​​​​​​Method

• Begin with a tidy up, as there may be a little clutter around the living room.
  
  Wrappers or items that are clearly litter can go straight in the bin, but if ever in doubt, stack neatly rather than throwing away.  

  Make sure to put things back where they belong. The TV remote, for instance, can be placed neatly on the coffee table.

• We’re going to dust and wipe next. Start with higher surfaces - door frames, shelves, mantel pieces, picture frames, mirrors and light switches.

  Remember, you should always start high, or else you'll dust onto previously cleaned areas. Once the higher areas are done you can dust and wipe the tables, chairs, windowsills and waist height shelf space. Finish with the lowest areas, like stools or coffee tables. Other areas that people sometimes forget about include fireplaces, radiators, TV stands and the back of the TV.
  
  If the living room windows have blinds, these should be closed and dusted with a feather duster or a microfibre cloth. Don't forget to open the blinds once they've been dusted.

  Some of the surfaces in the living room will require some product - surface cleaner for the table, for instance, or glass cleaner for the coffee table or mirrors.
  
  Some areas, such as the light switches, only require dusting with a dry cloth - remember you should never use any products near electrical items such as TVs or light switches.
  
  Any items that were previously stacked should be lifted and cleaned beneath - It’s no good cleaning around the telly remote!

• Next, you'll need to clean and tidy the sofa.
  
  Start by removing the sofa cushions and any throws. Pick up any larger items that were behind the sofa cushions, such as coins.
  
  Using a soft brush attachment, vacuum any dirt, dust and crumbs from the sofa. Make sure to vacuum the back and arm rests, as well as beneath the cushions and the cushions themselves. You should then plump cushions, neatly fold any throws, and reassemble the sofa. You can find more detailed instructions on sofa cleaning, here.

• Time for the floors.

  Start vacuuming. You should always work methodically - left to right, back to front. Unless a deep clean, you won’t be moving furniture, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be thorough - chairs and tables can be vacuumed underneath where you can do so from a standing position. Make sure to vacuum skirting boards around the room as well, using the vacuum's brush attachment.

  As well as vacuuming over any small rugs, you’ll also need to lift these up and get underneath them, as dust will gather there.

  For more info on how to vacuum, please visit this page.

• Depending on the floor surface, you may need to mop too. If so, use the appropriate floor cleaner and warm water in a bucket. Again, like with the vacuuming, work sensibly to ensure all areas are covered, working right into the corners. As ever, start at the back end of the room and mop your way out of the room so you don’t have to cross mopped areas! Don’t forget to mop in a figure of 8 motion to ensure that no areas get missed.

  Afterwards, dispose of the water in the nearest toilet or shower drain.

  More detailed instructions on mopping can be found here.