It's time to clean your closet—here are 6 ways to make it shine

We move into new homes with a dream of a perfectly ordered closet: clothes hangers aligned the same way, shelves of folded tees gridded like an A+ geometry assignment, and sock and underwear in storage cubes that never seem to cross pollinate.

Instead, for so many of us the closet becomes the second refuge of the monster that lives under our bed—the disorder beast.

But engaging in a closet cleanout is easier than you think. It resets the disorder in your room, making it feel airier and more pleasant.

If a closet cleanout feels like Herculean task, we can help. Here are the materials you need and steps to follow when it comes to how to clean your closet.

Materials needed

Cleaning spray

We recommend a good cleaning spray like Mrs. Meyers All-Purpose Cleaner Spray, which did a good job in testing as a wood cleaner yet is formulated to be used on other sorts of surfaces as well. $4 at Amazon

Cleaning cloth

Microfiber cloths are a handy dusting aid that will also work well for scrubbing stains off wood or plastic. The Mr. Siga Microfiber Cleaning Cloths from Amazon comes in a pack of 12. Used dry or lightly damp they pick up dust and scrub out nasty stains. $12 at Amazon

Magic Eraser

A Mr. Clean Magic Eraser can help you get into the tight corners of your closet, such as the nooks beneath metal storage racks and the corners of baseboard. $11 at Amazon

Vacuum

There are a lot of vacuum cleaners on the market that do a great job. The Tineco A10 Hero won our award for the best value vacuum cleaner, and makes a good pick for small spaces like a closet. Cordless, it easily breaks down to adapt to shelves or tight corners. $200 at Amazon

Mop

A good mop ensures you leave the floor of your closet sparkling. The O-Cedar EasyWring is our favorite traditional mop, with absorptive microfiber. Though if you’re suffering from a lack of closet storage space a Swiffer WetJet might be a better choice, for its simple convenience. Just don’t forget that it is possible to get more than one use out of its cleaning strips with a little work. $35 at Amazon

$28 at Amazon

How to clean your closet

1. Come up with a plan

We recommend setting out on the task by getting a macro view of what needs to be done. Do you have moths? Clothes to donate? A litter of kittens mewling in the sock crate? (For the record we love kittens in sock crates, just not unsupervised).

Putting together a closet cleanout plan will save you time and keep you focused when you’re knee-deep in the process.

2. Create a staging ground and remove objects

Closets have a way of filling with odds and ends, and the most effective way to clean it thoroughly is to pull everything out first.

A bed is a natural place to house such garments during the clean out process. We recommend laying down an extra sheet or spread over your bedspread, to keep any dust off your linens.

To keep things organized, lay your clothes out on your bed in an orderly fashion.

Clothes on hangers can be draped flat over one portion of the bed (or a nearby chair) to avoid wrinkles. Better yet, if you have another closet with hanging space, consider moving these clothes to that separate closet while you work.

A section of clean, recently mopped floor can be a good place to stack boxes, storage crates, vacuums, or luggage that you might have in the closet.

Make sure to choose a place that still gives you enough space to work from, as you won’t want to be weaving through your closet’s contents while you clean.

3. Dust everything

The first step to cleaning a closet is to dust. The cardinal rule of dusting is to start high and end low, that way dust from above will fall to the ground where it can be vacuumed or swept up.

As you dust, look for cobwebs in the top corners of your closet. If you have moths this will be a good time to look for any nests or webbing. (See more below for how to get rid of moths in the closet, as well as dealing with other pests.)

4. Spray and wipe down surfaces

Using a microfiber cloth or rag, spray walls with your cleaner and give the closet a once-over. If you have a Magic Eraser, use it to get into the hard-to-reach areas around wire shelving or storage racks. Particularly tight spaces can often be reached by wrapping a cleaning cloth around a putty knife (a metal spatula will work too), and using it to detail crevices. $7 at Amazon

Most bedroom closets won’t house much dirt beyond the standard dust you’d expect. Any dirt or staining can usually be handled with a good spray.

5. Clean the closet floor

With your closet free of clothes, storage bins, and other items you’ll be able to sweep out the floorspace. If you have a vacuum, use this as well. Either way, make sure that you're getting into the corners of your closet, and detailing any wainscotting or baseboard.

Use a good mop with a solid floor cleaner to fully refresh the floor in your closet.

After you mop, remember to let the floor fully dry before you return items.

6. Put it back together again

After finishing cleaning the interior of your closet you’ll want to put it back together. Now is a good time to zoom back out to the big picture. This is the best moment to reorganize.

First, take a tally of all the contents of your closet. If there are clothes you no longer need, consider donating them to a local charity, or to a family member or friend.

Ask yourself if your closet could be better organized.

Storage cubes are a great way to organize socks, underwear and shirts. Some closets also benefit from a set of drawers. $55 at Amazon

However you put it back together, we think your hard work will pay off, leaving it feeling better designed and cleaner than it was before.

Cleaning a closet can be a real accomplishment. A well cleaned and organized space leaves us feeling ready for new pursuits, new ways of experiencing our room, maybe even new ways of thinking.

But the one tricky thing about cleaning is that there’s always more to do. Read on for a look at some cleaning trends and hacks we tried out, that’ll make the rest of your home sparkle like your now-immaculate closet.

How to get rid of moths in the closet

Moths can be a huge hassle. If your closet has moths, then now is the best time to fix that problem.

When you’re dealing with moths, a good vacuum cleaner, like the Tineco Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner could be your best friend. Thoroughly vacuum fabric and hiding spaces to get rid of potential eggs. $200 at Amazon

If you’ve got a serious moth infestation then some clothes may be past the point of no return. Hungry moth populations can riddle clothes with holes. These clothes can be thrown out. Clothes you wish to preserve should go to the dry cleaner.

Another option is to take the clothes outside to a bright airy place and brush them. Brush the garment’s collars and seams in bright light. Then if possible, leave the clothes out in the sun. Vigorous brushing and sun exposure may kill moths or force them out.

After cleaning garments, you’ll want to seal away clothes in plastic until the problem has fully passed and the moths have been eradicated.

An underbed-style storage bin is usually a good choice, just make sure you have enough space for it. Vacuum seal bags will often provide the most reliable seal.

$180 at The Container Store

$25 at Amazon

Be especially thorough in your cleaning when dealing with moth infestations. Spray and scrub all surfaces in your closet and vacuum frequently, as getting rid of them entirely may require repeat cleaning sessions.

Fresh cedar is often touted as a moth repellent, however according to a report from the Cornell Insect Diagnostic Laboratory, cedar chests are primarily useful for keeping moths out of clothing due to their tight construction, rather than for their larvae killing oils. However, the report does suggest that a few essential oils may kill moth larvae, including cedar, eucalyptus, pennyroyal, lavender, and tansy, eucalyptus, pennyroyal, lavender, and tansy—though results are unproven by the lab as of yet.

$6 at Etsy