Start your Diwali cleaning about three weeks before Lakshmi Puja, which is Sunday 8 November 2026 according to most calendars, so around Sunday 18 October. Clear the clutter first, do the high and dusty jobs (fans, jaali, curtains, wardrobes) in the second week, then the kitchen, bathrooms, balcony and puja room in the final week. Check your local panchang, because dates vary by region.
The reason this order works is simple: dust falls down, so you work from the top and the back of the house towards the floor and the front door. Do the floors last and you only mop them once.
Why do Indian families clean the house before Diwali?
Many Hindu families clean because of the belief that Goddess Lakshmi visits homes that are clean and welcoming, and the cleaning is also seen as clearing away the old to make space for the new. There is also a very practical reason: guests, relatives and neighbours will be in your home for the puja, the sweets and the visiting.
Customs differ. Some families begin on a specific day, some hire help for the heavy jobs, and some do a lighter version because they clean regularly through the year. This plan is built to be flexible, so take what suits your home.
What is the Diwali cleaning timeline, from three weeks to one day before?
The table below uses the 2026 dates agreed by most calendars. Festivals in between (Dussehra on Tuesday 20 October, Karwa Chauth on Thursday 29 October) take up time and energy, so the plan leaves those days light.
| When | Focus | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Week 3: 18 to 24 October | Declutter | Wardrobes, storeroom, loft, shoe rack, old papers, expired medicines and food. Book any help or a professional deep-clean. |
| Week 2: 25 to 31 October | High and dusty | Ceiling fans (MCB off first), jaali and grills, windows, curtains, sofa, bedrooms. Light day on Karwa Chauth, Thursday 29 October. |
| Week 1: 1 to 5 November | Wet areas and puja | Kitchen, bathrooms, balcony, brass and silver, puja room. |
| Dhanteras: Friday 6 November | Shop and tidy | Only light tidying. Buy new items, set up lamps. |
| Day before: Saturday 7 November | Finish | Mop floors, wipe the entrance, fix flowers and rangoli area, make sure the puja corner is ready. |
If you are reading this late, squash weeks 3 and 2 together and keep the last week as it is. The kitchen, the puja room and the entrance matter most.
How do you clean the puja room for Diwali?
Take everything out, dust the shelf or mandir from the top down, wipe it with a damp cloth, and clean the brass and silver items separately. Follow your family's custom for the idols and sacred items; many families clean them with water or a dry cloth and put them back in the same place.
- Remove old flowers, dried leaves, used wicks and ash from the lamps.
- Wash steel and brass plates, bells and diya stands. A common household method is lemon with salt, or tamarind pulp with salt, on tarnished brass. Test on a small spot first, and skip it for lacquered or coated pieces, because acid can strip the coating.
- Dry every piece fully before putting it back, since damp brass tarnishes again quickly. A brass and copper cleaning powder is a quick alternative if you do not want to make a paste.
- Replace the cloth under the idols and wash the curtains or covers around the mandir.
Before you finish, check what is left on the Diwali puja samagri list so you can shop in one trip.
How do you clean the kitchen for Diwali?
Empty one shelf or cabinet at a time, wipe it, and put back only what you use. The kitchen is where the heaviest grease and the most expired food hide, so it deserves a full day, not a quick wipe.
- Check dates. Throw out expired masalas, flour, oil and packets, and note what to restock before Diwali cooking.
- Cabinets and shelves. Wipe inside and out, and replace worn shelf liners.
- Chimney and exhaust fan. Remove and degrease the filter, which is where most oil collects, following the maker's instructions, and switch the chimney off at the plug or MCB before you start. Keep water away from the motor and switches. Many families call a professional for deep chimney cleaning.
- Stove and platform. Soak the burner grates and wipe the platform and backsplash.
- Fridge. Clear it, wash the trays and make space for sweets and leftovers, which you will have plenty of.
- Floor. Mop last, once everything is back in place.
How do you clean the living room, fans and jaali?
Start at the ceiling, move down the walls, and finish with the sofa and floor. Dusting a fan with a dry cloth on a stool is the classic Diwali mistake: the dust ends up on your hair, your sofa and the floor you just cleaned.
- Ceiling fans: switch the fan off at the MCB, not only at the wall switch or regulator, and wait for the blades to stop. Then dust them with a long-handled duster or a barely damp, well wrung-out cloth, and never spray liquid near the motor or regulator. An extendable ceiling fan duster saves you from climbing, and a pillowcase slid over each blade catches the dust.
- Switchboards, switches and light fittings: switch off at the MCB first, then wipe with a dry or barely damp, well wrung-out cloth. Never spray liquid on a switchboard or socket, and let everything dry before you switch the power back on.
