Being home all the time means more grime, dust

There’s no way around it: When you rarely leave home, things get dirty faster.

Windows are left open longer, kitchens and bathrooms are used more frequently, and bits of pencil shavings and cereal crumbs somehow manage to elude the trash bin.

You may as well admit it. Your home is in need of deep cleaning.

“With the house getting so much use, it really does need more attention,” said Sabrina Fierman, vice president of the cleaning company New York’s Little Elves.

We asked her and other cleaning pros for advice on what to do.

Gather supplies

Most cleaning jobs around the home can be completed with a few key items: a vacuum, a mop, microfiber or cotton terry-cloth rags (or paper towels, but they create more waste) and an all-purpose cleaner.

It’s possible to make your own all-purpose cleaner, Fierman said: “Add half a cup of white vinegar, one pint of rubbing alcohol, one teaspoon of dish soap and enough water to make a gallon.” Then pour the mixture into an empty spray bottle.

If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, try mixing equal parts white vinegar and water, and adding a couple of drops of dish soap, she suggested.

For bathrooms and kitchens, some specialty supplies, like tub-and-tile and toilet-bowl cleaners, will be required. Surfaces like natural stone, stainless steel and wood may also benefit from cleaners created specifically for them.

“The advantage of using cleaners that are designed for a particular surface is that they won’t damage that surface,” said Hedi Modaressi, senior director of formulation and fragrance at Method Products.

Begin at the top

Dust falls to the floor during cleaning, so it makes sense to start by cleaning the ceiling and then working your way down.

“Look for cobwebs in the corners,” said Kadi Dulude, the