A good rule of thumb is to deep clean your home once a month. If this seems daunting, the workload can be divided into smaller projects that can be added to the weekly cleaning session: this week, maybe you wipe down partition doors and door frames; next week, you clean the skirting boards; the week after that, you tackle the little nooks and crannies in the kitchen; and so on.

The Martha Organisation has drawn up an ingenious cleaning calendar (in Finnish) that you can use as a basis for your own cleaning schedule.

The order in which you clean matters. Saana Tyni, Cleaner and CEO of Koti Puhtaaksi Oy, believes that cleaners should start from the cleanest places and gradually move on to the dirtiest. For example, the toilet should be the last room you clean.

Your cleaning staples are the vacuum cleaner, the floor mop and microfibre cloths. Vacuuming on a weekly basis is a good idea, but wet wiping serves the same purpose, removing any loose dirt.

When deep cleaning your home, we recommend first vacuuming and then wiping the floors. You can use a floor squeegee or a wiper with a large microfibre cloth. A square mop is also an excellent tool for cleaning. We do not recommend using a string mop as they collect bacteria, spread dirt and are difficult to clean.

You can use microfibre cloths to wipe down any surfaces. Make sure you have plenty of cloths! Always replace the cloth when entering a new room. After cleaning, wash the cloths at 60 degrees.

You can also use a cloth to remove stains from walls. If there are small children in your family, you may need to wipe down the walls surprisingly often. Even some dogs like to lean on walls and leave greasy stains.

Three cleaning sprays or detergents are enough for home cleaning. Windows and mirrors need their own cleaning agent, and toilets and bathrooms need a mildly acidic detergent with a pH of about 5 or 6. You can use an all-purpose cleaner for other surfaces.

You only need a little bit of detergent. It’s purpose is to remove the surface tension of the water. If you use too much detergent, it may ruin some of the surfaces and form a murky layer on the floor.

Tip: Check your pantry for some great cleaning agents.

As hygiene is particularly important in the kitchen, we recommend deep cleaning your kitchen every now and then (article in Finnish). Wipe the worktops and other surfaces often and keep the stove and sinks clean. In your monthly cleaning session, you can also organise and wipe the cupboards. Dispose of any expired items when deep cleaning your kitchen and remember to wipe the tops of the cupboards as well.

If you have a ceramic cooktop, we recommend cleaning it with an ecological pumice stone. Dampen a sponge and rub it against the stone a couple of times. The sponge and stone create a paste that you can use to remove stubborn stains from your ceramic cooktop, oven or induction cooktop. If you have an induction cooktop, you can also use a mild solution of all-purpose cleaner or liquid dish soap.

Kitchen counters easily collect grease and dirt, but we also recommend checking and cleaning the tops of light fixtures and the vent every now and then. Remember to also vacuum behind the refrigerator and stove at least once a year to ensure that the appliances work properly.

After cleaning the kitchen, replace and wash your cleaning supplies before moving on to other rooms. Used cleaning cloths can spread the kitchen grease to other surfaces in your home.

Clean toilets and bathrooms (article in Finnish) once a week. It is important to clean everything, including taps and door handles. Floor drains, tiles and seams also need to be cleaned occasionally. If you clean the floor drains every two weeks, for example, they do not accumulate much dirt and they are easier to clean.

Remove the cover of the floor drain. Designate a dish brush for cleaning floor drains only. A dish brush is an excellent tool for cleaning floor drains.

The number of people using the bathroom affects how often you should clean the tiles and the seams. A good rule of thumb is to brush or scrub the tiles with a dish brush, a root brush or another tool at least every 2–3 months. We recommend using an alkaline detergent designed for toilets and bathrooms.

Remember to also wash any cleaning supplies used for toilets, bathrooms and showers thoroughly and regularly.

Does your home have a sauna? Remember to always clean it after use. When the sauna is dry, you can vacuum its floors whenever you are vacuuming the rest of your home. Deep clean your sauna once or twice a year (article in Finnish). Dampen the wooden surfaces with warm water and wash them using an all-purpose cleaner or a detergent designed for saunas. Use a soft brush or a scrubber. Finally, rinse the sauna with cold water and air it until dry.

If your family has a dog or a cat, you’ve seen your share of loose hair. Rugs and sofas can be vacuumed but, on other surfaces, the best hair-removing tool is a rubber glove.

Put on the glove, rinse it and wipe the surfaces. This is a really quick and easy way to remove hair as it gets stuck on the wet surface and is easy to pick up from the glove.

Cleaning your windows (article in Finnish) may not be your favourite pastime, but the results sure are satisfying. The grey layer of dirt covering the windows is particularly annoying in the spring when you just want to admire the vibrant green leaves and the blue sky. Washing your windows is a simple solution!

We recommend cleaning your windows a couple of times a year, and while you’re at it, why not wash the window frames and vacuum or wipe the blinds? There are many types of tools for washing your windows, but a good old bucket, window cleaner, squeegee, cloth and buff go a long way. Use a window cleaning agent or a drop of all-purpose cleaner.

Remember that curtains also collect dust! We recommend replacing and washing them at least once a year or at least shaking and airing them thoroughly.

Cleaning is a great way to exercise! You’ll burn calories and improve the quality of your life.

Cleaning also has a psychological effect: a clean home makes us happy and calm. You can witness the results of your labour and enjoy them immediately.

If you do not have the energy or the time to keep your home as clean as you would like, My Lumo is here to help. Lumo residents can use My Lumo to order home cleaning services from our partners and enjoy professional cleaning results. Easy and effortless services offer you peace of mind.

Leave the cleanliness of your home to professionals, let go of everyday worries and enjoy your free time doing what you love. Professional, regular cleaning ensures that your home is always cozy and comfortable.