Posted by: Premiumclean | Tags: #FloorDeepCleaning #HomeCare #CleaningTips #AussieHomeHacks #SpotlessLiving
G’day, my fellow LiveJournal mates! Last weekend, I finally tackled the absolute nightmare that was my floor deep cleaning project—a task I’d been chucking in the “too hard” basket for roughly… oh, about eight months. Let’s be honest, between work, kids, and bingeing that new crime drama everyone’s been banging on about, who has time to properly scrub their floors?
It wasn’t until my mother-in-law texted with that dreaded “Just popping by on Saturday!” message that I looked down at my floors and had a proper moment of panic. The kitchen tiles that I once thought were beige had mysteriously transformed into a mottled brown. The timber floors in the living room had developed their own ecosystem of dust bunnies. And let’s not even discuss what was happening in the corners—those dark, neglected corners where no casual sweep or quick mop ever reaches.
So, I rolled up my sleeves, put on my grungiest trackies, and went all-in on a proper floor deep cleaning. I’m talking the works—moving furniture, getting on hands and knees, and discovering just how many textas my toddler had managed to roll under the couch (seventeen, if you’re curious).
The results were bloody amazing—and horrifying. I’m sharing my comprehensive checklist so you don’t miss the spots I nearly did. Because if LiveJournal is good for anything, it’s sharing the unvarnished truth about our lives that you’d never see on those perfect Instagram squares, right?
Why a Proper Floor Deep Cleaning Matters More Than You Think
Before I dive into the nitty-gritty, let me just say: I was genuinely shocked at how much better our home felt after a proper floor deep cleaning. It wasn’t just visually cleaner—the whole house smelled fresher, my hayfever symptoms mysteriously improved, and I swear the rooms even seemed brighter.
According to a study I definitely didn’t just make up to justify my cleaning frenzy, the average Aussie home’s floors harbour about 4 million bacteria per square metre. Think about that next time you invoke the five-second rule for that dropped Tim Tam!
But seriously, our floors cop a hiding—especially in a country where we’re tracking in everything from beach sand to bushfire ash depending on the season. A surface clean just doesn’t cut it after a while.
The Ultimate Floor Deep Cleaning Checklist
Preparation (Don’t Skip This, Ya Drongo!)
- Clear the decks: Move ALL furniture. Yes, even that heavy bookshelf. No, pushing the dust around it doesn’t count. I discovered an entire collection of my son’s missing socks behind our TV unit. Mystery solved!
- Identify your floor types: Different flooring needs different professional house floor cleaning services. Our place has timber floorboards in the living areas, tiles in the kitchen and bathroom, and carpet in the bedrooms—each needed its own approach.
- Gather your weapons: For a proper floor deep cleaning, you’ll need more than just your regular mop. My arsenal included:
- Vacuum with attachments (the skinny one for corners is gold)
- Microfibre mops (so much better than those old string mops our mums used)
- Bucket with clean water section and dirty water section
- Appropriate cleaners for each floor type
- Old toothbrush for grout (sounds mad, works a treat)
- Tennis ball (more on this odd choice later)
- Your favourite playlist (critical for morale)
Wooden/Timber Floors: The Pride of Many Aussie Homes
- Deal with the dust first: Vacuum thoroughly, using the brush attachment. Don’t rush this—slow, methodical passes pick up more than a quick once-over.
- Address the sticky spots: Every kitchen-adjacent timber floor has that one spot where something spilled years ago and was never properly cleaned. Mine was by the fridge, yours might be near the bin. Mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water for these stubborn patches.
- Check for scratches: This isn’t just about cleaning—it’s maintenance too. I found several scratches under our dining chairs (thanks to my teenager’s habit of rocking back on two legs). A bit of matching wood marker works wonders here.
- The forgotten edges: The junction where your floor meets the skirting boards collects an ungodly amount of dust and pet hair. Use the vacuum’s crevice tool, followed by a damp cloth wrapped around a ruler to really get in there.
- Tennis ball hack: For scuff marks on timber or vinyl (especially from black-soled shoes), rub them with a tennis ball. It sounds completely mad but works brilliantly. Just cut a small X in the ball and pop it on the end of a broom handle if you don’t fancy crawling around.
Tile and Grout: Where Grime Goes to Party
- Pre-treat the grout: This is where most people go wrong. Grout is porous and holds onto dirt like my nana holds onto Woolies receipts. Make a paste of bicarb soda and water, apply it to the grout lines, and let it sit for 30 minutes before scrubbing with that old toothbrush.
- The vinegar magic: Spray with a solution of half white vinegar, half warm water. Let it fizz against the bicarb for a few minutes. The chemical reaction helps lift deep dirt.
- Don’t forget the corners: The corners of tiled rooms are gathering spots for hair, dust, and those mysterious sticky patches. Get right into them with a small brush or cloth.
- Rinse properly: Residue from cleaning products can actually attract more dirt. Double-rinse your tiles with clean water.
- The towel dry: This is the step that separates casual cleaners from pros. Drying your freshly mopped tiles with an old towel prevents water marks and gives them that proper shine. It’s a bit of extra effort but makes a huge difference.
Carpet: The Deep Clean Challenge
- Powder before vacuum: Bicarb soda is your best mate for carpet deep cleaning. Sprinkle it liberally, leave it for a couple of hours (overnight is even better), then vacuum thoroughly. It absorbs odours and helps lift dirt.
- The carpet edges: The edges of carpeted rooms where the carpet meets the skirting board are absolute magnets for dust. Vacuum with the crevice attachment, then follow up with a slightly dampened cloth wrapped around a butter knife (sounds weird, works perfectly).
- Check under furniture: I found an entire graveyard of snacks under my kid’s bed. Not only was it gross, but it was also attracting ants. Check under everything.
- Steam clean or shampoo: For a proper deep clean, rent a machine or call in the pros once a year. The amount of dirty water that comes out of seemingly “clean” carpets will horrify you.
The Forgotten Zones That Will Make You Say “Strewth!”
- Under the fridge: Pull that bad boy out and prepare to be shocked. Mine had a collection of pet hair, dried pasta, and a toy car that had been missing since 2022.
- Inside cupboards if they reach the floor: The bottoms of pantry cupboards and bathroom vanities often have a small gap where the floor meets the cabinet. These collect dust, pet hair, and in kitchen areas, food particles. Get in there with the vacuum crevice tool.
- Behind the toilet: Possibly the most neglected floor area in any home. The small space between your loo and the wall is a nightmare to reach but accumulates serious grime. A cloth wrapped around a fly swatter works surprisingly well to reach back there.
- Sliding door tracks: These aren’t technically the floor, but they’re floor-adjacent and horrifically dirty in most homes. Clean the gunk out with an old toothbrush, then spray with WD-40 for smooth operation.
The Maintenance Plan (Because Let’s Be Real)
After spending an entire Saturday on my floor deep cleaning mission, I made a solemn vow to never let them get that bad again. Here’s my realistic maintenance plan for busy people:
- Daily: Quick sweep or vacuum of high-traffic areas (entry, kitchen, main hallway)
- Weekly: Proper vacuum of all floors and a good mop of hard surfaces
- Monthly: Move the easier furniture (coffee table, dining chairs) and clean underneath
- Quarterly: The full deep clean with all furniture moved
here is the another blog published by me https://guest-post.org/my-auckland-survival-guide-how-i-found-the-holy-grail-of-cleaning-services-as-a-bewildered-expat/
