3 min read
Stress-free deep cleaning: a room-by-room plan
What order to clean in, what to use on the kitchen, bathroom, windows and floors, and which products must never be mixed. A simple one-day plan.
Deep cleaning only feels daunting until you have a plan. Split the home into zones, get your products ready in advance, and it all fits into one day — no mid-clean trips to the shop and no unnecessary fatigue.
The golden rule: top to bottom, dry to wet
Dust the high shelves, cabinets and light fittings first, then wash the surfaces, and leave the floors for last. That way dirt never lands on what is already clean. One more tip: start with the hardest room — usually the kitchen — while you still have energy.
Safety first. Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia-based glass cleaners or acidic limescale removers — the mixture releases harmful fumes. Wear gloves, keep the room ventilated and always read the label instructions.
What to prepare
- a set of cloths — such as HYPO 35×35 cm cloths, one for each zone;
- a large sponge — the HYPO XL ribbed sponge handles both dishes and the hob;
- products for the kitchen, bathroom, glass and floors (see below);
- rubber gloves, a bucket and bin bags.
Kitchen
Start with the cooker hood, cabinet fronts and splashback: apply the HYPO kitchen degreaser, wait a couple of minutes and wipe with a damp cloth. While it works, you can empty the fridge.
For the sink, hob and stubborn stains, use HYPO lemon cream cleaner: a little on the sponge, gentle circular motions, then rinse with water. Finish the worktop and handles with the multi-surface spray.
Bathroom and toilet
Limescale on taps, tiles and the shower enclosure comes off with the HYPO bathroom spray. Spray, leave for a few minutes and rinse.
For the toilet bowl and tile grout, a thick bleach works best — it doesn't run off straight away and keeps working on vertical surfaces. Pick your scent: Ultra Thick Original, eucalyptus or pine. For soaking and disinfecting, the classic HYPO bleach 1 L does the job. Use chlorine products separately from the limescale spray, with a break and a thorough rinse in between.
Windows and mirrors
Spray the HYPO window and mirror cleaner onto the glass rather than the cloth and wipe with a dry cloth top to bottom in a zigzag. Windows are best cleaned on a cloudy day: in direct sun the cleaner dries too fast and leaves streaks.
Floors come last
Once the dust is gone and every surface is clean, vacuum and mop the floors, working from the far corner towards the door. Dilute the floor cleaner as the label says and the home is left with a light scent of lavender or pine.
Cheat sheet
| Zone | What to use | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | Degreaser, cream cleaner | Let the product work for 2–3 minutes |
| Bathroom | Limescale spray, thick bleach | Never mix products, ventilate |
| Windows and mirrors | Glass cleaner | Clean on a cloudy day |
| Handles, tables | Multi-surface spray | A separate cloth for each zone |
| Floors | Floor cleaner | Last, from the far corner to the door |
The well-earned break after cleaning means a cup of tea and something sweet. We collected ideas for it in “A sweet tea table”.
