How to Deep Clean Your Home
Most people know that it’s a lot easier to clean daily so that messes don’t get out of hand. But let’s face it, sometimes we forget about those areas of the home that require deep cleaning less often. It’s understandable since it’s not part of your routine.
How Often Should I Deep Clean?
The amount of time between deep cleanings depends on what you’re cleaning. For example, deep cleaning a garbage disposal is as simple as dropping a pod in your drain and running the disposal, which can be done quickly every week or so. However, deep cleaning a refrigerator takes a bit more effort and doesn’t require a weekly deep clean. The time intervals we suggest below are just a guide. Of course, if you enjoy cracking open your favorite beverage every Saturday night to give your refrigerator a deep clean, then more power to you.
Every couple of weeks to 3 months:
Clean the Cleaning Supplies
Make sure all the things you use to clean are, well, clean. For vacuums, check the bristles to make sure nothing got stuck. Make sure you clean your broom by removing any dust bunnies or pet hair that could have gotten stuck from previous chores. Throw out any broken or obsolete cleaning supplies, for example, feather dusters. They only move around dirt and dust and do very little for the cleaning process. Instead, use a microfiber cloth, which will collect the dirt and dust like a magnet.
Garbage Disposal:
As we mentioned above, you can eliminate odors and deep clean the inner workings of your garage disposal by using a CLR® Fresh & Clean Garbage Disposal pod once a week. The fast dissolving pod will safely remove odors from food waste residue leaving your disposal with a fresh CLEAN SCENT.
Coffee Pot:
Want a more enjoyable cup of coffee in the morning? A clean coffee pot may be the much-needed answer. Add a 50/50 mixture of CLR® Calcium, Lime, & Rust Remover and water to your coffee pot, swish and swirl vigorously with lid closed, then rinse thoroughly with cold water.
Stone Countertops and tile:
Over time, hard surfaces such as natural stones, marble, Corian®, can lose its original luster. CLR® Clean & Clear Stone is specially formulated to clean and protect against spills, food, and grime on a wide variety of hard surfaces. It cleans and protects in one step while restoring and maintaining the luster. To keep your stone surfaces well maintained, do not use abrasive cleaners.
Trash Cans:
It’s no secret that a smelly trash can is riddled with grime. You can keep the grime (and odor) at bay by spraying liberally with CLR® Brilliant Bath, let soak for a few minutes, then rinse and wipe clean.
Electronics:
We know how dirty the bottom of trash cans can get by the smell. But have you considered the tv remote, cell phones, tablets, or computer keyboards? Studies have shown that they can carry more bacteria than the average toilet bowl. For this reason, it’s a good idea to wipe these surfaces with a disinfectant wipes every week or so. For more tips on cleaning electronics, see “Tips to Clean and Organize your Home Office.”
Bathroom sink and Shower Doors:
CLR® Brilliant Bath is the only cleaner you need to deep clean your shower doors, sinks, and other bathroom surfaces. It removes hard water and soap scum residue off glass shower doors and bench in an acrylic shower with ease. View the video for a quick and easy way to clean a shower door. It also cleans hard water residue around your bathroom sink.
Bathtubs and tile:
Stubborn bathtub stains that won’t go away will only get worse. They can cause a beautiful bathroom to look bad, or make a bath or shower feel anything but refreshing. For more information on cleaning bathtub stains, see “How to Clean Bathtub Funk.” For mold and mildew stains, use CLR® Mold & Mildew Clear.
Toilet Brush holders:
Toilet brush holders can get nasty over time. Spray CLR® Briliant Bath into the base of the holder and let sit for a few minutes and rinse and wipe clean. TIP: Instead of putting the toilet brush back straight away after use, wash it thoroughly and set it down across the toilet seat to allow it to drip dry before putting it away. In this way, you prevent the build-up of mold, and your toilet brush lasts longer.
Every 4 to 6 months:
Refrigerator & Freezer:
It’s happened before; you reach into the back of the fridge only to find that your yogurt has developed its own culture. Once you take everything out, toss all the expired food and wipe down the walls and shelves with soap and water, then clean with CLR® Brilliant Bath. It’s part of the EPA’s Safer Choice Program, recognizing the product as a safer alternative to traditional chemicals.
