Spring Clean Your Living Room: A Step-by-Step Guide

Whether your living room is a formal space reserved for guests or the warm heart of the home where the family gathers to watch TV, it deserves a thorough deep cleaning to remove accumulated dust and dirt. This is my Living Room Spring Cleaning Guide.

I’m a big fan of consistent weekly cleaning, but even so, a thorough deep clean helps tackle those hidden spots where dust and grime accumulate. If you’re ready to give your living room a once over, follow the steps below. Alternatively, if you want to skip the scroll, grab the printable Living room cleaning spring checklist in the shop.

Steps to spring cleaning your living room

Supplies you will need

Before you start, make sure you stock up on your favorite cleaners to avoid “side searches” in the store. Low? Check out my favorite homemade cleaning recipes.

• Cleaning Solutions: Liquid dish soap, hot water, window cleaner, furniture polish and floor cleaner.
• Equipment: A long-handled duster, microfibre cloths, a ladder, a clean broom and a vacuum cleaner with upholstery, dusting and crevice parts.
• Organization: Three bags or boxes labeled “Return”, “Donate” and “Cash”.

Step 1: Prepare and fill the room

Start by opening the windows to let in light and fresh air.

• Window treatments: Remove curtains or drapes. Check the care labels — many can be washed at home, while others may need a trip to the dry cleaners or a five-minute tumble in the dryer on a no-heat setting to remove dust.
• Clean the walls: Remove artwork, photos and walls. Dust the front and back of each item and set aside.
• Clutter Sort: Work your way around the room to pick up items belonging to other rooms (place in “Elsewhere“box), collect unwanted items for charity (“Offer“), and pick up all trash and old magazines from surfaces and under furniture (“Junk“).

Step 2: Clean from top to bottom

Always work from the ceiling down so that falling dust does not stain surfaces you have already cleaned. First, pull all furniture away from the walls so you can access the space behind it. Get an assistant if needed to avoid injury.

• High surfaces: Use a long-handled duster for the ceiling, corners and ceiling fan. If it’s really dirty, try sliding a pillow case over the fan blades and sliding it back and forth to trap the dust inside, then shake it out.
• Walls and cladding: Dust the walls, window sills, door trim and baseboards. Use warm, soapy water and a microfiber cloth to wipe up wall stains and dirty uniforms.
• Work of art: Dust and polish the glass on your photos and artwork before returning them to the walls.

Step 3: Refresh the soft furnishings

Fabric surfaces collect major allergens, pet hair, and even greasy soil. So, now that you have cleaned the structure of the room, it is time to remove the dust and debris from the fabrics of the room.

• Pillows: Take the sofa and chair cushions outside and give them a good sweep with a broom or beat them together to remove the dust. Let them air out in a sunny place to eliminate odors and mold spores. If your sofa looks dirty, I have guides how to deep clean fabric sofas and how to clean leather and faux leather sofasalso.
• Vacuuming: Use the upholstery attachment of the vacuum cleaner on the sofa and chairs, including the sides and sides. Go to the crack tool for corners and cracks.
• Rinse: Check the care labels on blankets and pillowcases. Many are washable, so follow label directions. No label? Test the fabric on a hidden area. If it’s colorfast, use a little liquid dish soap in cool water or a special upholstery spray to spot clean stains.

Step 4: Clean and refresh the furniture

Starting at the door and moving to the left, remove each object from horizontal dust surfaces thoroughly.

• Surface dusting: Dust the front, back and sides of tables, as well as items and electronics. Don’t forget to dust off the wires and bulbs (make sure the bulbs are cool first!).
• Lampshade: Use the vacuum cleaner’s dust brush attachment to clean fabric lampshades.
• TLC wood: If your wooden furniture has a sticky buildup of old spray paint, scrub it with equal parts warm white vinegar and water with a drop of dish soap. Check for and fill any scratches before applying a new coat of furniture polish to make the wood shine.

Step 5: Make it shine

• Windows and glass: Use glass cleaner and a fresh microfiber cloth to clean the inside of your windows and any other glass surfaces in the room.
• Final polishing: Polish any remaining shiny surfaces and re-hang your clean curtains.

Step 6: Clean the floor

• Baseboards: To save your back, use a wet mop and a spray bottle of all-purpose cleaner to give the boards a final wipe down.
• Carpets: Vacuum the area rugs, then turn them over and vacuum the backs to remove dirt. Roll them up to clean the floor underneath.
• Hard floors/carpet: Use the crevice tool of the vacuum cleaner at the base of walls and heavy furniture. Sweep or mop the main floor surface, moving small or occasional furniture as needed.

Finishing touches

Once the floors are dry, move the furniture back and replace the rugs and cushions. Straighten your books and magazines and arrange your blankets.

Finally, empty your boxes: leave the “Other” items, drop the “Donate” box to a charity and throw away the trash. Now that the hard work is done, take a well-deserved nap on your clean and comfortable sofa!

Get the printable checklist

Save yourself the effort of scrolling with my Living Room Spring Cleaning Checklist. It’s accessible on any device, or you can print it out and review the steps as you go!