For new homeowners, the living room is soon to be of the most well-loved and often-used parts of your house! Whether you’re snuggling up for a movie night, working from home in your PJs, or tackling homework at the coffee table, this room will get lots of love.
To enjoy it to its full extent, it’s important to keep it clean and tidy. You don’t want to walk over piles of junk to get to your favorite recliner or side-step toys to find your spot on the couch.
Today, we’re sharing seven living room cleaning tips that can help you keep this spot in great shape, so it’s always ready for you to enjoy!
1. Get Rid of Clutter
The living room is one area in your home where clutter loves to hang out. While it’s normal for this room to stay a little lived-in, there are easy ways to corral all of the items so they don’t take up as much space.
One of the easiest hacks is to look for living room furniture that can pull double duty! For example, a storage ottoman can work beautifully as a footrest, but also opens up and gives you lots of space to stash blankets, board games, and toys.
If you have storage space around your television, make sure you’re using it to the fullest extent. You can also buy decorative baskets to keep similar items grouped together. These are stylish and look great sitting out in your living room, even if you are using them to store your kid’s LEGO collection!
2. Clean Your Curtains
Yes, it can be quite a chore to take down your curtains, wash and dry them, and put them back up. Yet, this is a task that you can’t afford to skip too often in your living room.
Dust and pet hair tend to accumulate on this fabric, which can aggregate your allergies. You don’t have to clean them all of the time, but every few months, read the instructions on the labels and give them a good wash.
Not only will you breathe easier, but you may be surprised to find that the curtains look brighter, fresher, and more vibrant, too! In between deep cleanings, remember to vacuum your curtains with the bristle attachment.
3. Freshen Up Your Rugs
Do you have a few throw rugs in your living room? One of our top cleaning tips is to take care of them as much as possible! If they’re small enough to fit in your washing machine, wash them according to the instructions.
Once a year, you can do a deeper clean on your bigger rugs. If you have an at-home carpet steamer, these work great on throw rugs. You can also rent one for the day, or hire a professional cleaning company to remove dust, stains, and deeper debris.
4. Treat Your Couch
If you allow your family members to eat in the living room, your couch has likely seen its fair share of spills and stains. From red wine to popcorn grease, these spots can be stubborn and difficult to remove.
Invest in a high-quality upholstery cleaner to give you peace of mind in the event of an accident. In addition, we also recommend treating a new sofa as soon as you put it in place! Covering it with a fabric protector is a good precaution, and can stop grime from penetrating too deeply into the fibers.
In addition to the initial application, remember to re-apply the protector every six months to keep it fresh. This makes cleanups much easier and less time-consuming.
5. Clean From Top to Bottom
About once a week, aim to give your living room a solid dusting. Instead of dry dusting with a rag or paper towel, use a damp microfiber cloth instead. Hold it by the corner and lightly spritz it with water.
Then, wet dust every surface, working from the top to the bottom. To be effective, go ahead and take everything off the shelves, instead of dusting around each decorative piece. As you work, don’t forget to also wipe down those easy-to-miss spots, including your window blinds, baseboards, light fixtures, and air-conditioning vents.
Leave your floors for last, mopping or vacuuming depending on the type of floor covering you have. Dust settles and will fall to the floor, so you’ll have to work twice as hard if you start there first.
6. Don’t Forget Ceilings and Fans
Nothing ruins a fresh and tidy living room like a super dusty ceiling fan or spiderwebs in the top corners. While these spots can be hard to reach, there are ways to make it easier.
Try wrapping a damp cloth around an extendable rod or dusting brush. You can also use a mop handle or an extendable vacuum hose to get into those hard-to-reach areas.
7. Wash Windows and Screens the Right Way
Windows bring natural light and ambiance into your living room. You can keep them shiny and streak-free by using a specially-designed squeegee and good-quality window cleaner.
If you have a sliding glass window or door, remember to clean the tracks. They can harbor gunk and grime, so wipe them down, too! While you’re shining surfaces, give your screens a once-over, too.
Use a soft duster and damp microfiber cloth to clean your TV screen, dusting the surface first to avoid getting the dust and grime wet. If you have framed pictures in the room, dust them first and then spray them with the window cleaner and dry them with paper towels.
Use These Living Room Cleaning Tips Today
You spend lots of sweet, quality time in your living room. It deserves to be the clean, relaxing haven you want it to be. With these living room cleaning tips, you’ll be well on your way toward creating your own personal oasis, right at home!
Want to get there even faster? Let our professional cleaning team do the work for you! We’re one of the top house cleaning companies in Kansas City, and we’re proud of the reputation we’ve built.
Ready to get started? Request a quote today to learn more!