Yes, it’s time to start thinking about spring cleaning your home again. You owe it to yourself and family to enjoy a clean that’s more than dirt-deep. Think allergen-deep. And spring cleaning isn’t something to dread—just follow our easy spring-cleaning tips and tricks.
1. Make a Spring Cleaning List and a Schedule
Scope out your home: What areas need the most work? Where do you skip during routine cleaning? (Be honest.) Those are the best places to start. Regardless of where you start, having a plan for when you’re tackling each room will keep you focused on the task at hand. Some find it useful to list the areas of concern in each room and then plan on tackling one area per weekend. That way they don’t feel overwhelmed.
2. De-clutter
Studies have shown that a disorganized home adds to your stress level. The scientific implications of inhaling dust gathered in your home – combined with the psychological stress of coming home to a pile of unsorted laundry after a hard day at work – can take a sudden, unexpected toll. Spend some time organizing your closets, spring cleaning your office, and looking into that junk drawer to eliminate unnecessary stress from your life.
3. Work from Top to Bottom
When you think about how to spring clean your home, it’s important to start from the ceiling down. This will force debris downward and keep you from having to re-dust or re-clean your space. If you have a vacuum with a long extension hose, use it to get cobwebs and dust from your ceilings and fans. Then dust your furniture and other items before vacuuming all the dust from your floors.
4. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter
Many people shampoo carpet or have it professionally cleaned during the springtime. If not, you should at least vacuum with a high-quality HEPA vacuum. It’s one of the best spring-cleaning supplies you can arm yourself with. You’ll see this suggestion on just about every spring house cleaning list.
Most vacuums come with attachments, like dusting brushes and crevice tools, and hoses that can be used to clean any location. Use these tools to clean ceiling fans, cobwebs in corners, furniture, pillows, and tight spaces like behind furniture. Be sure to move your furniture too (or at least vacuum under it).
5. Walls and Windows Need Love too
People almost always think to clean their floors, but they typically forget about walls and windows. Most dust settles on the floor and other surfaces, but not all of it. Just use a damp towel to wipe down walls and blinds (starting from the top). On the outside, remove and wipe down the window screens- or better yet, take them into the backyard and hose them down. When it comes to the actual window, using a steam cleaner with a squeegee is a great way to clean windows.
6. Think Green When You Spring Clean
You want to start spring off on a clean note, so don’t expose yourself to chemicals and toxins. A steam cleaner is one of the best green products for spring cleaning. It uses hot water vapor and a 100% natural and chemical-free cleaning solution. But keep in mind – not everything can be steam cleaned.
If you don’t have a steam cleaner, one of the best natural combinations for cleaning is white distilled vinegar, baking soda, and water. These ingredients are affordable, non-toxic, and have worked for ages when it comes to cleaning. Goodhousekeeping.com also has an extensive list of other green spring-cleaning products.
7. Don’t Be Afraid of the Kitchen and Bathroom
No longer fear cleaning your bathroom! You’ll get through it. Here are a few trouble areas you might have forgotten about:
Kitchens
- Wipe down your cabinets.
- Go through your pantry and refrigerator, wipe down the shelves, and throw away any old items. Be ruthless.
- If you have stainless steel appliances, be sure to use gentle cleaners or a steam cleaner to avoid scratching or other issues.
Bathrooms
Consider installing a new bathroom fan. Replacing an existing fan or adding a new one can help to ensure your bathroom remains in top notch condition. Not just great for ventilating moisture during showers, these fans are great for odour and vapor removal too. Some units even come with built-in lighting, automatic operation, and other user-friendly features.
Other tips for the bathroom include:
- Change your shower curtain
- Go through your cosmetics drawer and throw away any expired items
8. Don’t Forget About Your Air
Replacing furnace and HVAC filters is one of the most important and overlooked parts of spring cleaning. In fact, replacing a standard filter with a more robust one with a high MERV rating does wonders for improving your indoor air quality. When ducts build up dust over winter, and these filters catch those unwanted particles so they don’t enter your space. It’s an inexpensive way to make sure you’re breathing clean, healthy air.
If allergens, indoor chemicals, or odours are a larger concern for you, you can also consider getting an air purifier.
9. Spring Cleaning Safety
Cleaning will more than likely unsettle all the winter dust on furniture and fixtures. If you suffer from allergies or are using heavy-duty cleaners, be sure to read the labels. For safe spring cleaning, wear rubber gloves, masks, scarves and even hairnets. Protective clothing will help guard against skin irritations and allergic reactions.
10. Let Spring Cleaning Set a New Tone
If your space feels dark and heavy, you can make small changes to help make it light and fresh for spring. Adding new colorful pillows or art are great ways to change up your space. Replacing items like bedding, towels, table linens, and even window treatments are other ways to transform your rooms for spring and warm weather ahead.