happiness is a freshly cleaned house
And it is easier than you think - we promise!
Spring is in the air, and with the new season's arrival comes the annual spring cleaning tradition. It's a time to declutter, organize, and refresh our homes and lives.
A good spring cleaning can make you feel like you accomplished a huge task, destress you, bring more peace into your home, improve your focus, reduce home hazards, and get everything clean and fresh again!
But don't let this yearly task feel like a mount Everest you dread approaching. Instead, break it up into small steps, and you'll soon have conquered the giant!
Here are 36 spring cleaning steps to help you have a clean, fresh home in no time!
36 spring cleaning steps
set the stage
1. Don't overwhelm yourself
Before you start cleaning, create a plan of attack. Decide which rooms are a priority (in need of serious TLC), and tackle them first. Take it room by room, don't jump around. If it takes you the entire month, that is totally fine.
2. Call in help
If you have a family or partner, make it a group effort. The job will get done quicker, and you will strengthen relationships (well, we hope so!). Make it fun by playing games, setting challenges, or listening to music.
3. Declutter
Go through your home, room by room, and remove anything you no longer need or use. Donate or sell items that are still in good condition.
4. Clean top to bottom
Always start working from the top. This will allow dust particles to settle on items at a lower level or on the floor before cleaning them.
If you follow these basic principles, you will already be off to a good start and not feel like this ⟶
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all rooms
5. Clean the ceilings
Use a long feather duster or broom to rid the ceilings and crown molding of dust and spider webs.
6. Clean your light fixtures, switches, outlets
Dust and clean light fixtures with a wet cloth if necessary to improve their brightness. Wipe switches and electrical outlets with a disinfectant.
7. Clean your ceiling fans
Use a damp cloth to wipe down your ceiling fans and remove dust.
8. Clean your windows & mirrors
Use a mixture of water and vinegar to clean sticky residue on your windows and mirrors. Combine 50% water with 50% vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture over the window and wipe it down with a sponge or microfiber cloth in a Z-shaped motion. Clean the frames with an old toothbrush to get into the cracks and crevasses.
9. Clean your blinds
Use a damp cloth and pinch it around each slat, wiping from one side to the other all the way down to remove dust.
10. Wash your walls
Use a gentle all-purpose cleanser to wash your walls and remove any skid marks, stains, and sticky toddler evidence :-)
White-wine vinegar, Castile soap, or three or four drops of dish detergent in a half-filled bucket of water will all work well. Do a patch test first on painted walls for color changes, and don't scrub too vigorously.
11. Clean your baseboards
Use a damp cloth and a cleaning agent to wipe down your baseboards and remove dust.
12. Deep clean your carpets
Use a carpet cleaner or hire a professional to deep clean your carpets. Sprinkle baking soda over the carpet along with a fine mist of water. Allow it to dry, then vacuum once again.
13. Refresh your upholstered items
Refresh couches and upholstered chairs (and any other linen) with a DIY freshener. Mix one part fabric softener, one part baking soda, and two parts warm water in a spray bottle for a DIY fabric freshener.
14. Remove watermarks from wood tables
For watermark rings on your table, place some fabric on top of the mark and use your iron to go over the surface on low heat.
bedrooms
15. Clean out your closet
Go through your clothes and get rid of anything you haven't worn in the past year. Let's be honest, we all have our favorite clothing items and those we save for a rainy day! And while you're at it, give the insides of your closet a good wash too.
16. Create piles
As you declutter, create a pile of items to keep, donate to charity, or throw out. Be a bit more relentless here; the less clutter, the less noise. Marie Condo, anyone?
17. Clean and freshen up your mattress
Your mattress can accumulate dead skin, dust mites, dirt, and much more - eeek.
Directions: vacuum thoroughly, spot clean where needed with a small amount of water and gentle detergent, generously cover the mattress with bicarbonate of soda to soak up any odors for a few hours, vacuum again, flip the mattress, and do the other side.
You can also place your mattress and other non-washable upholstery items in the sun. The sun can kill bacteria and dust mites within hours, which can help those with allergies in particular.
18. Clean and freshen up your headboard
Follow the same steps as above for cleaning your headboard. If you have a wooden bed frame, give it an oil treatment to revive and protect the wood.
