Everyday cleaning keeps an apartment presentable. But once or twice a year, dust on top of the wardrobe, grease on the kitchen cupboards and limescale in the corners call for more. With the dark season and the holidays ahead, the end of October is a good time for deep cleaning your apartment – before the heating dries the air and the first guests arrive.
A deep clean doesn't have to take a week. With a clear plan, a normal apartment can be done in one weekend. Here are the five stages we'd follow.
What deep cleaning an apartment means
A deep clean goes beyond the weekly routine. It includes everything that's normally skipped: inside cupboards, behind and under furniture, light fittings, window frames, radiators, grout, appliances inside and out. It's not a move-out clean, but it's close – and a well-kept apartment makes any future handover much easier.
The Swiss Council for Accident Prevention recommends planning big cleaning jobs and taking breaks – good advice both for safety and for keeping your energy until Sunday evening.
1. Friday evening: plan, declutter, prepare
A good start saves hours on Saturday.
- Walk through the apartment with a notepad and list each room's tasks.
- Clear surfaces: put away clutter, take out rubbish and recycling.
- Strip beds, take down curtains if you plan to wash them, and start the first load of laundry.
- Put soaking jobs in place: oven racks and extractor hood filters in hot water with washing-up liquid.
- Gather all materials in one place.
2. Saturday morning: kitchen
The kitchen takes the longest, so do it while you're fresh.
- Top first: Tops of wall cupboards, extractor hood housing, light fittings.
- Cupboards: Empty one at a time, wipe inside, check use-by dates, refill.
- Fronts and handles: Degrease with warm water and washing-up liquid.
- Appliances: Oven, hob, microwave, fridge and dishwasher. Our guides on cleaning an oven and cleaning a microwave help.
- Behind and under: Pull out movable appliances carefully and wipe behind them.
- Last: Sink, splashback and floor.
3. Saturday afternoon: bathroom and toilet
- Remove everything from shelves, the edge of the bath and the shower.
- Dust the ventilation grille and light fittings.
- Apply descaler to tiles, shower screen and taps – but never on natural stone.
- While it works, clean the mirror, mirror cabinet inside and out, and shelves.
- Scrub grout with a toothbrush, rinse tiles and taps, and squeegee dry.
- Clean the toilet thoroughly, including under the rim and behind the seat hinges.
- Clean the drains, washbasin overflow and bin; finish with the floor.
For limescale, our guide on removing limescale in the shower shows the best methods per surface.
4. Sunday morning: living room, bedrooms and hallway
In each room, follow the same order:
- Ceiling and high areas: Cobwebs, light fittings, tops of wardrobes and door frames.
- Walls and doors: Light switches, door handles, marks near switches.
- Windows: Glass, frames, sills and blinds.
- Furniture: Dust shelves, wipe surfaces, vacuum sofas and under cushions.
- Radiators: Dust between the fins with a radiator brush.
- Floors last: Move light furniture, vacuum edges and skirting boards, then mop according to the floor type.
5. Sunday afternoon: forgotten spots and final check
This is where a deep clean differs from a normal one.
| Often forgotten | What to do |
|---|---|
| Tops of door frames and cupboards | Wipe with a damp cloth |
| Skirting boards | Vacuum, then wipe |
| Light switches and sockets | Wipe with a barely damp cloth |
| Extractor hood filters | Degrease (soaked since Friday) |
| Behind the fridge and washing machine | Vacuum and wipe |
| Shower drain and washbasin overflow | Remove hair, rinse |
| Balcony door rails and window rebates | Vacuum, then wipe |
| Letterbox and entrance door | Wipe inside and out |
Finish by putting clean curtains back up, making beds with fresh linen and walking through the apartment once more in daylight.
Common deep cleaning mistakes
- Starting with the floors: Dust from above lands on the clean floor.
- Tackling every room at once: You end up with five half-finished rooms.
- No soaking time: Scrubbing without letting products work doubles the effort.
- Too much water on parquet: Wipe damp, not wet.
- Skipping breaks: Fatigue leads to accidents and sloppy results.
Frequently asked questions
How long does deep cleaning an apartment take?
It depends on size and condition. A normal, regularly cleaned flat can often be deep cleaned in one weekend with a clear plan; larger or heavily used flats need more time.
What is the difference between a deep clean and regular cleaning?
Regular cleaning covers visible surfaces, floors, kitchen and bathroom. A deep clean also includes the inside of cupboards and appliances, behind furniture, radiators, window frames, grout and high areas.
In what order should I deep clean my apartment?
Room by room, starting with the kitchen and bathroom. Within each room, work from top to bottom and finish with the floor.
How often should I deep clean my home?
Once or twice a year is common, for example in spring and before winter. Homes with pets or small children may benefit from more frequent deep cleans.
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