How to Clean a Living Room the Right Way

That Cleaning Girl · House Cleaning

The living room is where everyone ends up: movie nights, homework on the coffee table, the dog on the couch and snacks nobody admits to eating. It gets used constantly, so it gets dirty constantly, just in a less obvious way than the kitchen. If you've already tackled the bedrooms with How to Clean a Bedroom Fast (and Keep It That Way), the living room uses a lot of the same moves, plus a few of its own.

Do a ten-minute reset first

Before the real cleaning, get the room back to its baseline:

• Collect cups, plates and snack wrappers and take them to the kitchen.
• Return toys, shoes, chargers and blankets to where they live.
• Stack magazines and mail, or better yet, recycle what you don't need.
• Fold throws and line up the pillows.

A basket helps here. Toss everything that belongs in another room into it, then empty it at the end. You'll be surprised how much cleaner the room looks before you've even dusted.

Dust high, then low

Dust settles on every flat surface in a living room, and in North Texas it settles fast. Start at the top:

• Ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
• The tops of bookshelves, entertainment centers and door frames you can reach.
• Picture frames, wall art and decor.
• Shelves, mantel and side tables.
• Lamps, including the lampshades, which can be cleaned with a lint roller or a soft brush attachment.
• Window sills and the tops of baseboards.

Use a damp microfiber cloth for hard surfaces. For shelves full of knick-knacks, pick each item up, dust under it and put it back. It takes longer, but dusting around things leaves outlines that show.

Electronics and screens

TV screens and monitors scratch easily, so go gentle. Turn the screen off, then wipe it with a dry microfiber cloth in one direction. If there's a stubborn spot, lightly dampen the cloth with water. Never spray anything directly onto a screen, and skip paper towels, which can leave scratches and lint.

Dust behind and under the TV, where cords collect dust. Wipe game consoles, speakers and the cable box. And clean the remotes. They're some of the most handled objects in the house and rarely get wiped. A cloth with a little rubbing alcohol works well for the buttons.

Couches and upholstered chairs

Couches collect crumbs, pet hair, dust and spilled snacks. Pull off the cushions and vacuum underneath, getting into the creases with a crevice tool. Vacuum the cushions themselves with an upholstery attachment, front and back.

For pet hair, a damp rubber glove or a rubber pet hair brush pulls it off fabric much faster than a vacuum alone. For spots, check the cleaning code on the tag before using anything. Some fabrics are water-safe, some need solvent-based cleaners and some are vacuum only.

Leather couches just need a dry or slightly damp cloth for regular cleaning, plus a leather conditioner every few months so they don't dry out and crack in the Texas heat.

High-touch spots and glass

Wipe the things hands touch all day: light switches, door handles, the edges of tables, the arms of chairs and cabinet pulls on the entertainment center. Then clean glass surfaces, like coffee tables, display cabinets and the inside of the sliding door to the backyard, which usually has nose prints from kids and dogs.

Floors and rugs

Vacuum last, once all the dust has fallen. Move lightweight furniture like ottomans and side tables so you get the floor underneath. Go slowly over rugs, in overlapping passes, and use the crevice tool along the edges of the room and under the couch.

For hard floors, vacuum or dry mop first, then damp mop with a cleaner that suits your floor. Area rugs should be vacuumed on both sides every so often, since a lot of dirt sifts through to the floor beneath.

In homes where muddy shoes come in after a rain, the path from the door to the couch often needs a little extra attention.

Keeping it fresh between cleans

Living rooms stay nice with small habits. Do a quick pickup every evening before bed. Keep a basket for blankets and a bin for toys. Use coasters, so you're not chasing rings on the coffee table. Shake out throws once a week. And keep a lint roller in a drawer for quick pet hair touch-ups before guests come over.

Open the windows on cool spring and fall days if pollen allows, or run the air purifier if it doesn't. Fresh air makes a big difference in how a room smells and feels.

The room guests see first

The living room is often what people see first when they walk in, so it has a big effect on how the whole house feels. Families across Waxahachie, Midlothian and the rest of the south DFW area tell us the living room is where they notice a professional clean most. If you'd like that every week or every couple of weeks, see our house cleaning services.