After your kitchen, your living room is probably the most used room in your home. And as we start a new year, wouldn’t it be nice to also smarten up our living rooms? Nothing too dramatic like a full makeover, but rather a deep clean to start the year off fresh.
Even if you do clean your living room regularly, a spring clean will help ensure no area is overlooked, while also giving you an opportunity to deep clean curtains, rugs, and your sofas. This is something that should happen twice a year, but all too easily slips our minds.
If you’ve never tackled a task like this before, the tips below will guide you through a thorough spring cleaning of your living room, revitalising your decor, and leaving you excited to entertain guests again.
Deep Clean Your Sofas
Begin by vacuuming every inch of your sofas, removing all loose cushions, and using the proper vacuum nozzles to get into every nook and cranny. Although it sounds a little old-fashioned, taking the loose cushions outside and beating them with a stick is still very effective in dislodging any embedded dust.
For fabric covered sofas, get a professional upholstery cleaner in every 1-2 years to ‘wash’ your sofas. You could do this yourself, but a professional cleaner won’t only have stronger equipment, they will also know the best methods to follow. If you are using a slipcover and throw pillows, check the manufacturer’s care instructions, and if allowed, throw them into your washing machine twice a year.
For leather sofas, refrain from using store bought cleaners, which could damage the leather over time. Mix a few drops of mild liquid soap with distilled water, and use this with a soft cloth to wipe down the leather and loosen dirt. Finish it off by wiping down with a soft, dry cloth, and treating with a leather protector/conditioner twice a year.
Buff any wooden or metal trims on your sofa, including the feet. And finally, either rotate the cushions, or reposition your sofas to even out wear and tear.
Clean the Windows and Window Treatments
Wash store bought curtains according to the manufacturer’s instructions, but hire a professional to clean heavier drapes and blinds. Dust and wipe down the window frames and sills, and clean the inside of the windows.
Dust Everywhere
Do a more intense dusting than your normally do, paying close attention to the ceiling, corners, electrical outlets, vents, and fans. Use a damp cloth to clean any areas that still appear dirty after dusting, again not neglecting electrical outlets, vents, and fans. Ceiling fans are particularly good at attracting dirt, which is also usually well hidden.
Unplug all electrical equipment before cleaning them, wiping down the cords too, and checking for any fraying of electrical wires. Err on the side of caution by using mild cleaning aids to wipe down photographs, art, and other decorative items in your living room.
This is also a great opportunity for you to declutter your living room. Thin out any collections of magazines and books you have in your living room, along with excess – or outdated – decorative items. Donate them to a local charity instead of dumping them in the trash.
Clean the Lights and Lampshades
Use the dusting brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner to remove dirt from all lights and lampshades, being careful not to damage any of them in the process. Use a damp cloth to wipe clean afterwards, paying close attention to the inside of any light fittings and lampshades. Now would also be a good time to replace any bulbs that have burnt out, or aren’t energy-efficient.
Finish With the Rugs and Carpet
Brighten up your carpets and rugs by having them steamed cleaned twice a year, first using a spot cleaner to treat lightly soiled areas. You can either rent carpet cleaning equipment and do this yourself, or hire a professional for a really intense clean.
Spring cleaning your living room twice a year doesn’t only help to keep your sofas and decor looking fresh, it’s also a great opportunity to declutter, and to move objects around, as your tastes in decor change. And doing this at the start of the year will also help you feel invigorated, and excited by any challenges that lie ahead.
