How to Clean a Disgusting House In 7 Simple Steps

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We have all been there when life gets in the way. Within weeks of neglecting to clean, your house can fall into a state of absolute chaos and you’re left wondering how to clean a disgusting house.

Merely looking at the mess makes you feel overwhelmed immediately.

Maybe this scenario does not apply to you personally, but you may be a landlord that needs to clean a disgusting house before finding a new occupant.

What if a family member asks for your help to clean their home, and the home looks like it has not been cleaned in months?

In this article, I will help you find the best way to create a plan to tackle all of your cleaning tasks!

How to Clean a Disgusting House the Easy Way

Cleaning a disgusting house does not have to be difficult. If you start in a random room of the house and decide to move from place to place with no goal, you are going to end up quitting due to the lack of a real plan.

It’s a good idea to have a plan of attack so that you can realistically clean an entire house. Continue reading in order to find out the easy way to turn a filthy home into a clean house!

Get Your Supplies Together

cleaning supplies for how to clean a disgusting house

If your home is truly disgusting, the first thing you will need to do is gather the proper cleaning materials. A roll of paper towels and a container of cleaning solution will not be enough to tackle the nastier parts of the house.

Here are my recommendations for cleaning supplies:

Clorox Spray: If you can’t find Clorox brand, any cleaner with bleach will do. This solution is wonderful for disinfecting, as well as cleaning up any generic messes.
Trash Bags: With a truly disgusting house, do not waste your time with flimsy trash bags. Invest in heavy-duty trash bags that can hold large amounts of waste without ripping or tearing.

Finding construction-strength garbage bags is ideal, as these are made to remain sealed at the seams without bursting open. Having quality trash bags will pay off in the long run when you do not have to worry about the bags leaking or falling apart.
Scrub Brushes: I personally recommend different sizes of scrub brushes. These are especially helpful when you are scrubbing tile in the bathroom or hard-to-reach areas in the kitchen.

I have a palm-sized one for smaller areas, and a larger brush for larger surfaces. Buy some brand new toothbrushes and use those to get cracks that are nearly impossible to get! Obviously do not reuse the toothbrushes for your own personal use.
Carpet/Upholstery Cleaner: If the house has carpeted areas, you will need some form of carpet and/or upholstery cleaner.

If you have specific stains on the carpet, having carpet cleaner that comes with a scrub brush is very handy. It is even better if you have a floor steamer that can remove stains much more quickly, but a handheld scrub brush works just fine.

If some of the furniture you own is dirty, make sure you get enough upholstery cleaner to cover all of the surfaces without running out.
Quality Vacuum Cleaner: If there are massive amounts of dust, dirt, and pet dander, a regular stick vacuum with minimal power isn’t going to cut it.

You will need an actual quality vacuum cleaner that can handle large messes. Imagine not having to unclog a tiny vacuum cleaner that can’t handle dirt every five minutes. Having a quality vacuum cleaner will save you a lot of stress in the grand scheme of things.
Broom and Dustpan: A broom and dustpan are needed for wood and tile floors. If you do not prefer brooms, you are more than welcome to purchase Swiffer brand dry pads that can be used to sweep.

These pads capture all sorts of dust and dirt that a regular broom might miss.
Mop and Bucket: There are a variety of different mops out there, but whatever kind you get, make sure it is decent quality and can cut through the grime and messes on the floor. It is especially helpful if the mop has a side that can scrub the floor.

A bucket is useful for all sorts of household tasks, so I recommend getting more than one bucket.
Microfiber Cloths: A Microfiber cloth is perfect for cleaning windows without leaving streaks. They are also great for polishing wood furniture and wood floors.

Always have a large pack of these on hand, as they are very inexpensive and worth every penny.
Paper Towels: For exceptionally nasty messes, paper towels are there to save the day. Buy MORE than you think you will need, especially if the house is disgusting!

Paper towels have endless uses, but are perfect for scrubbing down the countertops, windowsills, tables, and any other surface in your home.
Dawn Dish Detergent: Dawn can be used for so much more than cleaning dishes. I recommend name-brand dish detergent because Dawn has never failed me!

