How to Deep Clean Your Living Room the Old-Fashioned Way

Learn how to deep clean your living room the old-fashioned way using simple tools, natural cleaners, and timeless homemaking rhythms. A vintage-inspired spring cleaning guide.

There’s something refreshing about giving your home a deep clean in the spring—especially when you take a page from great-grandma’s book. The living room may not be the messiest room in the house, but it’s the one we often gather in the most. That means it deserves more than a quick dusting. Let’s talk a little about how to deep clean your living room.

Instead of relying on a dozen fancy products or complicated checklists, let’s take a look at how to deep clean your living room the old-fashioned way—with simple tools, a steady rhythm, and a little elbow grease.

1. Start With a Clean Sweep

Literally. Pull out your furniture (as much as you’re able), sweep under and behind it, and get rid of dust bunnies that have been hibernating all winter. If your living room is carpeted, take your time vacuuming in slow, overlapping rows. Consider sprinkling some homemade carpet freshener—just baking soda and essential oil—before vacuuming for a subtle refresh.

2. Wash What You Can

Take down your curtains and either shake them out well or wash them if they’re machine-safe. Remove pillow covers, wash throw blankets, and dust off lampshades using a lint roller or a slightly damp cloth.

If you have slipcovers or washable cushion covers, now’s the time to launder those too. I wash our IKEA slipcovers a couple times a year, and it makes a huge difference in how fresh the room feels.
👉 Here’s exactly how I wash our IKEA slipcovers without shrinking or damaging them.

Let the sun do its thing and hang what you can outside to dry—it’s a free disinfectant and brightener, just like grandma used to rely on.

3. Wipe Every Surface

Grab your homemade cleaning solution—white vinegar, warm water, and a dash of castile soap—and a rag. Wipe down baseboards, window sills, coffee tables, and entertainment centers. Don’t forget the tops of door frames and behind picture frames.

If you’re just getting started with natural cleaning, I’ve shared several easy homemade cleaner recipes that work beautifully and use ingredients you probably already have:

• How to Make All Natural, All Purpose Cleaner
• Simple Old-Fashioned Cleaning Techniques That Still Work Today

If your furniture is wood, rub in a bit of olive oil and lemon for a natural polish. The goal here isn’t perfection—it’s care.

4. Tend to the Details

Dust the corners, light fixtures, and ceiling fans. Clean fingerprints off light switches and remote controls. These little things may not stand out at first glance, but when they’re clean, your whole space feels more peaceful.

5. Declutter With Intention

An old-fashioned home wasn’t packed to the brim with trinkets and toys. It was simple, practical, and lived-in. Take this chance to quietly and quickly declutter: a few DVDs you haven’t watched in years, toys that belong in the kids’ rooms, or a shelf that’s become more cluttered than cozy.

Ask yourself: Do I love this? Do I use this? Does this reflect the home I want to create?

6. Finish With a Fresh Touch

Open the windows and let the fresh air flow. Light a candle, set out a vase of spring branches or wildflowers, and sit down with a cup of tea to enjoy the space you’ve just renewed.

Old-Fashioned Homemaking Tip:

Our grandmothers didn’t deep clean because they were bored—they did it because it was a rhythm that kept their homes grounded in peace and purpose. You don’t need to do it all in one day. Just choose one thing, and do it well.