Deep Cleaning Your Home During the Nesting Phase

There are many phases during pregnancy, and the innate urge to do a thorough deep-cleaning of your home is a nearly universal instinct.

The “nesting” phase—preparing a space for the new arrival—can kick in at different times throughout pregnancy and is thought to be strongest during the final months. For many women, the result will be a complete wipe-down of their house from top to bottom, in addition to getting the nursery ready.

Getting Started

Even though you’ll want to do it, and it will feel like a necessary task on your agenda, it’s nice to break this up room by room in order to keep the project manageable. This way, you’ll also be absolutely certain to wipe, mop and scrub away all of the creepy-crawlies that are lurking around to greet your new baby.

Here’s a fail-proof checklist for the major rooms in your home:

Prepping Baby’s Nursery

• Ceiling, Windows and Baseboards
  Take a towel-covered broom and use it to wipe down ceiling corners and any visible dust bunnies or spiderwebs. Using a glass cleaner, clean the windows. Wash any window treatments using appropriate washing machine settings. With a damp cloth, wipe down every baseboard of the dust and grime from everyday foot traffic.
• Floor TLC
  A thorough vacuum or even steam-cleaning is great for carpets, while a nice sweep and deep cleaning mop job will do wonders for hard surfaces.
• Wash Absolutely Everything Else
  You will be buying and receiving all sorts of new and used items for your little bundle of joy. No matter the origin, be sure to wash everything prior to letting the baby handle it, even if the tags are still on. Wipe down all plastic, wood and vinyl toys. Sterilize all bottles and pumping equipment.

Deep Cleaning the Main Living Room

• Ceiling, Windows and Baseboards
  See “Preparing Baby’s Nursery” for an overview.
• Furniture Cleaning
  Wipe down hard surfaces like shelving, coffee tables or entertainment centers with soft rags and appropriate cleaners. For soft items like armchairs and couches, machine wash any covers or washable pillows and spot clean the remaining pieces with clean rags and a mild cleansing agent.
• Wash Absolutely Everything Else
  There are plenty of things in your living room that aren’t furniture or fixed items. Think: remote control, lamps, knickknacks, picture frames and more. Take time to pick up and wipe down every item by starting in one spot and working clockwise through the room.
• Floor TLC
  A thorough vacuum or even steam-cleaning is great for carpets, while a nice sweep and deep cleaning mop job will do wonders for hard surfaces.

Spiffing Up Your Kitchen

• Ceiling, Windows and Baseboards
  See “Preparing Baby’s Nursery” for an overview.
• All Appliances Inside and Out
  Take one appliance at a time and give each a hard scrubbing and wiping—both interior and exterior surfaces need some love. Follow manual specifications when needed.
• All Remaining Surfaces
  Wipe down all countertops and cabinet faces. This could also be a wonderful time to do a general de-cluttering of your kitchen counters, drawers and cabinets.
• Floor TLC
  Sweep thoroughly and get underneath all counter ledges. Mop the entire area and consider using a high-polish wax if your floor is suitable for it!

Getting the Bathrooms Ready

• Ceiling, Windows, Mirror and Baseboards
  See “Preparing Baby’s Nursery” for an overview.
• Shower, Tub, Toilet and Surrounding Area
  This is one area where you just need to scour by hand and use some elbow grease. Wipe all shower and porcelain surfaces, using a grout cleaner on tiled areas. Everybody’s commode needs a deep cleaning, so lift the lids and wipe it all including the area behind the toilet.
• Sink and Vanity
  Remove everything from the surface and wipe down thoroughly, including the faucet hardware. Take everything out of the drawers and cabinet spaces, and then wipe it all down and reorganize, tossing anything expired or unused.
• Floor TLC
  The final step is to sweep and mop the floor, and since it is a small space, it may be easy to get every last bit with a hand broom and dustpan.