Oven Racks:
The high-heat of the oven environment can make cleaning the grime that builds up on oven racks one of the toughest cleaning jobs in the home. CLR® Grease-Free, a fast-acting, powerful cleaner, formulated to dissolve baked-on grease and food residue quickly, can make the job easy. If you use your oven daily, you will want to clean them more often.
Stove hood:
Cooking on the stovetop can make for quite a mess on the surfaces above the stovetop. You may not realize how much grime can build up in just a few months. Use CLR® Grease-Free to quickly and easily clean even the toughest messes. Use CLR® Spot-Free Stainless Steel to make stainless steel surfaces shine like new.
Drains:
Over time, your drain pipes can slow, or even stop draining completely from clogs such as oil, soap scum, shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste, shaving cream, and kitchen waste. Keep drains running smoothly with CLR® Clear Pipes & Drains. It’s safe to use in any drain, like sinks, toilets, tubs, showers, garbage disposals, and grease traps. It’s also part of the EPA’s Safer Choice Program, recognizing the product as a safer alternative to traditional chemicals, and contains no phosphates and is Septic Safe.
Grocery Bags:
If you recycle those old grocery bags, you know a thing or two about keeping the earth green and clean. But what about the bags themselves? Sometimes packaged food isn’t sealed correctly, and it gets all over your bags. Continue saving the planet and keeping yourself healthy by rinsing them off and allowing them to dry.
Every 6 months to 1 year
Curtains/Drapes/Blinds:
Curtains are often overlooked during the cleaning process even though they collect quite a bit of dust. Luckily, it isn’t too difficult to clean up. Usually, all it takes is a quick vacuum with a brush attachment or a lightly damp cloth of warm water. Some drapes are even machine washable. Consult the manufacture’s guidelines. Wipe down blinds with a microfiber cloth and warm water.
Carpets/Rugs:
Before you hire a professional or rent a carpet shampooer, remove any stains that have gone unnoticed with CLR® Stain-Free Carpet, Floor and Fabric. It is a fast-acting and versatile, stubborn stain remover built to handle the toughest jobs, including spills from wine, blood, mud, pet urine, and more. It’s also part of the EPA’s Safer Choice Program recognizing the product as a safer alternative to traditional chemicals
Patio Furniture:
Nature can leave a mess on your outdoor chairs, tables, and loungers. Even if they’ve been in storage, you may find them caked with dirt, cobwebs, and grease. Get rid of the mess quick and easy with CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner. It’s specially formulated to remove outdoor dirt and grime quickly and easily. Safe to use on all outdoor furniture, including cushions, awnings, children’s play equipment, and more. For more details, see “Tips and Tools for Outdoor Spring Cleaning.”
Lawn Sprinklers:
Water flow from sprinklers can be hampered due to a build-up of calcium or rust. As a result, water is unable to spread evenly on the lawn causing green patches and brown grass while flooding other areas. For step-by-step instructions, see “Remove Hard Water Deposit from Lawn Sprinkers”.
Exterior Windows:
Rain, dirt, pollen, and the like, can ruin even the best views. The best way to clean the exterior windows of your house is with a 50/50 mix of CLR® Calcium, Lime, and Rust Remover and water in a clean bucket. Using a damp sponge, wipe the glass clean, wait 2 minutes, and remove the product using a clean sponge or cloth and cold water. Then wipe dry and enjoy the view.
Dishwasher
To keep your dishwasher in best working order and avoid soap scum and hard water stains on your dishes, we recommend cleaning your dishwasher with CLR® Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover. It’s formulated to get rid of any calcium, lime, and rust deposits from inside washing machines—and even powder detergent than can clog your drain. Check out “How to Clean a Dishwater” for instructions.
Clothes Washer and Dryer:
Before you start noticing a musty smell after you’ve washed your clothes, clean your washer by pouring a 1/2 cup of CLR® Calcium, Lime, & Rust Remover in an empty washer (check website for use in a front loader and HE machines), then run a warm wash/cold rinse cycle, followed by a water-only rinse cycle. Maintaining a safe and efficient dryer takes more than just cleaning the lint filter. First, remove the door (usually only a few screws) and use your vacuum sweeper attachment with a hose extension to suck up the lint build-up around the drum and inside the lint filter tray. Washer and dryers operate in moist environments, which can cause mold to form, especially around the door seals. You can quickly remove tough surface mold and mildew stains with CLR® Mold & Mildew Clear.
For more helpful cleaning tips and how-to videos, please subscribe to our newsletter.