When You Were Never Taught to Clean (Step-by-Step)

I had a friend in college who would “clean” her room by shoving everything into her closet and spraying Febreze. She genuinely didn’t know there was more to it than that. Her parents had a housekeeper growing up and nobody ever showed her how to actually clean a bathroom or mop a floor.

If that’s you, this is for you. I’m not going to assume you know anything. We’re starting from zero, and there’s no shame in that.

What Does “Clean” Actually Mean?

Here’s the thing nobody explains. Clean means different things to different people. But for this guide, clean means no visible dirt or grime, surfaces are wiped down, floors are vacuumed or mopped, trash is taken out, dishes are done, and things are put away.

It doesn’t mean your place looks like a magazine spread. It doesn’t mean you can eat off the floor. It just means it’s sanitary and you wouldn’t be embarrassed if someone stopped by unexpectedly.

The Order Nobody Tells You About

You clean from top to bottom and from dry to wet. What I mean is, you dust first (that’s dry), then you wipe surfaces (that’s wet), then you do floors last (wettest). That way you’re not knocking dust onto stuff you just cleaned.

You also work from the back of the room toward the front so you’re not walking on floors you just mopped or standing in the spot you’re trying to vacuum.

This sounds stupidly simple but I didn’t know this for years. I would mop first, then dust, and wonder why there was dust all over my clean floor. Nobody ever explained it.

How to Actually Clean a Bathroom (The Real Steps)

Bathrooms stress people out the most. It doesn’t have to be complicated, I promise.

First, spray toilet bowl cleaner inside the toilet bowl and up under the rim where you can’t see. Let it sit there while you do everything else. This is important. You’re letting the chemicals do the work so you don’t have to scrub as hard later.

Next, spray your shower or tub with all-purpose cleaner or vinegar spray. Spray the walls, the tub floor, the faucet, everything. Let it sit for a minute or two while you keep going. The dwell time is what makes cleaning products actually work. I didn’t learn this until I was like 28 and wondered why nothing ever came clean.

Now wipe down the sink. Use a damp cloth or sponge with a little dish soap or your vinegar spray. Wipe the faucet, the handles, the sink bowl, the counter around it. Rinse your cloth and wipe again to get any soap residue off. If you want it to look extra nice, dry it with a dry cloth.

Wipe the mirror next. Use a clean microfiber cloth that’s either dry or barely damp. Wipe in circles or up and down strokes. If there’s toothpaste splatter or hairspray buildup, spray a tiny bit of vinegar solution first, then wipe.

Go back to the shower that’s been sitting with cleaner on it. Use a sponge or scrub brush and scrub the walls and tub floor. Rinse with water from the showerhead or use a cup. It should come off pretty easily if you let the cleaner sit like I said. I clean my bathroom in about 4 minutes now using this exact routine, but it took me a while to get that fast.

Now scrub the toilet. Use a toilet brush and scrub inside the bowl, getting up under the rim. Flush. Then take a cloth or disinfecting wipe and wipe the outside of the toilet. The lid, the seat (both top and bottom), the tank, and the base. People always forget the base and it gets disgusting.

Sweep or vacuum the floor to get hair and dust off. If you have a bath mat, shake it out or throw it in the laundry.

Last step is mopping the floor. Use your mop or a damp cloth with water and a little cleaner. Start from the back corner and work your way out so you don’t trap yourself.

Take out the bathroom trash if it’s full. Replace the bag.

Total time: 15 to 20 minutes for an average bathroom. Longer if it hasn’t been cleaned in forever, shorter once you get used to it.

If you want the complete walkthrough with what to do when things won’t come clean, exact product recommendations, and how to know when you’re actually done, I put together a full guide here that breaks down every room step by step.

How to Clean a Kitchen (Without Losing Your Mind)

Kitchens feel overwhelming because there’s so much going on. Break it into chunks and it gets way easier.

Start by doing all the dishes. Every single one. Either wash them by hand or load the dishwasher and run it. You can’t clean a kitchen with a sink full of dishes, it’s too stressful to even look at. If you have dishes that need to soak, fill them with hot soapy water and leave them while you do the rest.

Clear the counters next. Put away anything that doesn’t belong there. Mail, keys, random stuff. Move it to where it actually goes. If you don’t know where it goes, make a pile on the table and deal with it later. Don’t let it stop you.

Wipe down the counters using a damp cloth with dish soap or vinegar spray. Wipe the counters, the backsplash if you have one, the front of cabinets if they’re dirty. Rinse your cloth and wipe again. Dry with a towel if you want.

