Like with all things, getting started is often the hardest part. This is also the case with spring cleaning. If you’ve decided you want to spring clean your house and really set your mind to it already, great job. Before you jump right in, you may want to take other first steps to really make sure you’re prepared for the task at hand by writing out a cleaning schedule, delegating tasks, getting all your cleaning products together, and stocking up on anything you need. If you’ve done all of those things already too, congrats! You’re ahead of the game. But if you haven’t, it might be helpful to make a cleaning checklist of sorts before you begin. In order to do that you’ll need to think about what exactly needs to be done in each room of the house. And don’t forget about outdoor areas such as backyards, roofs, balconies, porches, and patios! Here’s a helpful overview of the tasks and projects you might want to consider.
What Spring Cleaning Looks Like Indoors
When most people think of spring cleaning, they first think of cleaning out their home from the inside out, getting all the gunk, dust, and clutter out of it that may have settled in during the winter now that they can leave the windows open and let in some fresh air. And for good reason! For most people, these are the problem areas in their home or on their property that need the most attention so let’s get started with the bedroom.
Bedrooms
Whether your bedroom is already seemingly spotless or one of the messiest places in your home, deep cleaning your bedroom is an essential part of the process you don’t want to skip, even if you feel it doesn’t “need it” as much as other parts of your home. Having a properly clean and organized bedroom can have an enormous impact on your sleep habits, for example, as well as other aspects of your well-being. So what do you need to do to deep clean your bedroom? Here’s a quick list:
- Strip the bed.
- Wash all sheets and pillowcases, including comforter, mattress cover, and bed skirt.
- Inspect mattress and spot clean stains.
- Vacuum and air out the mattress.
- Vacuum under the bed.
- Wipe down headboards.
- Dust everything (including ceiling fans, lamps, and light fixtures, blinds, drapes, windows and window moldings/sills, corners, light switches, doorknobs, door frames, and baseboards).
- Deal with clutter in, around, and on top of dressers, cabinets, closets, and bedside tables.
- Mop and/or vacuum; shampoo carpeting if necessary.
Bathrooms
Hopefully, your bathroom(s) are already a part of your home you clean regularly. They can easily collect germs, grime, and excessive moisture leading to issues like mold. However, even if you feel that your bathroom is already pretty spotless, your yearly spring cleaning is a great opportunity to give it a little extra time and attention. Aside from all the bathroom cleaning tasks, you should already be doing on a more frequent basis, here are some ideas for things you might want to add on during your spring clean session.
- Clean grout.
- A quick clean with vinegar or baking soda might do the trick to keep your grout looking fresh and bright looking, but if that’s not enough to get the job done, you may want to tackle staining with a bleach pen or consider a total re-grout.
- Scrub tub and shower.
- Tubs and showers should definitely be cleaned more than once per year, but take this time to really pay attention to nooks, crannies, corners, and details than might need some extra help.
- Clean showerhead.
- To get rid of any mineral build-up, you can tie a plastic bag of a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar over the showerhead and leave it on overnight.
- Wash the shower curtain and bathroom rugs.
- Depending on the materials, you may be able to use a washing machine. If not, you can always hand wash and set out in the sun to dry.
As with all other rooms, you should also consider:
- Dust ceilings, corners, vents, and fans.
- Clean curtains and blinds if you have them.
Kitchen
Of all the parts of the home to spring clean, the kitchen may be the most daunting one. There are just so many different bits and pieces to clean and so many things to be done, some of which may be more urgent than others, depending on what you’ve kept up on throughout the year. Simply due to the nature of the kitchen as space where we cook, eat, and is often well used, you may want to set aside more time to clean it than you think you need. But if you’re overwhelmed and don’t even know where to start, don’t fret! Here’s a list of the most important tasks to get you started:
- Remove all products, tools, and other items (food, cleaning, cooking, and otherwise) from storage and take stock of what you have, removing items that have expired or that you know you will no longer use (throw these away or give them away, depending on whether it is still safe or healthy to do so).
- Polish silverware.
- Wipe down the interior and exterior of cabinets and drawers before returning contents to their proper places.
- Wipe down handles, knobs, and light switches.
- Wipe down the exteriors and interiors of small appliances like toasters and coffee makers.
- Wipe down, empty out, and scrub the interiors of larger appliances such as microwaves, dishwashers, ovens (including stovetop and hood), and of course, the refrigerator.
- Run vent covers through the dishwasher or clean them by hand with a sponge and dish soap.
- Give your garbage disposal a thorough flush.
- Thoroughly clean sink.
- Disinfect countertops.
- Launder all linens, including items such as runners, oven mitts, and aprons.
- Take out trash and recycling and wash out cans/bins.
- Sweep/mop floors and launder rugs.
Hallways
Aside from some of the basic cleaning tasks we’ve already mentioned that can apply to any room (such as dusting, sweeping/vacuuming/mopping, and cleaning window areas), your main focus in spaces such as hallways should be decluttering. Especially in an often already small and narrow space such as a hallway, decluttering can be the key element to making the space look neat and tidy. Like in the bedroom and kitchen, you should set some time aside to properly sort through all of your belongings in this room (including stuff stored away on shelves and inside drawers, cabinets, and closets), and get rid of unnecessary and unused items, or if just misplaced, return to their proper places within the home. If the area still feels cluttered or crowded but you can’t bear to get rid of anything else, you may want to look into adding additional storage solutions such as baskets, shoe racks, shelving, and/or hooks and pegs. If applicable, take some time to clean the doormats inside and/or outside your doorways (shake them out, wipe them down, and/or launder them, if possible).
Living and Dining Rooms
Given that these rooms are often some of the largest and most frequently used in the home, they can seem a little bit intimidating at first. However, deep cleaning a living room, dining room, family room, or entertainment room mostly involves tasks you’re likely already doing year-round. Just do those tasks but more extensively and thoroughly than usual. We’ve already mentioned most of the tips, and tricks you’ll need to spring clean your main living areas, but here’s a quick refresh on some of the main areas you’ll want to make sure you don’t forget:
- Dust and/or vacuum the following:
- Ceiling
- Corners of walls
- Art and photographs
- Ceiling fan
- Couches and chairs
- Lampshades and lamps
- Tables, shelves, entertainment centers, and other furniture from top to bottom
- Electronics
- Floors
- Wash throw pillows and blankets.
- Polish wood, if applicable.
- Declutter and organize bookshelves and entertainment centers before returning contents to their proper place.
- Takedown and clean drapes, curtains, and blinds.
- Clean AC/furnace filter.
Conclusion
As you may have already noticed, this room-by-room checklist of spring cleaning tasks is just the jumping-off point for all of the many tasks and projects you may want to attend to this spring (or really, any time of the year). Depending on the size and design of your home, you may also find it appealing (or more importantly, necessary) to address other parts and places in your home not included in this list and deep clean them too, including, but not limited to: attics, basements, laundry rooms, pantries, additional closets, and storage spaces, playrooms, offices, garages, as well as your outdoor spaces such as roofs, balconies, porches, patios, gardens, yards, and so on. That’s a lot to take on! In many cases, you may realize that you simply cannot tackle the endeavor of spring cleaning your home in a couple of days, a weekend, a week, two weeks, or even a month. If that’s you, not to worry!
To spring clean, and to do it right, requires time, attention to detail, and determination. But the good news is that despite the name, you can actually spring clean any time of year, during any season; whenever it is right for you! Do it all at once or spread it over a span of several months. Whenever and however you get it done, we guarantee that if you do, you’ll be glad you did. For all your spring cleaning needs (and beyond), Owenhouse Ace Hardware is here to help.
