically wash the floors and wipe the dust on the shelves, the general cleaning is a completely different set of measures, which includes more global actions. They must be carried out according to certain rules, so that the process is not associated with a tedious process, and took only a few hours.
Before you proceed to the general cleaning, you should understand what it is, what are the stages that are included in it and where, in fact, it is necessary to begin.
General cleaning of the apartment – what is it?
The general cleaning of the apartment is a complex of measures, aimed at removing all the accumulated dust and garbage in the house. It is carried out less frequently than usual, and, as a rule, according to the season. Especially convenient time for such measures is the beginning of autumn or the end of spring. The optimal frequency is once every six months.
Why is it necessary? The thing is that usually when we do wet or dry cleaning we do not think about how much debris can accumulate under furniture, inside cabinets, on windows, mirrors, radiators and other surfaces that we “can’t get to” or always run out of time. And it is the general cleaning that helps us keep order where our eyes do not fall.
In other words, general cleaning is the removal of everything that has accumulated over a long period of time: trash, dust, unnecessary things and other things that prevent us from enjoying a clean and shiny. In addition, such activities allow you to maintain safety in the room, because it is known that the accumulation of garbage and dust provoke allergic reactions in people living in the apartment, as well as “attract” dust mites, cockroaches, spiders, ants and other insects in the home.
What is included in the general cleaning of the apartment
In a general cleaning, it’s not enough just to wipe dust off surfaces and wash the floor. This includes:
- Washing mirrors and windows, window sills, soffits, and washing curtains and drapes.
- Cleaning heating radiators and the space behind them.
- Removing cobwebs from walls and ceilings.
- Washing chandeliers, table lamps, floor lamps, switches and outlets.
- Treatment and disinfection of all surfaces in the bathroom and toilet, including not only the plumbing, but also the walls.
- Complete kitchen cleaning. This includes cleaning of all surfaces from grease: the kitchen stove, oven, microwave, hood, appliances, working “apron”, treatment of the kitchen set, the refrigerator. This is the most difficult stage of general cleaning, because the kitchen alone takes a lot of time.
- Cleaning of upholstered furniture and carpeting.
- Polishing of doors, both interior and exterior.
- Finally, cleaning the floor.
In fact, this is not the whole list of works that are needed in a general cleaning. Everyone decides for himself what he needs to do to achieve perfect cleanliness in the house.
What to start a general cleaning in the apartment?
Before you start a general cleaning, it is better to make a plan of actions and follow this order. This way you will be easier to orient and you will not forget anything. The standard order of events looks like this:
Windows
Clean the windows from the inside and outside. Clean all the mirrors in the apartment. At this same stage, you should remove all window decor and run a wash. This can also include washing other textiles: tablecloths, bedspreads, towels, cloth napkins. By the time you finish cleaning, the laundry cycle is over and you will only have to hang the washed items.
Kitchen
When cleaning the kitchen, the following plan should guide you:
- Turn off the refrigerator so it defrosts;
- Remove cobwebs from the walls and ceiling, wipe surfaces with a damp sponge;
- empty the kitchen shelves of all items and wipe them down with disinfectant on all sides, including the outer walls;
- Check the condition of the croup: if there are gnats, put them in the trash;
- Wipe dust off light fixtures and lamps;
- clean grease from the kitchen stove, oven, and microwave;
- wash the garbage can and the space under the sink;
- Clean the sink itself with antiseptic cleaners;
- wipe down the heating radiators and pipes;
- clean the refrigerator;
- vacuum;
- use a damp sponge to clean the baseboards;
- mop the floor.
At the end of your cleaning, you should not have a single surface or corner of your kitchen that you haven’t cleaned. If there is any large furniture in the kitchen, you will have to move it out and remove any dust that has accumulated under it.
Bedroom
First of all, put your closets in order. Get rid of everything you do not need. This applies to things that you will not wear anymore or that have long fallen into disrepair. Do not spare to send a torn blouse or a faded sweater to the trash – you will not feel worse from this, and the space on the shelves will greatly expand.
Next, the plan of action is as follows:
- Clean the walls and ceiling;
- Knock out the mattress and pillows;
- Wipe down all furniture and lighting fixtures;
- don’t forget the outlets and switches;
- vacuuming, not forgetting the space under the bed, cabinets, and nightstands;
- Clean baseboards and floors.
The bedroom is a place for rest and relaxation, so it should always be tidy. In order to kill bacteria and germs, add a disinfectant solution to the floor cleaning water.
Living Room
The order here is the same as in the bedroom. The only exceptions are the cleaning of upholstered furniture and carpets. To do this, you can use a washing vacuum cleaner or steam generator, if these are available in the arsenal of the hostess.
If there is a bookcase in the living room, it should be freed and wiped with a slightly damp sponge all the books and shelves. If there are indoor plants, they also need to be treated with clean water from dust. A spray bottle may be helpful.
Finish general cleaning in the living room should be the same – vacuuming and washing the flooring.
Bathroom and vanity.
Clear all shelves from cans, tubes, and bottles. Put them in a basin and rinse with warm, clean water. Then clean and wash the walls: Older stains on tile work great with glass cleaner. Do not forget about the inter-tile joints, they also need to be washed with disinfectants.
Next, wipe all the cabinets, shelves and put back cosmetics.
Clean the toilet bowl, sink, and tub. Treat the faucets and shower head. Clean the floor.
Hallway
It’s pretty simple here. Put away shoes that are out of season. Wipe the shoe shelves clean of dirt and dust. Wipe out the rug. Vacuum and wash the floor. Wipe the front door with a damp sponge. Check the locks and mechanism. If it squeaks, lubricate with a special impregnation.
As you can see, the general cleaning of the apartment does not include any complex activities. We do all this on a regular basis, but in this case we need to take a more global approach to the process of removing the dirt. To make the time pass more interesting and fast, involve your relatives in the process, and then the cleaning will pass painlessly for you.