Clean the stove. If you have an electric stove, remove the burners if they come off and wash them in the sink. Wipe the stovetop with a damp cloth and dish soap or Bar Keeper’s Friend if there’s burned stuff. If you have a gas stove, remove the grates and wash them. Wipe down the stovetop. Bar Keeper’s Friend saved me from a whole kitchen renovation when I thought my stove was beyond hope.

Wipe the outside of the microwave and fridge. Just get any fingerprints, splatters, or smudges. If the inside of your microwave is gross, put a cup of water in it and microwave for 2 minutes. The steam loosens everything and you can wipe it out easily.

Wipe down the sink using dish soap or Bar Keeper’s Friend. Scrub the sink bowl and get the faucet too. Dry it with a cloth so it looks shiny. A 5-minute kitchen reset in the evening makes this so much easier the next day.

Sweep the floor to get crumbs, dirt, and food bits. Use a broom or vacuum, whatever you have.

Mop the floor using a mop or damp cloth with water and cleaner. Start from the back corner and work toward the door so you don’t paint yourself into a corner.

Take out the trash if it’s full or smelly. Replace the bag.

Total time: 20 to 30 minutes depending on how messy it is.

How to Clean a Bedroom (It’s Easier Than You Think)

Bedrooms are actually easier because there’s less to clean. The problem is usually clutter, not dirt.

Pick up everything off the floor first. Clothes, shoes, books, whatever’s down there. Dirty clothes go in the hamper. Clean clothes get folded and put in drawers or hung in the closet. Everything else goes where it belongs.

Make the bed. Pull up the sheets, fluff the pillows, straighten the comforter. Takes two minutes and makes the whole room look 80% better.

Clear the nightstand and dresser. Put away anything that doesn’t belong. Wipe down the surfaces with a damp cloth.

Dust everything. Use a microfiber cloth that’s dry or barely damp. Dust the nightstand, dresser, windowsill, any shelves. If you have a ceiling fan, dust the blades with a damp cloth.

Vacuum or sweep the floor. Get under the bed if you can reach. Get the corners where dust bunnies collect.

Take out any trash. If you keep a trash can in your bedroom, empty it.

Total time: 10 to 15 minutes.

How to Clean a Living Room

Living rooms are all about putting stuff away and vacuuming. That’s pretty much it.

Pick up clutter first. Remote controls go on the coffee table or in a basket. Blankets get folded and draped over the couch. Books and magazines get stacked or put on a shelf. Cups and dishes go to the kitchen.

Fluff the couch cushions. If you have removable cushions, fluff them and put them back neatly. Fluff throw pillows too.

Wipe down surfaces like the coffee table, TV stand, end tables, and shelves. Use a damp microfiber cloth. If something’s sticky, use dish soap or vinegar spray.

Dust the TV, picture frames, shelves, and windowsills. Use a dry or barely damp microfiber cloth.

Vacuum the floor or rug. Get under the coffee table, around couch legs, in the corners.

Take out trash if you have a can in there.

Total time: 10 to 15 minutes.

The complete guide includes troubleshooting for every room, what to do when you’re completely overwhelmed, and how to maintain things once they’re clean so you’re not starting from scratch every time.

The Questions People Always Have

How often do I need to do all this? It depends on your situation. If you live alone and you’re pretty tidy, once every week or two for most rooms is fine. If you have roommates, kids, or pets, you’ll need to do it more often. I’d say once a week for high-traffic areas like the kitchen and bathroom, every two weeks for bedrooms and living rooms.

What if I don’t have time to clean everything in one day? Then don’t do it all at once. Clean one room a day. Monday is bathroom day, Tuesday is kitchen day, whatever works. Splitting it up makes it way less overwhelming. I have a whole system for this that keeps me from burning out.

Do I really have to let the cleaner sit? Yes. This is the biggest mistake people make. They spray cleaner and immediately wipe it and wonder why it doesn’t work. Let it sit for at least a minute or two. The chemicals need time to break down dirt and grease. If something’s really dirty, let it sit for five minutes.

What order do I clean rooms in? Start with the bathroom because it’s usually the grossest and you want to get it over with. Then kitchen. Then bedrooms, then living room. Save the easiest for last so you don’t run out of energy.

How do I know when I’m done? Walk through the room like you’re seeing it for the first time. Is there visible dirt? Are surfaces cluttered? Does it smell okay? If the answers are no, no, and yes, you’re done.

