Deep Cleaning Checklist Printable

What’s on this deep cleaning checklist

This isn’t a vague “clean the house” list. It’s a room-by-room breakdown with specific, checkable tasks. Each section tells you exactly what “done” looks like.

The kitchen covers appliances (fridge interior, oven, microwave), counters, backsplash, sink, cabinet fronts, and floor. The bathroom breaks down toilet, shower/tub, sink, vanity, mirror, baseboards, and floor. Bedrooms include under-bed, dusting, bedding, and floors. Living areas cover dusting, upholstery, under furniture, and floors.

How to use this checklist — 3 real scenarios

Scenario 1: Spring cleaning weekend

You block Saturday and Sunday. Saturday morning: full kitchen clean — inside fridge, oven, microwave, everything. Saturday afternoon: both bathrooms. Sunday morning: all bedrooms. Sunday afternoon: living room, dining room, floors throughout. The room-by-room format lets you take breaks between zones. You finish with a genuinely deep-cleaned home.

Scenario 2: Pre-holiday deep clean

Guests arrive in two weeks. You tackle one room per evening: Monday kitchen, Tuesday living room, Wednesday guest bathroom, Thursday guest bedroom, Friday catch-up. The checklist ensures nothing gets forgotten. By the time company comes, every high-visibility area is done.

Scenario 3: Move-out cleaning for rental

You’re leaving your apartment and want the security deposit back. The checklist covers what landlords typically inspect — inside appliances, behind toilets, baseboards. Work room by room, check each item, document with photos. No surprises at the final walkthrough.

Example fill-out

Kitchen: Wipe fridge inside, clean oven interior, scrub microwave, wipe counters and backsplash, clean sink, wipe cabinet fronts, mop floor.

Bathroom: Toilet bowl/tank/base, shower walls and doors, sink and vanity, mirror, baseboards, mop floor.

Bedroom: Clear under bed, dust all surfaces, wash bedding, vacuum, wipe windowsills.

Living: Dust all surfaces, vacuum upholstery, vacuum under furniture, wipe baseboards, mop or vacuum floor.

Check off each item as you complete it. The checkboxes create visible progress and prevent skipping steps.

Common mistakes (and how to fix them)

1. Starting without supplies. Gather spray cleaner, microfiber cloths, mop, vacuum, scrub brush before you start. Mid-clean store runs kill momentum.

2. Ignoring top-to-bottom order. Dust falls down. Clean high surfaces first — dust ceiling fans, tops of cabinets — then work down. Otherwise you’ll re-clean.

3. Skipping hidden areas. Baseboards, under furniture, inside microwave. These separate surface clean from deep clean. The checklist includes them — use it.

4. Doing the whole house in one exhausted session. Break it up. One room per day or one floor per weekend. Tired cleaning means cutting corners.

5. Forgetting fabrics. Wash bedding and curtains as part of the deep clean. Add them to your list if they’re not there.

Customization tips

Add room-specific tasks: Ceiling fans in bedrooms, light switches in high-touch areas. The printable has space for notes.

Pair with Cleaning Schedule: Deep clean quarterly with this checklist, maintain weekly with our Cleaning Schedule.

Laminate for reuse: Print once, laminate, use dry-erase marker. Wipe clean for the next cycle.