If you’ve followed my instructions on how to prepare for the challenge, you already have a daily and weekly cleaning routine in place. This is really important and will set the tone for the rest of the challenge.

Now, let’s get started…

Today, In addition to your daily and weekly cleaning tasks, you will begin deep cleaning the kitchen.

Day 1: Deep Clean the Kitchen

The kitchen is one of the hardest areas to clean, but also one that most needs a good clean up. I deliberately chose to start out with the kitchen, because energy and motivation is at its peak right at the beginning! 🙂

Besides, what better place to start with than the heart of the home?

If you’re anything like me, you just love a clean kitchen. My kitchen is the heart of my home and I just cannot function normally if it’s messy or cluttered. A clean kitchen makes cooking so much easier – and fun too! Having a clean kitchen is a great incentive to cook wholesome, healthy meals for you and your family.

In today’s session you will deep clean the kitchen ceiling, walls, floors, doors & windows etc. Don’t worry about the rest of it; you will tackle it in the next session. Don’t burn yourself out by trying to do everything all at once. Just work quickly and do whatever you can in a fixed amount of time. If you do not complete any task, leave it for the next session.

Important Notes:

Today’s Cleaning Plan

Daily Cleaning Tasks: If you are just getting started, don’t get discouraged by how long your daily routine takes initially. It will go much quicker as you keep doing it every day.

Weekly Cleaning Tasks: Surface clean the Kitchen

Monthly Deep Cleaning tasks

• Deep clean the ceilings and walls: Dust and vacuum or wash the ceilings and walls, as necessary. Pay attention to corners and edges. Spot clean any tough stains that you may notice. Don’t forget the air vents, doors, switch plates etc. Your kitchen ceiling and walls can get pretty greasy as compared to the rest of the house. Here’s an Easy Way to Clean Kitchen Ceilings and Walls.
• Deep clean any wall decor: dust and wipe all artwork, frames and photographs that line your kitchen walls. If necessary, use a damp cloth to clean the glass surfaces of framed artwork.
• Deep clean all furniture and fixtures: Wipe down all the kitchen furniture, ceiling fans, light fixtures, the exhausts etc. Make a note of anything that needs to be replaced or fixed.
• Deep clean the windows and doors: Take down any curtains and set them aside to be washed on laundry day. Clean the windows – the glass panes, grills, frames, the window sill etc. Clean the kitchen door(s) and the frame, paying attention to corners and edges. And, clean the doorknobs and/or handles as well.
• Deep clean the floor: Shake out any rugs and wash if needed. Thoroughly sweep or vacuum and mop the floor, shifting/moving appliances and furniture to make sure you get to the hard to reach areas. Don’t forget to clean the baseboards.

Download your Day 1 Checklist here

Tips to remember during the 30 Day House Cleaning Challenge

1. Before you begin, gather all the necessary tools and keep them ready. You could get yourself a cleaning caddy or just use a basket or box.
2. Decide on a specific amount of time that you can/will spend cleaning and set a timer. Work as quickly as you can within this time and don’t get distracted. (Except if it’s an emergency of some kind!)
3. Start cleaning from the top of the room and work your way down. This will prevent dust falling on surfaces that you have already cleaned.
4. Work from one side of the room to the other side, in a systematic matter, so that you don’t miss any spots.
5. When the timer goes off, stop working! You can catch up with what you have missed during your next cleaning session.
6. Use checklists to track your progress and to ensure that you don’t miss out anything. Checklists are especially useful in instances where you cannot complete a task and need to reschedule it.