The Stuff Nobody Mentions

You don’t have to clean everything to the same level. The bathroom needs to be actually clean because of germs. The living room just needs to look tidy. Give yourself permission to prioritize what matters.

You’re going to miss stuff. You’ll forget to wipe behind the faucet or under the toilet rim. That’s completely fine. You’ll get it next time.

Cleaning gets faster the more you do it. The first time you clean a bathroom might take 30 minutes because you’re figuring it out. After a few times, it’ll take 15.

If something’s really dirty and won’t come clean, let the cleaner sit longer. Or use something stronger like Bar Keeper’s Friend. Or just scrub harder. Sometimes you have to put in effort, especially if it hasn’t been cleaned in months.

When You Don’t Know What Something Is

Google it. If you see a weird stain or something gross and you don’t know how to clean it, search “how to clean [thing]” and you’ll find answers.

Or ask someone. Text a friend, ask a parent, post in a Reddit cleaning forum. People are genuinely helpful about this stuff and nobody’s going to judge you for not knowing.

The Tools You Need (Quick Version)

Vacuum or broom, mop, microfiber cloths, sponge, toilet brush, all-purpose cleaner or vinegar spray, dish soap, toilet bowl cleaner, and Bar Keeper’s Friend.

That’s it. Nothing fancy. I have another article about the exact products if you want specifics, but that list covers everything.

How to Know What’s “Clean Enough”

I struggled with this for years. Didn’t know when to stop. Here’s my rule now: if it looks clean, smells clean, and you wouldn’t be embarrassed if someone dropped by, it’s clean enough.

You don’t need to scrub grout with a toothbrush every time. You don’t need to move furniture and vacuum under it weekly. You don’t need to wipe baseboards unless they’re visibly dusty.

Clean enough is when surfaces are wiped, floors are done, the bathroom doesn’t smell weird, and you’re not stressed looking at it.

What to Do When You’re Totally Overwhelmed

Start with one room. Just one. Pick the smallest, probably the bathroom, and clean just that using the steps above. When you’re done, you’ll feel accomplished and it gets easier to keep going.

Or start with one task. Just do the dishes. Or just vacuum the living room. You don’t have to clean the whole place in one day.

Set a timer for 20 minutes and clean as much as you can. When it goes off, you’re done. You’d be surprised how much you can get done in 20 focused minutes.

I know it feels like a lot when you’re starting. That’s why I made the step-by-step guide with exact instructions for each room, time estimates, and what to do when you’re stuck. It’s basically the instructions I wish someone had handed me when I moved into my first apartment.

The Biggest Mistakes

Not letting cleaning products sit before wiping. They spray and wipe immediately and wonder why it doesn’t work. Let it sit.

Trying to clean around clutter instead of picking it up first. You can’t clean a counter covered in stuff. Move it, then clean.

Using dirty cleaning tools. If your sponge is gross or your mop is filthy, you’re spreading germs around. Rinse your tools as you go and replace them when they’re worn.

Cleaning floors first, then dusting. Now there’s dust on the clean floor. Always dust first, floors last.

Not rinsing after using cleaner, especially soap. It leaves a residue that actually attracts more dirt. Wipe with a clean damp cloth after.

How to Keep It Clean After You Clean It

This is the hard part. Cleaning is one thing, maintaining is another.

The best advice I ever got was “don’t put it down, put it away.” When you take off shoes, put them in the closet instead of by the door. When you’re done with a dish, wash it instead of leaving it in the sink. When you get mail, deal with it right then instead of tossing it on the counter.

Sounds simple but it genuinely works. If you put things away as you go, you never have a huge mess to deal with. A 10-minute closing shift at night keeps things from getting out of control.

Do a quick tidy every night before bed. Put away stuff that’s out, wipe down the kitchen counter, throw away any trash. It keeps you from waking up to chaos.

Keep your cleaning supplies in a caddy so you can grab it and go instead of hunting for stuff every time you want to clean.

The Bottom Line

Cleaning isn’t something you’re supposed to just know how to do. It’s a skill you learn, like cooking or doing laundry. If nobody taught you, you’re not behind or bad at being an adult. You just missed some information.

Now you have it. Follow these steps, give yourself time to practice, and be patient. You’re going to forget steps. You’re going to do things in the wrong order. That’s completely fine.

The first few times will feel slow and awkward. By the fifth time, you won’t even think about it. You’ll just know what comes next.

The full guide is here if you want every detail, troubleshooting tips, and how to handle the stuff I didn’t cover in this article. But honestly, even just using what’s in this post will get you most of the way there.

You’re going to be fine. Promise.