Spring Cleaning: Your Guide to a Cleaner Home

Spring is almost here, and we're all looking forward to warmer weather. Tackle spring cleaning first to enjoy the season all the more.

After saying goodbye to winter, it's time to bust open your windows—and your cabinet full of cleaning supplies. Nothing feels as good as living in a house that's so clean it sparkles. Welcome spring by giving your home a good, deep clean. 

Spring cleaning can feel daunting, but it doesn't have to. As the flowers bloom and the birds serenade, your house shouldn't feel like it's stuck in winter. Freshen it up and get a head start on the hectic seasons of spring and summer. Rejuvenate your space and make it more livable just in time for summer.

Spring Cleaning Your Interior

Basket with brushes, rags, natural sponges and cleaning products.

After a long winter:

  • Clean the interior to breathe new life into your home.
  • Go beyond the weekly sweeping, dusting, and mopping and deep-clean your home. Don't let dust and dirt overtake your favorite place to relax.

We know you don't want to spend the first days of spring indoors with a scrub brush, so spread out the cleaning chores. You can dedicate just a few hours a week or deep-clean one room daily. Tackle one room at a time with these tips. Your whole house will be refreshed and spring ready.

White sink near window in a modern kitchen

The Kitchen

The kitchen is one of the most cluttered rooms in a home. Start by sweeping the floor and removing crumbs from the counters. Go through your fridge, freezer, cabinets, and pantry to declutter. Clean all the kitchen appliances and don't forget the dishwasher. Remove stove grates and other removable parts and clean them according to manufacturer's instructions.

To remove stuck-on food particles from your microwave's interior, put a bowl of water with lemon juice inside and heat it to boiling. Steam will loosen the gunk and the acid in the lemon will help remove grease. Use a solution of warm water and dishwashing liquid to clean the tops of cabinets and the fridge, which may be sticky from grease. You can use the same mixture to clean drawers and shelves. Pay special attention to the pantry and the utensil drawer since they collect the most crumbs. Vacuum and wash the floors to complete the job.

Woman cleaning Bath Fitter bathtub

The Bathroom

Vacuum and wipe the ceiling and walls to keep the surfaces sanitary and prevent build-up . Use the brush attachment to vacuum and then wipe the walls with a cleaner that doesn't damage painted walls. The walls could be coated with perfume, hairspray, and other products. Clean your tub, floors, and sinks. If you have a Bath Fitter tub, follow our guidelines to properly care for your solution. Then rinse everything from top to bottom.

Clean the toilet the same way. Start with the tank and then the bowl and base. Use microfiber cloths that don't leave lint. Be sure to wash the microfiber cloths you use in the bathroom before using them anywhere else. Wash bathroom rugs in the washing machine to get rid of bacteria and buildup and then wash mirrors and the insides of windows. Lastly, mop the floor to make your bathroom sparkle. See more bathroom-cleaning tips here.

Woman is making her bed

Bedrooms

Airing mattresses reduces germs and allergens. So, remove the bed linens, open the windows, and air the room. If it isn't too cold, you can leave the windows open for a few hours. Clean the bedroom walls and ceilings. Dust all surfaces. Carefully clean the outer edges of doors and electrical switch plates.

Next, clean all the bed linens in the washing machine. Start with mattress pads and end with bed shams. This way, you can put them on the beds in order. If you're done with winter bedding, wash it and store it. Remember the window treatments. Use the fluff cycle on the dryer for light drapes. You can have heavy drapes dry-cleaned or use your vacuum's upholstery attachment. Wash window interiors, bedroom mirrors, and steam-clean carpets and rugs. You can use a professional-grade carpet cleaner or rent one.

Woman is dusting shelves in gloves at home

Living Areas

Use an extendable duster to dust ceiling fans, shelves, and the tops of bookcases. Move to the sofa and upholstered chairs and clean them thoroughly. These are used daily but rarely cleaned. You can rent an upholstery machine with upholstery wands to clean your furniture.

Wipe your light bulbs with a damp microfiber cloth. A dirty bulb emits 30% less light. Wash the insides of windows and launder window treatments. Then focus on the electronics since they collect a lot of dust every day. Spray compressed air into openings and use microfiber cloths to clean them from top to bottom. To ensure you don't push the dust back in, wipe away from ventilation areas. Lastly, clean the fireplace and store any unused logs. Remove all carpets from the room and clean them with a carpet-cleaning machine.