READ MORE: DIY natural home cleaning products
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bathrooms
19. Scrub your shower
Use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar or Castile soap and a few essential oil drops to scrub your shower walls and floor.
20. Descale the showerhead
To clean a showerhead of grime and avoid blockages, fill a clear sandwich bag with warm water, vinegar, and lemon, then tie it tightly around your shower's nozzle. The mixture will soak in and remove any dirt. Rinse thoroughly afterward
21. Clean your bathroom extractor fan
Remove the cover of your bathroom fan and clean the blades with a damp cloth. Replace the filter if needed.
22. Remove stubborn water marks
Remove watermarks from the shower door, faucets, tiles, and more with a lemon cut in half and rub it directly onto the surface. Rinse and buff.
23. Unclog drains
Clean your bathroom and kitchen drains by first pouring boiled water down the drain and then adding a cup of bicarbonate of soda.
Next, add a mixture of warm water and vinegar before pouring in more boiled water. Your drain should be looking (and smelling) good as new.
kitchen
23. Clean your oven
Use a commercial oven cleaner or a mixture of vinegar, dish soap, baking soda, and a few drops of lemon, lime, or orange essential oil to clean your oven.
24. Clean your refrigerator
Take everything out of your fridge, throw that two-year-old sauce out ;-) and clean the shelves and drawers with a natural cleaner of your choice.
Remove bad lingering odors by placing baking soda inside an open container and leaving it for 24 hours. Add a few drops of essential oil to also make your fridge smell good at the same time.
25. Clean and refresh your deep freeze
Clean and refresh your deep freezer as you would the fridge. You can also put activated charcoal in a container to eradicate nasty smells.
26. Clean your dishwasher
Remove any debris from your dishwasher, fill a dishwasher-safe tub with white vinegar, place it on the top rack, and run a complete cycle to remove any build-up. You can run a second shorter cycle to freshen your best dishwasher by sprinkling bicarbonate of soda on the bottom of the machine.
27. Clean your microwave
Place a bowl of water with lemon slices or apple cider vinegar in your microwave and heat for 2-3 minutes. Leave the steam inside for a few minutes, then wipe down the inside with a damp cloth.
28. Organize your pantry
Sort through your pantry and toss expired items. Use storage containers to group items in the same category and keep everything organized. For bulk items and things standing in rows, apply the FIFO concept - First In, First Out. This way, you will always use the oldest items first.
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general & outside
29. Clean your air filters
Replace or clean the air filters in your home, garage, and basement to improve air quality.
30. Tackle the garage:
This is always a monster! And it's totally ok if it takes you weeks to do! Start from one corner or the top shelf and sort all the accumulated stuff into different piles.
Check that can of paint you've been saving for a rainy day - is it even usable anymore? Sweep out debris and organize your tools and supplies.
31. Clean your patio furniture
Dust off spider webs and dust, and use a mixture of water and dish soap to clean your outdoor furniture. Re-oil or varnish wooden furniture if needed.
32. Clean your outdoor spaces
Sweep and wash your deck, patio, or porch to remove debris.
33. Deep clean your grill
Use a grill brush and a cleaning agent to clean your grill and remove any debris. A mixture of dish soap \and hot water, a DIY baking soda solution, or equal parts of vinegar and water will work great. If you can remove your grid, let it soak for a few hours to make the cleaning easier.
34. Clean your gutters
After the winter, your gutters may be filled and blocked with fallen leaves and other debris. Remove all debris from your gutters to prevent water damage and future troubles.
35. Replace smoke detector batteries
Check the batteries in your smoke detectors and replace them if needed.
36. Use diatomaceous earth to eliminate pests
Diatomaceous earth is a natural and very effective solution that will kill pests by drying them out, especially those lurking in your carpets. It will also deodorize and absorb stains. Sprinkle the carpet and let it sit for 12 to 24 hours, keeping children and pets away.
To control roaches, lightly dust areas of infestation, including cabinets and food storage areas, around baseboards, and doors and windows.
Use it in your garden to kill aphids, mites, slugs, and other garden pests by sprinkling a fine layer on the ground in the area immediately around the affected plants.