- Jaali, grills and wooden screens: vacuum or brush the dust off first, then wipe with a barely damp cloth. Do not soak wood.
- Windows and tracks: clean the track with a brush before wiping the glass, and use a soft cloth on the frame.
- Curtains and sofa covers: wash or air them, and vacuum the sofa. Keep a stack of microfibre cloths handy; they pick up dust rather than moving it around.
- Marble or limestone floors and tops: do not use vinegar or lemon. Acids dull the surface. Use warm water with a little mild soap or a pH-neutral stone cleaner.
How do you tackle bedrooms and wardrobes?
Empty the wardrobe, wipe every shelf, and put back only what you wore in the last year. Wardrobes are the best place to start decluttering because the clothes you donate also make space for the new festive outfits.
- Sort into three piles: keep, donate, and discard.
- Wash or air bed linen, pillows and mattress protectors, and vacuum the mattress.
- Clean under the bed, which collects more dust than any other spot in the room.
- Store out-of-season bedding in under-bed storage bags or boxes, so the wardrobe is not stuffed full for the festive season.
- Check the jewellery and puja-day outfit well before the day. Iron, stitch or send to the tailor early.
Donate what is still good. Many neighbourhoods and charities accept clothes and utensils at this time of year; ask locally before you drop off a bag.
How do you clean bathrooms, the balcony and the entrance?
Work from the wettest and dirtiest areas outwards, and keep each product separate. Bathrooms are the place where most cleaning accidents happen, because people mix products to get a quicker result.
- Never mix bleach with another cleaner. Bleach with ammonia makes chloramine gas, and bleach with vinegar or any acid releases chlorine gas. Use one product at a time, rinse well and open the window or switch on the exhaust fan.
- Tiles and grout: use a stiff brush and a bathroom cleaner suited to your tiles.
- Balcony and terrace: sweep, wash the floor and dry it fully. Empty water from plant saucers, buckets, coolers and old containers, because standing water is where mosquitoes breed, and dengue cases often peak in the months after the monsoon.
- Entrance: wipe the door, the nameplate, the shoe rack and the doormat. If the nameplate is lit or the doorbell and switches are close by, switch off at the MCB and use a barely damp cloth. The rangoli area should be scrubbed and dry before decorating.
After this, the house is ready for the festive look in our Diwali decoration ideas for home.
What cleaning supplies are actually worth buying?
You do not need a shopping trolley full of products. A short, practical kit covers almost every job in this plan: microfibre cloths, a long-handled duster, a stiff brush, a good mop and bucket, rubber gloves and a dust mask.
- A spin mop and bucket set is worth it if you have a lot of floor to cover. Check that the refill heads are easy to buy.
- A dust mask is helpful for anyone with a dust allergy or asthma, especially when clearing the storeroom or fans.
- For marble, granite or vitrified floors, check the label of your floor cleaner and read the instructions on dilution.
Keep a bucket for rubbish and a second for donations, so nothing gets lost in the middle of the clean.
Should you hire help, and what should you ask?
If your home is large or you have a job, a professional deep-clean can save a weekend. Book early, because the weeks before Diwali are busy for cleaning services, and ask what is included and what is not.
- Which rooms and jobs are covered (chimney, fans, balcony, sofa cleaning)?
- Do they bring their own supplies and equipment?
- How long will it take, and how many people will come?
- What is the price for your home size, written down before they start?
If you employ domestic help, give clear dates, and consider that the same people are often asked by many homes at once. Ask early and agree on timing.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start Diwali cleaning in 2026?
About three weeks before Lakshmi Puja on Sunday 8 November, which is around 18 October. If you have less time, concentrate on the kitchen, the puja room and the entrance.
Which room should I clean first for Diwali?
Start by decluttering wardrobes and storerooms, then do the high and dusty areas (fans, jaali, curtains), then the kitchen and bathrooms, and finish with the puja room, entrance and floors.
Is it safe to clean with vinegar and bleach together?
No. Mixing bleach with vinegar or any acid releases chlorine gas, and mixing bleach with ammonia makes chloramine gas. Use one product at a time and ventilate the room.
How do I clean brass puja items?
A common method is lemon and salt, or tamarind and salt, rubbed on gently, then rinsed and dried completely. Test a small area first and avoid it on lacquered or coated brass.
What should I do with old items I do not need?
Sort them into keep, donate and discard. Clothes, utensils and books in good condition can be donated to local charities or neighbours; ask locally about what they accept.
Your next step this week: write your own version of the table with real dates, block out the two heaviest days on your calendar, and book any help now. Then read the Dhanteras 2026 guide to plan the shopping that follows, and the Diwali decoration ideas for what comes after the clean.
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