Shelves with beautiful linens neatly arranged

Storage Areas and Closets

Spring cleaning your closets and storage areas is necessary because they hold a lot of clutter. Start by purging and get rid of everything you don't need. Pack away winter clothes and the items you won't use for a few months. Pack the clothes and items you haven't used before and donate them. Don't purge based on how you feel because you may never get rid of some things. 

Once you've decided which items are staying and which are going, organize them. Organize everything in a way that's accessible and easy to see. Neatly fold everything and store items in a logical order.

Spring Cleaning Your Exterior

Brush and pail hanging from a wall hook

Winter can wreak havoc on the outside of your house, and spring is the perfect time to give attention to spaces that have been ignored for a long time. Longer days and warmer temperatures may inspire you to clean your home's interior, but it's just as important to clean the exterior. Make your home's exterior sparkle and prepare for chilling and grilling. 

The Garden 

Spend the early days of spring sprucing up your garden. Get rid of last year's dead annuals, rake out leaves, and trim perennials. Spring is also the best time to remove winter mulch and prune trees and shrubs that bloom in summer. Most evergreens also need trimming at this time.

Remove diseased or broken branches from greenery. Don't wait too long to tidy your garden. It's easier to cut plants before the old growth gets tangled up in the new growth. Trellises, archways, and pergolas can look a little ragged after a rough winter. Hose down all your garden structures, replace any rotted or broken wood pieces, and repaint or reseal as necessary. 

Mother and child working together in the garden

Garage 

As you clean your home's exterior, don't forget the garage. Get rid of everything that's no longer useful. Pack all unused equipment, unneeded tools, and clutter. Take all of it to the thrift store.

Afterward, remove cobwebs, wipe shelving units, sweep the floors, and grease garage door hinges and springs to ensure they work smoothly. Use a power washer to clean your home's siding and garage doors. If you don't have a power washer, a long-handled scrub brush will do.

Wall of tools in a garage workshop

Windows

Spend some time cleaning the outside of your windows. Dirty windows can dim the sparkle of spring sunshine. Wash the windows, scrub the sills, and take a hose to the screens. You'll need a sprayer attachment, a squeegee, a ladder, a rag or two, a cleaning solution, and elbow grease.

Use mild soap or a simple solution of water and vinegar. And be sure to wash your windows on a dry, overcast day. This weather ensures the lather doesn't dry quickly and leave persistent streaks. For the best results, clean the windows from the inside and the outside. If some exterior windows are hard to reach, hire a local cleaning company.

A woman is wiping down a soapy window

Gutters

Spring showers are common, so prepare your rain gutters to handle the runoff. After winter, gutters fill with leaves, branches, and debris. Be sure to put on your work gloves. Climb a ladder and remove as much debris as you can. Hose away the rest. And while you're up there, clear clogs from the downspouts and ensure they don't direct water to the foundation. Pooling water around your house may weaken the foundation, leading to costly repairs

A hand is clearing gutters filled with leaves

Tips for Decluttering in Spring

A woman is folding a stack of laundry and organizing clothes.
  • 1

    Create a spring-cleaning checklist – create a plan and get your organization ideas on paper. Make a list of all your chores and tackle a few every day. When one is finished, check it off the list and move on to the next one. This will keep you motivated and give you an idea of how long decluttering will take.

  • 2

    Donate clothes/books/unused items – do good while you clean by donating canned goods, household items, and seldom-used clothing to those in need. Your excess can become a blessing to other people. Turn your annual spring-cleaning ritual into a donating tradition.

  • 3

    Recycle electronics – if you're all about saving the planet, this is a great way to do it. Don't buy new electronics; simply recycle old ones. Every time a new electronic is manufactured, pollution increases, and valuable and limited virgin resources are used. Recycling electronics  also helps reduce the energy used to manufacture new products.

  • 4

    Minimize waste – many of us have overflowing closets, sheds, garages, and attics. Decluttering frees up these items so others can use them. Give somebody else the opportunity to own your unused stuff. This will also prevent new purchases and help save the planet.

Make Your Home Ready for Spring

White bed beside fresh flowers on a nightstand

Seasonal cleaning allows you to get to know your home even better. Create a spring-cleaning checklist. Prepare your home for spring and all the fun with sunshine. You'll have a cleaner home and enjoy spring more by tackling spring chores. Living in a clean home is also therapeutic.

A thorough spring cleaning helps make your home's air healthier to breathe. But don't just clean your home in spring; tidy up year-round to avoid overworking come April. Dust and allergens that build up over winter need to be removed before spring, the allergy season. 

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