Living Room Cleaning Checklist: Daily, Monthly, and Seasonal

Your living room is where you and your family spend most of your time together, which means it can quickly get messy. No one wants to trip over wayward toys, watch a movie on a dusty TV, or have to clear a space on the coffee table to set a drink down. So, keep ahead of the chaos with our living room cleaning checklists to learn which tasks you should do, and how often. With a little bit of effort, your living room can be a clean, comfortable sanctuary for the whole family.

Living Room Cleaning Supplies List

The right cleaning supplies can help you clean your living room thoroughly with as little elbow grease as possible. You won’t need all of these supplies for a quick tidying, but it’s a good idea to keep them all together, so you can grab them when needed. Keep these items in your living room cleaning kit:

• Rubber or latex gloves

• All-purpose cleaning solution

• Wood cleaner/polish

• Window cleaner

• Microfiber cleaning cloths

• Duster

• Trash bags

• Vacuum

• Broom and dustpan

• Mop

• Warm water and bucket

• Sponges

Daily Living Room Cleaning Checklist

Download Checklist Here

While tidying up may seem like a simple task that can wait until the weekend, doing it on a daily basis will save you time and stress in the long run. Trash can build up quickly (as can dirt, dust, and other debris), so getting rid of it in a timely manner will ensure that your living room looks sparkling clean each and every day. Plus, you won’t have to shuffle around piles of junk to make room on the couch when it’s time to catch up on your shows.

Even if you only have 10 minutes to clean your house, here are the living room cleaning tasks to focus on each day:

• Throw away trash

• Pick up and put away items

• Straighten pillows and fold blankets

• Clear clutter from the coffee table and other flat surfaces

Weekly Living Room Cleaning Checklist

If you don’t have time to get around to these tasks every day, doing them on a weekly basis is fine. Get the whole family involved to make the process go even faster.

Specific tasks may vary, depending on your living room, but these tasks should be done weekly:

• Sweep or vacuum floors, depending on the surface

• Dust and wipe down all surfaces, including shelves and artwork

• Dust blinds and light fixtures

• Vacuum upholstered chairs and couches (get under the cushions)

• Sanitize touch points like doorknobs, light switches, and remotes

• Dust electronics

Monthly Living Room Cleaning Checklist

Some living room cleaning tasks don’t need to be done as regularly, but you don’t want to go too long without doing them. Keeping on top of these tasks will ensure your living room stays clean, and everything in it stays in good condition. These are the cleaning tasks you should do once a month:

• Declutter and donate any items you don’t need or use

• Clean and polish wood furniture and fixtures

• Wash the inside of windows

• Wipe down baseboards with a duster, then wash with an appropriate cleaner

• Dust ceiling fans and wipe down the blades to remove stuck-on dust and debris

• Wash throw blankets and throw pillow covers

"Ceiling fans help keep your room cool, but they’re also the first surface to receive dust that may settle from your ceiling, open windows, and vents,” says Asya Biddle, Angi Expert Review Board member and manager of The Dust Busters janitorial company in Williamsport, PA. “By frequent dusting or wiping down the ceiling fan, you’re decreasing the amount of dust being dispersed in that room."

Seasonal Living Room Cleaning Checklist

Every three months, give your living room a deep top-to-bottom cleaning to remove deep-down dirt and allergens. A deep clean will also help alert you to anything that needs repair or replacement.

Set aside some time once a season for the following tasks:

• Shampoo the carpet

• Deep clean area rugs

• Remove and wash window treatments

• Deep clean upholstery and wash any removable covers

• Wash walls using a mild all-purpose cleaner and a sponge or mop 

• Wash windows inside and out

How Much Does Professional House Cleaning Cost?

If you need some help keeping your living room—and the rest of the house—clean, consider hiring a local cleaning service. The cost of hiring a house cleaner will depend on the size of your home and the scope of cleaning that you need. But you can expect to spend around $180 per visit. Some house cleaners charge by the hour, which ranges from $25 to $80 per hour. 

Other factors that can affect the price of outsourcing your home cleaning include the number of people assigned to do the cleaning job. If you’re thinking about hiring a professional to do a deep cleaning, expect to pay up to $375. 

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro 

Cleaning the house is an easy DIY task, and the only cost to you will be for supplies. However, hiring a professional may be worth it for the time and effort saved. If it’s challenging to keep up with cleaning tasks, and housekeeping responsibilities are taking too much of your time, then hiring a professional cleaner could be worth the expense.

If you’re worried about the additional cost, you can save money by taking care of quicker tasks on a daily or weekly basis, such as clearing clutter and wiping down surfaces. Then, hire a pro to take care of deep cleaning messier areas, such as the kitchen and bathrooms.