Where to Start Cleaning Your House

Cleaning your whole house can feel overwhelming, especially when you look around and see everything that needs to be done at once. The good news is that you don’t have to clean everything at the same time. Knowing where to start can make cleaning your house much easier.

If you’re wondering how to clean your house when you don’t know where to begin, start with a plan. Pick up clutter first, work from top to bottom, clean one area at a time, and save the floors for last. You don’t need a complicated system or dozens of cleaning products. A sensible order can make a big difference.

Start With Clutter

Before you start spraying and scrubbing, put things back where they belong.

Pick up:

• Clothes and shoes
• Toys
• Books and papers
• Dishes and glasses
• Items left on counters and tables
• Trash and recycling
• Anything that has been left in the wrong room

This step makes the actual cleaning much easier because you’re no longer trying to clean around piles of stuff.

You don’t have to organize your entire house before you clean it, either. If something needs more attention later, put it aside and keep moving.

Clean From Top to Bottom

One of the simplest cleaning rules is to clean from top to bottom.

Dust and debris fall downward as you clean, so start with higher surfaces and work your way down.

For example:

1. Ceiling fans and light fixtures
2. High shelves and furniture
3. Countertops and tables
4. Other horizontal surfaces
5. Lower furniture and baseboards
6. Floors

This prevents you from cleaning the same area twice.

Work From Dry to Wet

When possible, do dry cleaning before wet cleaning.

Dust, vacuum or otherwise remove loose dirt before you start wiping surfaces with a cleaning solution. For example, vacuuming a floor before mopping removes loose dirt that would otherwise get pushed around by the mop.

The same idea applies to dusting. Remove loose dust and debris before using a damp cloth when appropriate.

Clean One Room or Area at a Time

If your house needs a lot of attention, you may be tempted to start cleaning everything at once. That can leave you with half-cleaned rooms everywhere.

Instead, choose a room or area and finish the basic cleaning before moving on.

A simple order might be:

• Bedrooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Living and family rooms
• Other areas of the house
• Floors throughout the house

There isn’t one perfect order for every home. If your kitchen needs attention first or your bathroom is the biggest problem, start there.

The goal is to create a system that keeps you moving instead of making cleaning feel like an endless project.

Clean the Kitchen and Bathroom Carefully

Kitchens and bathrooms often require more than simple dusting.

In the kitchen, clean areas such as:

• Countertops
• Sink and faucet
• Stovetop
• Appliance surfaces
• Cabinet fronts when needed
• Dining table and chairs
• Floor

In the bathroom, pay attention to:

• Sink and faucet
• Countertops
• Toilet
• Shower or tub
• Mirrors
• Frequently touched surfaces
• Floor

You don’t necessarily need to disinfect every surface in your house every time you clean. Regular cleaning removes dirt and many germs from surfaces. Disinfection is a separate step that may be appropriate in certain situations.

Save the Floors for Last

Floors are usually one of the last things that should be cleaned.

Once you’ve dusted, wiped surfaces and finished other cleaning tasks, vacuum or sweep up the dirt that has fallen to the floor. Then mop hard-surface floors when needed.

This is especially important when you’re doing a more thorough house cleaning. There isn’t much point in getting the floor perfectly clean and then covering it with dust and crumbs from the rest of the house.

Don’t Try to Do Everything in One Day

If your house hasn’t been cleaned in a while, don’t feel like you have to turn it into a marathon cleaning session.

Start with the things that make the biggest difference.

Get the clutter under control. Clean the kitchen and bathrooms. Dust and vacuum the main living areas. Then tackle the less urgent jobs when you have time.

Regular maintenance becomes much easier once you get the house back to a manageable starting point.

What If Your House Is Really Dirty?

If you’re starting with a house that has accumulated a lot of dirt, clutter or neglected cleaning, you may need to change the approach.

Don’t worry about making everything perfect at once.

Start with the basics:

1. Remove trash.
2. Pick up clutter.
3. Put things where they belong.
4. Clear surfaces.
5. Dust from top to bottom.
6. Clean the kitchen and bathrooms.
7. Vacuum or sweep.
8. Mop hard floors when needed.
9. Go back for the details.

Once the basic cleaning is finished, you can work on deeper cleaning tasks such as baseboards, light fixtures, inside appliances, windows and other areas that don’t need attention every time you clean.

How to Clean Your House: Where Do You Start?

The best place to start cleaning your house is usually with clutter and a plan. Once things are picked up, work from top to bottom, clean dry debris before wet cleaning when appropriate, finish one area at a time, and leave the floors until the end.

You don’t need to make cleaning complicated. A simple routine that you can actually follow is better than a perfect cleaning plan that you never use.

Related Articles in the How to Clean Your House Series

Cleaning Your House Room by Room