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Home cleaning

The Complete Deep Cleaning Checklist for UAE Homes

· 3 min read · By the Tip Top team

A printed cleaning checklist on a clipboard resting on a spotless kitchen island, cleaning caddy beside it

A deep cleaning checklist takes you through every room from top to bottom, covering the jobs that regular cleaning skips: high dusting, AC grilles, descaling, degreasing, inside cupboards, skirting, door tracks and behind furniture. Use the list below for a DIY deep clean, or to check what a professional quote includes. It's written for UAE homes, where fine sand, hard water and year-round AC add a few extra steps.

Before you start

  • Work top to bottom: ceilings and high surfaces first, floors last.
  • Work room by room, finishing one before starting the next.
  • Let products work. Apply descaler or degreaser and move on to something else while it softens the build-up.
  • Ventilate while you use cleaning products, and never mix them.
  • Declutter first, so you clean surfaces rather than moving things around.

Whole-home deep cleaning checklist

These jobs apply to every room:

  • Ceiling corners and cobwebs
  • Light fittings and ceiling fans
  • AC grilles and vents wiped; AC filters washed if they're accessible
  • Curtain rails and blinds dusted
  • Tops of wardrobes, doors and frames
  • Switches, sockets and handles wiped
  • Doors, both sides, and door frames
  • Skirting boards
  • Interior windows, frames, sills and tracks
  • Under and behind movable furniture
  • Floors vacuumed and mopped edge to edge

Room-by-room deep cleaning checklist

Once the whole-home jobs are planned, work through each room in turn. The kitchen and bathrooms take the longest, so start them early and let products soak while you dust elsewhere.

Kitchen

  • Cooker hood degreased inside and out; mesh filters soaked and scrubbed
  • Hob, burners and grates degreased
  • Splashback tiles and grout scrubbed
  • Tops of wall cabinets degreased
  • Cabinet fronts, edges and handles
  • Inside cupboards and drawers, emptied and wiped
  • Sink, taps and drainer descaled; drain and overflow cleaned
  • Appliance exteriors, including sides and tops
  • Inside the fridge, microwave and oven, if included
  • Bins washed and dried
  • Floor, including under the edge of units

Bathroom

  • Extractor fan grille dusted and wiped
  • Tiles cleaned top to bottom
  • Grout scrubbed
  • Shower glass, taps and shower head descaled
  • Bath or shower tray scrubbed; sealant checked for mould
  • Toilet cleaned inside and out, including the base, hinges and behind the cistern
  • Basin, vanity and cabinet interiors
  • Mirrors polished
  • Floor drains cleaned
  • Floor washed and dried

Natural stone needs care. Acidic descalers and vinegar can etch marble and some other stone. If your bathroom or kitchen has natural stone surfaces, use a product made for stone, and test it somewhere hidden first.

Bedrooms

  • Wardrobe tops and the inside of wardrobes, if emptied
  • Bed frame and headboard dusted; under the bed vacuumed
  • Mattress vacuumed and rotated if suitable
  • Bedside tables, drawers and lamps
  • Mirrors and glass
  • Curtains checked; arrange cleaning if they're dusty or stale

Living and dining areas

  • Sofa vacuumed, including under cushions; arrange upholstery cleaning if stained
  • Shelves, decor and TV unit dusted
  • Behind the TV and electronics, with care
  • Dining table and chairs, including chair legs
  • Rugs vacuumed on both sides if possible

Balcony and entrance

  • Balcony swept and washed
  • Sliding door tracks cleared of sand and grit
  • Balcony glass and railings wiped
  • Front door, both sides, and the door mat
  • Shoe rack and entrance cupboard

Extra steps for pet homes

  • Pet hair removed from AC grilles, skirting and under furniture
  • Pet beds, blankets and toys washed
  • Litter area cleaned and the surrounding floor washed
  • Soft furnishings checked for odours

Use low-odour products that are safe around animals, and keep pets in another room while you work. Wash pet bedding on the hottest setting its label allows, and dry it fully before it goes back down.

After a sandstorm or renovation

Fine dust gets everywhere after a dust storm or building work. Add a second wipe of high surfaces and AC grilles, wash window and door tracks, and clean or replace AC filters. Our guide on how to reduce dust in the house has more on keeping it under control.

Using this checklist with a professional

If you're booking a deep clean, compare the quote against this list. Ask which items are included, which are extra (such as inside appliances or sofa cleaning), and whether the team works to a written checklist. At Tip Top, teams work to written, room-by-room checklists and inspect each room before handover. For the routine that keeps a home tidy between deep cleans, see our house cleaning checklist, and for more on professional visits, our guide to house cleaning services in Sharjah.