I'm like you, only I do my major cleaning in the late Fall. I figure I'm stuck inside a lot in the colder weather and want things clean when I'm home most!
My mom (now 80) taught me to deep clean. I recall being an early teen and washing down walls in my bedroom. Her favorite cleaner was and still is Spic 'n Span. She had the powdered version in the 1970's. I hated trying to get it to disolve.
When I deep clean, I do one large thing every week or so. It's just too hard on my hands otherwise. They can't handle too much scrubbing/wringing out these days.