A handy checklist can help you move through the task systematically and easily.

That’s where these room-by-room checklists can help.

Start byremoving your oven racks and putting them in the bathtubwith dish soap and water to clean them.

They should be soaking while you do everything else.

Steam your microwaveby nuking a quartered lemon in a bowl with a cup of water for three minutes.

Once the five minutes is up, wipe the steam from inside the microwave.

Move on to the fridge.

Clean your upper kitchen cabinets, removing everything inside.

And dont forget to clean thetopsof them, either, with a sponge and soapy water.

While all the appliances are out on the counter, clean them one by one.

There are detailed ways to clean everything fromtoasterstocoffee machinesandgrinderstoair fryers, so do each one before putting it away.

A blender gets cleaned during this part, as do things like yourcoffee machine accessories.

check that the cupboards and appliances are all dry before putting anything back.

Next, move straight to the stovetop.

With your racks still in the bathtub, you could scrub the interior of your oven with oven cleaner.

After 20 minutes, remove the baking soda paste from the burners with a damp cloth.

Once you’ve used the sink to clean your appliances, you have toclean the sink itself.

For anything else, a soft cloth and soapy water will work.

This is a good time to clean the walls between your cabinets and your back splash.

By now, the floors are dirty, but thats no problem: Youre almost done.

First, get your oven racks and fridge shelves out of the bathtub and dry them well.

Put them back where they belong.

Go relax in another room while it dries.

Here’s your checklist:

We’re going to start at the top of the room.

Dust light fixtures and vents first, so you dont get dust on everything else once its all clean.

Wipe down all mirrors and tile surfaces outside the tub next.

Clean and polish your faucet and handles when you finish with the bowl.

Here’s where some Brasso or Soft Scrub comes in handy.

Clean your soap dish or tray, removing soap buildup, and do the same for your toothbrush holder.

Pour some cleaner in the toilet bowl and let it sit for a moment.

Clean and polish the toilet handle after you’ve flushed.

Remove the toilet paper roll and disinfect that holder, too.

We’re being thorough today.

Wipe down shelves and cabinets, which probably involves pulling everything down off and from inside of them.

Scrub all the grout and focus on cracks in the floor, really forcing it out.

Vacuum any dust or hair from the floor.

We’re almost done.

Mop and disinfect the floor.

Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces, like door handles and light switches.

Replace whatever was in the wash, like curtains and mats.

First, go around and pick up any and all fabrics or soft items.

Im talking about blankets, throw pillow cases, cushion covers, small mats, doiliesyou name it.

Stick all those in the wash while you get to work cleaning the room.

Dust and wipe down any lamps.

Clean your TV and other electronics.

Unplug all of them before you do this, of course.

Got any mirrors or photos hanging around the joint?

Wipe those down now.

Next, clear all your surfaces.

Pull everything off of your shelves, end tables, and media center.

Wipe down baseboards, vacuum behind shelving, and do whatever needs doing back there.

If youdontplan to move out furniture (your call!)

skip this step, since we are handling baseboards and vacuuming for the whole room closer to the end.

Turn your attention to that of stuff you made pile of.

Before putting everything back where it came from,do a round of decluttering.

If something isnt serving you anymore, its got to go.

It doesnt need space on your freshly cleaned shelves.

Wipe down everything you decide to keep, then put it back where it belongs.

Go back to dusting.

Dust and wipe down your furniture,potted plants, tables, and anything lower toward the ground.

Pay special attention to your couch or other upholstered furniture.

Remove cushions, if you’ve got the option to, and vacuum underneath them.

Wipe down your baseboards and clean vents low to the ground.

Its finally time to vacuum!

If you have a large rug, move that and vacuum under it before replacing it and vacuumingoverit.

Otherwise, really spend some time on this step.

You just dislodged a lot of dust and dirt onto this floor.

Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces.

You’ll get a major sense of accomplishment sinking into a fresh bed after cleaning the whole house.

Pick up all the bedding, small rugs, curtains, and any other fabrics.

Put those in the wash.

Dust the ceiling fan, vents, and corners.

Clean your windows, wiping out the windowsill and any blinds, as well as the handles and glass.

Pull everything off your flat surfaces, from nightstands to shelves.

Pile it up on the bed.

Wipe down those surfaces.

Declutter everything in the pile, just like you did in the living room.

Again,here are the best decluttering methods.

Once youve decided what to keep, wipe it all down and put it away where it goes.

Next, turn your attention to the closet and dressers.

Pull everything out and pile all that on the bed.

Really wipe down the interior of every drawer and all over the inside of your closet.

As youre putting clothes away, declutter a bit.

Be conscientious about what you put back.

Only the best clothes deserve to be in your clean closet and drawers.

Clean your mattress while the sheets are off.

Oh, and nightlights, too.

Clean any electronics, from TVs to alarm clocks.

Dust any furniture you might have, like ottomans or chairs.

Wipe down the baseboards all around the room and get any floor vents, too.

Its time to vacuum.

Use your brush attachment on vents.