How to clean a living room

Cleaning your home not only leaves you with a lovely smelling and ordered environment, it also makes you feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment,’ says psychologist Emma Kenny. ‘Cleaning is a type of informal mindful practice that has the power to create a mental state of flow which is excellent for wellbeing.

1. Gather Supplies

Getting everything you need gathered together before you start not only saves time, but it also helps get your head in the game for a serious scrubbing session. The main items required when asking how to clean a living room are:

Two or three clean microfiber cloths 

Furniture polish or wax

Window cleaner or vinegar/water solution and newspaper

A feather duster and radiator duster, if available

Vacuum cleaner plus upholstery and nozzle attachments

Upholstery stain remover and carpet shampoo appliance, if available

Mop and bucket for hard floors, if required

A small stepladder or sturdy chair can also be helpful for reaching the tops of bookcases, molding and picture rails. ‘Once you’re ready to get to work, open windows to freshen the room and reduce the dusty air as you clean,’ advises Sarah Dempsey, cleaning expert at MyJobQuote. 

2. Tidy Up Before Cleaning A Living Room

It may sound obvious, but your living room will be much easier to clean once couches and surfaces have been decluttered. Return all errant objects that shouldn’t be in there to their rightful homes and straighten up bookshelves and coffee tables. 

Gather throws and either neatly fold or put in the laundry room for washing later. Washing woollen blankets and throws in the machine can be possible, but do check the care label first. Inspect throw pillow covers to see if they can be machine washed, too. 

3. Get Dusting

Dry dusting with a soft cloth or feather duster is perfect for hard-to-reach areas like cornices, picture rails, curtain rods and high shelves when cleaning a living room. You can also buy special dusters for getting behind and around radiators – we like the Konex dryer vent and refrigerator coil brush, sold on Amazon, which works on radiators, too. 

Always dust your living room from the top down to avoid sullying surfaces you’ve already done. Next switch to a damp microfiber cloth, which will remove more dust and is better on hard surfaces like baseboards, picture frames, doorframes and coffee tables. 

Be particularly careful when cleaning a television screen. Use a fresh microfiber cloth and gently wipe the screen in an up and down motion, not circular. If there are some stubborn marks, very lightly moisten the cloth and go over again. Never spray water or cleaning products directly on to the screen. 

Some wood furniture, particularly antique, will benefit from furniture polish or wax, which is designed to feed the timber and protect against moisture. Read the instructions on the can/tin carefully and get advice from a furniture maker or restorer if you’re unsure. Always do a spot test somewhere discreet if you are using a new product for the first time. 

4. Clean The Windows And Mirrors

Buffing up your windows and mirrors to a high shine is an important part of cleaning a living room. You can use a general glass cleaning spray, but we prefer to clean with vinegar, as it is both natural and inexpensive. 

To clean windows without streaks or to clean a mirror, simply mix equal parts of white vinegar and hot water and add a splash of liquid soap to help remove any streaks. Put your mixture into an empty spray bottle with a fine spray and spritz the glass lightly all over, taking care not to overdo it. Then grab a sheet or two of old newspaper, scrunch it up and rub the glass in circular motions until it’s clean and streak free. 

Don’t forget to include the glass in your wood stove, if applicable (leave-on foam oven cleaner is particularly effective for removing burned on grime), as well as glass picture frames, glass lampshades and any vases or coasters made from glass. 

5. Tackle Window Treatments

‘You open and close your curtains and blinds every day, so you may be surprised by how much dust has gathered. Handheld vacuums are a good way to clean curtains, rods and pelmets without having to take them down,’ says window care expert Rachel Fernie of Hillarys. Any major stains or marks may require a trip to the dry cleaners. 

Clean blinds according to type. A vacuum cleaner can be used first on some, then use a microfiber cloth. If they are shutters or horizontal blinds, close them first in one direction and clean from left to right; then twist or pull the cord to close them in the opposite direction and repeat. You may need to wash the cloth clean several times as you go.