Tihar Deep Cleaning Checklist: Room by Room
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Get your home ready for Laxmi Puja with this room-by-room Tihar deep cleaning checklist, plus the cleaning supplies you need before you start.
In many homes, Tihar cleaning starts the day after Dashain guests leave. There is an old belief that Laxmi only visits a clean house, and whether or not you share it, a proper clean once a year is good for the house and oddly satisfying. Split it over a week and it is not as overwhelming as it sounds.
Supplies to buy before you start
- Floor and surface cleaner
- Toilet and bathroom cleaner
- Glass cleaner for windows and mirrors
- Dishwashing gel and a degreaser for the kitchen
- Detergent for curtains, covers and bedsheets
- Cleaning tools: a mop, scrub brushes, sponges, microfibre cloths and a long-handled duster
- Garbage bags, lots of them, because you will throw things out
- Rubber gloves
Start with decluttering
Clean less by owning less. Before any scrubbing, go through each room with three bags: keep, give away, throw out. Old newspapers, broken electronics, clothes nobody wears and empty boxes "for later" can all go. Tihar is also a good time to give usable clothes to people who need them.
Kitchen
- Empty and wipe every shelf; throw out expired food and spices
- Degrease the chimney, exhaust fan and the wall behind the stove
- Clean the gas stove burners by soaking them in hot soapy water
- Defrost and clean the fridge
- Scrub the sink and clean the drain with hot water and baking soda
Living room and puja room
- Dust ceiling fans, light fittings and the tops of cupboards first, so dust falls down before you clean the floor
- Wash curtains and sofa covers
- Polish brass and copper puja items with lemon and salt, or tamarind
- Clean switchboards with a dry cloth (power off)
Bedrooms
- Wash bedsheets, pillow covers and blankets, and air mattresses in the sun
- Empty and reorganise wardrobes, and put away summer clothes
- Clean under the beds, where most of the dust lives
Bathrooms
- Scrub tiles and grout with a brush and bathroom cleaner
- Descale taps and showerheads with vinegar
- Clean the toilet thoroughly, including under the rim and behind the seat
- Replace old toothbrushes, worn-out towels and the bath mat
- Restock handwash and soap for guests
Windows, doors and outside
- Clean glass with glass cleaner and newspaper for a streak-free finish
- Wipe door frames and handles
- Sweep the stairs, the terrace and the entrance, where the rangoli and diyo will go
A week-long plan
| Day | Task |
|---|---|
| 1 | Declutter the whole house |
| 2 | Kitchen |
| 3 | Bedrooms and wardrobes |
| 4 | Bathrooms |
| 5 | Living room, puja room, curtains |
| 6 | Windows, doors, terrace and entrance |
| 7 | Final mop and rest |
Order all your cleaning supplies in one go at the start of the week so you aren't running out halfway through the bathroom. And then, once the house is sparkling, the fun part: diyo, malas and sel roti. Happy Tihar.
