Who decided spring cleaning is just for springtime? If you've been craving a mid-winter refresh, it’s never too early to get a head start on your seasonal deep clean.
Plus, if you hosted any holiday get-togethers or family from out of town, your home might need a bit of a reset—especially the living room, which gets some extra action during the wintertime.
Keep reading for the ultimate living room cleaning checklist!
The Ultimate Living Room Cleaning Checklist
Clean Upholstery
Let’s begin with one of the more high-traffic areas of your living room: the sofa. Depending on your type of couch, you have a few options.
For sofas with removable cushion covers, start by reading the care label for specific instructions (here’s how to decipher laundry symbols). If you have the green light to machine wash, simply vacuum up any extra debris, remove the covers, and run them through a gentle cycle.
Pro-Tip: if you want to knock them all out in one go, you’ll save a ton of time by going to a laundromat. Here are some tips on finding a good laundromat in your area, or you can search ‘laundromat in Thornton’ to locate our WaveMAX.
As for drying, always opt for air drying over machine drying. You don’t want to risk any shrinking!
For sofas where you can’t remove the covers, you can still get a good clean with a DIY cleaning spray. Start by vacuuming the surfaces, then head to the kitchen to make your spray:
For fabric upholstery: mix ¼ cup of vinegar, ¾ cup of warm water, and 1 tablespoon of dish or Castile soap.
For synthetic upholstery: mix ½ cup of vinegar, 1 cup of warm water, and ½ tablespoon of dish or Castile soap.
For leather upholstery: mix ½ olive oil and ⅓ cup of vinegar.
Mist your sofa with your new spray and let it air dry! Click here for more tips on DIY stain removal sprays.
Wash Walls
Many people overlook their walls during deep cleaning, but like any other surface in your home, they need to be disinfected regularly.
Don’t worry, you already have everything you need for this one! Simply:
Prep the living room by dusting walls and laying down drop cloths or towels
Fill a bucket with clean water
Fill a bowl with warm water and a few drops of dish soap
Use a fresh sponge or microfiber cloth to wash with the soap solution
After washing, use another fresh sponge or cloth to rinse the walls with clean water
Although tedious, this chore can go a long way toward achieving that spring-clean feeling.
Freshen Up Area Rugs
Area rugs are magnets for dirt, spills, dander, and whatever else makes its way through your living room. We’ve already covered specific problems like how to clean wine stains, but what about a general deep clean?
There are many ways to do this, but you should always start by reading the care label.
For most woven area rugs, you can follow these steps:
Vacuum the rug twice: once on top, then once flipped upside down
If you have a backyard, take it outside and gently hose it
Apply a carpet shampoo (based on the care label)
Use a sturdy brush to scrub the rug
Rinse with the hose until the water runs clear
Hang it up to dry
Of course, there’s always another option: leaving it to the pros. Click here to learn more about WaveMAX’s dry cleaning services in the Denver metro area!
Wash Throw Pillow and Covers
With the rug and sofa out of the way, you can move on to smaller details like throw pillows. When was the last time you gave those some TLC?
Like with upholstery, you can clean throw pillow covers by tossing them in the wash (after reading the care label, of course).
But that’s not the only thing you can clean. You can wash the pillow itself, too! In fact, most pillows are easier to wash than you’d think. Down, feather, and polyester pillows are usually machine washable, depending on the care label’s guidance.
Read this blog for more details on pillow washing!
Clean Windows—Both Sides!
After a stormy fall and winter, your windows probably aren’t the cleanest things in the world. This next step is simple: as well as cleaning the inside of your living room windows, head outdoors to clean the other side.
Pro-Tip: check the weather. If a storm is in the forecast, wait until clearer skies for this one!
Launder Curtains and Drapes
It’s easy to overlook curtains on your cleaning checklist, but like sofas and rugs, they can harbor a lot of debris.
You know by now to check the care label first. But even if they’re machine or hand-washable, it’s also important to start with a spot test. Curtains and drapes are important for decor, and you should know up front if the color will be impacted!
Here’s how to spot test:
Mix warm water and gentle detergent in a small bowl
Find a small, hidden corner of your curtains
Place that corner in the bowl for a few minutes
Watch for color bleeding as it soaks. Once it’s dry again, double-check that there’s no color change.
Disinfect Surfaces, Including Hidden Ones!
You likely dust and disinfect living room surfaces on a regular basis. But while you’re in the spring clean mindset, you can take things a step further by cleaning:
The insides of drawers and cabinets
The tops of ceiling fans and tall furniture
Picture frames, both on the wall and side tables
Electronics like wires, screens, speakers, and remotes
You know what they say—the devil’s in the details.
Happy mid-winter spring cleaning, everyone! As always, WaveMAX is here to help with any wash and fold and dry cleaning needs. You can find us by searching WaveMAX laundry near me or by visiting our website.
