Spring is in the air! Which means, it’s time to put away your heavy winter coats, and bring the spring wardrobe out of the closet. And, that means it’s time to do some serious spring cleaning.
Doing a deep-clean of your home once a year is important. It prevents dirt built up on your floors and tile, and also gives you a chance to clean places that you typically leave alone during a normal clean. Plus, it’s a great time to de-clutter your home and get rid of things you haven’t used in the last 12 months or so.
Read on for some spring cleaning tips you won’t want to miss.
We’ll help you keep your spring cleaning to-do list manageable, so you can get your home in tip top shape and can enjoy the spring season.
Spring Cleaning Tip 1: Get Organized
No one likes to be cooped up inside all day vacuuming when the weather is nice, so it’s important to get organized about your spring cleaning and get ahead of it: the more you plan and organize, the less time you’ll waste, so you can get back to your regularly scheduled spring programming in no time.
Make a list of all of the items you want to tackle this spring-cleaning season. Suggestions from House Beautiful include cabinets, windows, the inside of your dishwasher, your fridge shelves, silverware, oven, wood floors, carpet, storage areas, pantry, washing machine, mattress, painted walls, bookshelves, and outdoor furniture.
Spring Cleaning Tip 2: De-Clutter
The best thing to do first when spring cleaning is to de-clutter. Take everything out of your closets, first. Get rid of winter clothing that you didn’t wear this season or last season, and pare down by getting rid of anything you don’t love anymore. Make sure you donate clothing that’s still in good shape to your local Good Will or charity.
Make a pile of shoes you need to get repaired, and call around local shoe repair shops to get the best price. You should also wash or dry clean your winter coats before packing them away for the spring and summer season when you won’t need them.
In the kitchen, take everything out of your pantry and throw away any items that are expired. Don’t forget to check your spice cabinet, too—if you don’t cook frequently, some of those spice bottles may be too old to use!
Wipe out the cabinets and vacuum the bottom of your closet before putting everything away.
Spring Cleaning Tip 3: Visit the Outside of Your House
Choose an overcast day to tackle the outside of your home. Wash the windows (inside and outside), and dust and clean the porch furniture that’s been sitting in your garage all winter. If you need to do some mild landscaping before the spring hits, get that out of the way too.
Use your garden hose to get rid of spider webs or built up dirt on the siding of the house, and if you need to, rent a power washer from your local hardware store to get pollen build up off the side of your home.
Sweep the porch and the deck, clean your welcome mats, and get everything set up for the spring!
Spring Cleaning Tip 4: Tackle the Inside of Your House
Take it one room at a time in the interior of your home, and plan to split this process up over a few days; getting everything done all at once won’t work!
Take down all of the curtains and wash them to remove dust and any other build up. Dust everything! Don’t forget places like the back part of your bookshelves, ceiling fans, sconces, baseboards, night stands, coffee tables, and any other surface that collects dust.
If you have a pet, use the attachment on your vacuum cleaner to get rid of hair and fur on your upholstered surfaces, including your headboard, couches and chairs.
Vacuum and shampoo the carpeting in each room, moving your furniture as you go so that you clean the entire carpet rather than just the traffic areas.
Good Housekeeping says you shouldn’t forget to vacuum your mattress! Use the crevice tool on your vacuum to remove dust from your mattress.
Clean the kitchen next: wipe down your cabinets—if they’re wood, use a wood cleanser so that you don’t dry them out. Clean your appliances, including your oven, microwave and dishwasher, and use vinegar to deep-clean your stainless-steel pots and pans. Don’t forget the fridge: remove all of your food, toss out expired items, and use a disinfectant spray to wipe down the shelves. You may be able to remove them and pop them in the dishwasher.
Spring Cleaning Tip 5: Pay Attention to Your Walls
Your walls can build up with grime from fingertips and other grease, so use an eraser sponge, like the ones we offer here at SpongeOutlet, to freshen up areas around door knobs, light switches, highly trafficked corners, and more.
Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be overwhelming: follow these tips, and stock up on cleaning supplies from SpongeOutlet before you dive in. If you stay organized and stick to a schedule, your home will be cleaner than ever in just a few days!