Here is a method recommended by Seattle Times editor Bill Ristow and it's a good one. The trick is to actually take these steps -- even when you believe you've done a fine job already and you have to move on to do a lot of other things on your to-do list.
1. Print out your story in hard copy, preferably in a narrow column format. (Because it's harder for the eye to read all the way across a full page.) Bump up the type a bit whenever possible for the same reason.
2. Move away from your computer so you aren't tempted to tweak and massage when you are supposed to be editing. Change venue for a fresh look at your story. Make sure you are working in good light and using whatever eyewear is needed.
3. Use a bright highlighter pen to mark every verifiable fact in your story: names, dates, numbers, titles, locations, etc. Treat all facts big and small, as equal.
4. Proofread backwards -- that is from the bottom of the story to the top. You want to avoid reading it as a written piece because flow and sentence structure and rhythm will seduce and blind you. You'll see the big picture and miss words and punctuation. You can also read with a ruler over the line above so that all you can see is the line you are checking at that moment. This is a classic proof-reading technique.
5. Check every highlighted fact against your original notes and whenever possible with a second source. Call phone numbers and log into web addresses to verify them. Try not to rely on your memory --especially for things you THINK to be true. Pay special attention to numbers because it is so easy to transpose them. Read them aloud while you're facting checking them against source material and try to look at each number individually.
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