Dawn can be used for stain removal, as well as cleaning sinks, tubs, and other items.
Spray Bottle: If you buy a concentrated cleaner that needs to be cut with water, such as pure ammonia, you need to have a spray bottle on hand that can hold that concoction. I recommend having at least two with labels.
Liquid Bleach: Nothing beats liquid bleach for a true disinfecting experience. Be very careful with liquid bleach, as it can irritate the skin. Always work in a well-ventilated area.
Protective Gloves and Eyewear: Do not fall victim to caustic cleaners that eat away at your skin, or make your eyes water.

Protective gloves that reach up to your elbow and protective eyewear are always a must when cleaning a gross house!

Make a List of What Needs Doing

Now that you have your cleaning supplies gathered, make a list on the Notes App on your phone, or use a simple pen and paper. List out all of the chores that need to be done.

What if you are overwhelmed and “freeze” in place, unable to find a starting point? Here is what I do- write down the parts of the home that you spend the most time in.

Maybe you love spending time in the living room with your family, or maybe nothing is better for you than snuggling up in your bedroom. Start with these rooms that you spend a lot of time in.

When you start cleaning them, you will really want the rest of your house to have that feel-good clean feeling, and it will help you keep your momentum up. Don’t be afraid to be specific with your task list. Be descriptive! The more you can write out, the better.

It won’t take much time to write this list but it’ll save you a lot of hard work as you tackle your messy home. It also makes a daunting task seem a lot more achievable.

Ask a Family Member for Help or to Babysit

If you know that you can’t possibly tackle this on your own, get your family to help you. If you don’t have any family members willing to help, reach out to your friends.

Alternatively, reach out to a local community organization, such as a church, and see if anyone would be willing to help you clean without judgment.

Although children are wonderful at times, they can hinder you when you are cleaning. Consider dropping off the kids with a trusted babysitter so you can clean your house in peace.

If your family is available then give everyone a task. Don’t just assume that they’ll all know what to do.

If you’ve made your list then simply assign tasks to each person and go from there. Many hands make light work!

Break The Task Into Areas or Groups

Try breaking down the tasks into certain groups. For example, one day, tackle the areas you love to be in the most. On another day, tackle two other rooms.

Doing a room or two at a time in a group helps you make progress, and saves you from feeling like you are drowning in housework.

Another way to look at it is to do pick up first, then dusting, then wiping down flat surfaces, then vacuuming, etc. Sticking to one task at a time will help you stay focused as you deal with the disgusting mess. You can move on to the next step knowing you haven’t missed anything.

My Step-by-Step Plan for Cleaning a Disgusting House

When it is time to clean a disgusting house, and I have my list, cleaning supplies, and task areas, I get down to business. Here is my step-by-step plan for cleaning:

Step #1 Clean up objects on the floor first

Pick up all of those piles of laundry on the floor and throw them in the washing machine. Dirty laundry is fairly easy to deal with and can make your tidy home achievable a lot faster.

Any trash on the floor? Throw it out. Blankets on the couch thrown onto the floor? Get them up off of the rug. This is also a great time to start a load of laundry and deal with any dirty dishes.

While those things are going on, you can tackle the rest of the house.

As you go around picking things up, take the opportunity to put them in piles to organize and declutter once the house is clean.

You may be tempted to do it all at once but it’s really difficult to clean and declutter a house at the same time.

The key here is to compartmentalize the jobs that you’re attempting to tackle. Otherwise, it’s just too easy to get distracted and never finish anything properly.

Step #2 Next, work on the walls from top to bottom

Get in the corners at the top of the walls and start removing cobwebs, dust, and any dirt near the top. Use a feather duster or the brush attachment on a cordless vacuum.

The mess will fall to the floor and you’ll be able to sweep it up later. This is why it is important to clean from top to bottom. It’s also the fastest way to do things as you’re not having to double clean areas.

