Your Pre-Diwali Deep Clean Checklist: Room-by-Room Guide with the Right Cleaning Tools

There is always one weekend before Diwali when the whole house suddenly requires a bit more work. The sofa has been picking up its share of dust over the months. The curtains could definitely do with some love. There are a scattering of crumbs under the furniture. The kitchen floor has seen its fair share of culinary adventures. And somewhere behind the bed, there is most likely a jumble of forgotten items.The trick is not to try to clean everything at once, though. A room-by-room approach is less overwhelming for pre-Diwali cleaning and helps you choose a suitable cleaning tool for each job. A portable vacuum cleaner is more practical for tackling sofa stains, while a wet-and-dry floor cleaner can deal with everyday dirt.If you are one of those people who like to get the Diwali cleaning done before the last-minute rush begins, here is a practical checklist to help you along the way.Don't start off by randomly grabbing your mop. Divide the house into zones and keep a day for your bedrooms, while another day can be dedicated to your living room, depending on how big your house is. A good order to follow would be: Declutter → Dust → Vacuum → Deep clean → Dry → OrganiseAlso keep separate cleaning tools for your different surfaces. Your sofa, mattress, curtains and hard floors might not necessarily need the same treatment.The living room is generally the first place to tackle because it is where the Diwali traffic moves the most.Sofa and upholstery: Vacuum loose dust, crumbs and hair from removed cushions first. Then find those stains you've been successfully ignoring for the last six months. Tea, coffee, curry and food spills can come to life, especially once the rest of the room is clean. A portable vacuum cleaner can help tackle suitable stains and spills using targeted spray, cleaning solution and suction.Carpets and rugs: Vacuum carpets and rugs, including underneath furniture and around edges. The carpet cleaner can help with deeper stains if the material is compatible with wet cleaning. Don't forget to check underneath the sofa. Diwali cleaning is an excellent opportunity to discover the whereabouts of approximately 17 missing remote batteries and a surprisingly large number of crumbs.Mattress: Remove the bedsheet and vacuum the mattress according to the care instructions. Check out the seams and edges for dust accumulation. If you are going to use a portable deep cleaner on your mattress, make sure the manufacturer's care instructions allow wet cleaning and follow the machine's instructions carefully.Curtains and cushions: Wash or clean the curtains according to the fabric-care instructions. Cushions can also be vacuumed and spot-cleaned where suitable. Portable deep cleaners are especially handy here because they can move from one fabric surface to another without having to bring out a large machine.Wet-and-dry floor cleaners can prove particularly useful here. Instead of vacuuming loose dirt and then mopping separately, a suitable machine can combine the two steps in one. The BISSELL CrossWave HF2, for example, is designed to vacuum and wash sealed hard floors in one step. Its two-tank system helps keep clean water and dirty water separate, while the self-cleaning cycle helps flush debris from the brush after use. BISSELL lists this as suitable for sealed hard-floor surfaces such as wood, tile and laminate.Vacuum crumbs from around and underneath your dining table. Wipe suitable hard surfaces and clean chair upholstery according to the manufacturer's instructions. If your dining chairs happen to have fabric upholstery, a vacuum cleaner can prove handy in tackling suitable stains. The key thing here is to check the fabric-care instructions before introducing moisture.Hallways may not get much attention during everyday cleaning. So, start by vacuuming dust and loose debris from corners and edges. Follow with the appropriate flooring cleaning method for your surface. For homes with sealed hard floors, a machine like the CrossWave HF2 can help combine vacuuming and washing. Its corded design also means you don't have to stop for battery charging during a longer session. This BISSELL portable deep cleaner is aimed at the smaller but stubborn messes around the house. Its HeatWave Technology maintains water temperature during the cleaning process. A 2.3-amp suction works with the BISSELL cleaning formula to tackle tough spots and stains. The compact design makes it easy to carry between rooms, while the included specialised tools let you focus on particular problem areas. It comes with a 3-inch Tough Stain Tool, Deep Stain Tool and HydroRinse Self-Cleaning Hose Tool, along with an 8-ounce trial-size Spot & Stain Pro Oxy Formula. The 4.5-foot hose adds reach for areas such as sofas and mattresses. BISSELL also lists a two-year warranty for the machine.Key features The BISSELL Little Green Vacuum Cleaner is designed for the fabric surfaces around your home that inevitably collect dirt and spills. It uses targeted spray action and strong suction to work on stubborn stains across upholstery, carpets, stairs and other surfaces. Its dual-tank technology keeps clean and dirty water separate, so fresh cleaning solution is used during the cleaning process. The portable design also means you can carry it from the sofa to a rug, chair or other compatible surface. For pre-Diwali cleaning, you can use it to tackle individual problem areas rather than bringing out a full-sized cleaning setup every time you discover a mysterious mark on the furniture.Key features If the first two vacuum cleaners are good for upholstery and spot cleaning, the CrossWave HF2 is the one to look at for hard floors. It is designed to vacuum and wash hard floors. The machine uses Two-Tank Technology to keep clean water and dirty water separate. It also has automatic water and solution delivery and a self-cleaning cycle that helps clean the brush roll and internal parts after use. BISSELL CrossWave HF2 is lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, while its corded power means there is no battery to recharge during cleaning. It is designed for hard floors, including surfaces such as tile, laminate and sealed wood. This is a great option for living rooms, kitchens, hallways and other areas that see plenty of Diwali foot traffic.Key featuresFAQsIdeally, start 2–3 weeks before Diwali and divide the work room by room. This gives you enough time to tackle deep-cleaning jobs without rushing through the final festive preparations.Yes. BISSELL’s Portable Deep Cleaners are designed for suitable upholstery and can be used to tackle dirt, spills and stains on sofas, cushions and other compatible fabric surfaces. Always check the care instructions for your upholstery before cleaning.A regular vacuum cleaner is primarily designed to pick up dry dust, dirt and debris. A wet-and-dry cleaner can combine suction with water or cleaning solution to tackle suitable wet spills and wash compatible surfaces.Yes. The BISSELL CrossWave HF2 is designed to vacuum and wash compatible hard floors in one step, combining wet and dry cleaning in a single machine.