How to Clean the Living Room Quickly

This is the third blog in a series about cleaning your home quickly. If you missed the last two, check out: “How to Clean the Kitchen Quickly (In Seven Steps)” and “How to Clean the Bathroom Quickly.”

Whether your in-laws just called and said they were coming for a last-minute visit, or you just found out your boss was coming over for dinner, you need to get your living room spotless, and fast.

Here’s how to clean it quick.

What you’ll need:

– A vacuum
– A container or box
– A microfiber cloth
– Mild dish soap
– Rubber gloves
– Wood cleaner/ all-purpose cleaner

1. Begin by gathering up all the clutter in your living room. Anything that doesn’t belong in the living room should go into the container or box. Don’t spend your time running back and forth to all the other rooms in the house trying to place every item. Put the items in the box and set the box aside in a room that you know your guests won’t be using.

2. Next, let’s turn our attention to the couch. If you have pets or kids, this area of the living room often holds the most grime and mess. Start by pulling the cushions out and examining the damage. Turn on your vacuum and use the upholstery attachment to sweep out all the crumbs, hair, and anything else that you find underneath the cushions.

3. Once all the crumbs and grime are extracted from the couch, place the cushions back on the couch. If you have pets and there’s a ton of hair (or if you just happen to shed a lot) take a pair of rubber gloves and rub them all over the couch and upholstered chairs. Gather all of the hair into a ball and vacuum easily with your upholstery attachment.

4. Examine your carpets quickly to look for stains. If you see any minor stains that you can fix quickly, try this little trick: take a teaspoon of mild dish soap and apply it directly to the stain. With a damp sponge or microfiber cloth, gently dab at the stain. If the stain resists or is very dark, you might just have to cover it with a rug or piece of furniture and call a professional to fix it later. Check out more quick carpet stain tricks here.

5. Vacuum the floors to give them a neat and clean appearance. Don’t bother moving the furniture right now (we’re in a hurry after all.)

6. Apply wood furniture cleaner or all-purpose cleaner to your coffee table and end tables and wipe clean with your microfiber cloth.

7. Straighten magazines, books, and DVDs/ Blu Rays. You don’t need them to look perfect, but they just don’t need to be everywhere.

Voila! You are now the proud owner of a clean living room. Enjoy it while it lasts (they never seem to, do they?)

What You Can Do in the Future to Save Time:

– Brush your pets. I can’t stress this enough. If you brush your pets every day it means less pet hair on the furniture.
– Get your air ducts cleaned. This is a great way to prevent dust and dirt from settling on the furniture.
– Use entry mats at every entrance of your home and enforce a no-shoes rule (at least when it’s raining outside.)

Do you have any tips on cleaning quickly? I would love to read them in the comment section below.