Don’t forget light fixtures and ceiling fans. Look across the entire room to be sure that you’re cleaning in the most efficient way.

Step #3 Locate hard surfaces in the room and disinfect

Clean off those hard surfaces. If you have junk piled up on dressers and vanities, clean it off! Not using it? Toss it. Using it? Set it aside for organization.

When these surfaces are clear, spray down the surface with a disinfectant and clean thoroughly. You may need to use different disinfectants for different surfaces, depending on the materials your furniture is made out of.

If you are cleaning the bathroom, use a spray specifically formulated to tackle mildew and mold. This is an important step because you do not want to live in an area that exposes you to mold. It can lead to a plethora of health issues in the future.

Step #4 Scrub down appliances

Don’t neglect to clean your microwave, fridge, or oven! An easy way to clean the microwave is to fill a glass with water and a little squeeze of lemon juice.

Run the microwave for a little while until the water is boiling. The steam from the warm water will make it super easy to wipe down your microwave.

Do this on a regular basis and you’ll find your microwave stays nice and clean.

Step #5 Clean the floors

I tend to leaves the floors until last. Clean floors are so satisfying. Always sweep or vacuum first and then finish off with a thorough mop.

You may need to get down and scrub the old-fashioned way if the floors are in a really bad state. If your home is really dirty then mopping your floor twice is a really good idea.

You’d be surprised at how much dirt comes up after the second mop.

Step #6 Conquer stains and smells

Now that your floor is cleaned up and your surfaces disinfected, it is time to remove stains in the carpet or stains on the floor.

If there are certain odors, try to identify where the odor is coming from, and clean it thoroughly to prevent future odors.

This step may be entirely unnecessary for you but if you have a dirty house that you want to be a clean home, make sure you check to be sure that there’s nothing lurking.

Step #7 Organize

Go back to those piles you made of items you want to keep and find a way to effectively organize them.

Pinterest is my favorite site for cheap organization hacks! If you’ve not got room for things then consider creating better storage solutions or just donating. Don’t forget to go through your junk drawer!

In my experience, it is much easier to keep a home clean and tidy when there isn’t too much stuff in it. When I start finding that it is really hard to stay on top of the mess in my home, it usually means I need to have a good declutter.

You’re Done!

You can now go into the laundry room and put away your clean laundry. You may also have clean dishes to put away as well.

My mum used to always shine her kitchen sink after a big clean and it really did make the house feel lovely.

How to Avoid Having a Filthy House in the Future

The best thing you can do to avoid having a filthy house in the future is to have a plan. Always follow this plan, even on days when you are tired. If you keep up with this plan, you won’t have to spend every weekend scrubbing down your home.

There are many websites with free cleaning agendas on a daily and weekly basis!

If you do not have the time to regularly clean your home then consider hiring a professional cleaner to come on a regular basis. If this is outside of your budget do remember that having a daily cleaning routine really does go a long way to keeping your home clean and tidy.

Alternatively, if you’re overwhelmed by the thought of setting up a cleaning routine or adhering to some kind of schedule, why not start with our simple cleaning routine that you can find right here?

Different stages of life often mean that how we clean looks different. That’s totally fine! Do what works for you and your stage of life and you’ll find that you’ll be so much happier overall.

Every little bit counts when it comes to keeping your home clean and maintained.

Now that you know how to conquer that disgusting house, go get started as soon as you can! All that you need is some cleaning supplies and determination.

Remember, if you become overwhelmed, take a deep breath and remind yourself of the task at hand. One task at a time, one room at a time, your home will be clean sooner than you think.

Final Thoughts

Dealing with a disgusting house is no fun for anyone but the results of cleaning it can be very satisfying indeed. The first step is to make a plan and then simply follow it.

If it’s in your budget then cleaning services are a great option for regular home maintenance.

I think the real key is to remember that a neglected house doesn’t get that way overnight. By doing small cleaning tasks every day you’ll find that your home stays manageable and won’t get into the same disgusting state quite so easily.

I wish you the best with your cleaning task and hope that the tips in the post really do help you.