The upcoming change in seasons can bring new opportunities and new warm weather friendly activities and time in the fresh air. Who doesn’t love the bright sunny days spent outside or opening up the windows to let in fresh air? But of course with this weather comes some of the best chances to renew and refresh your home.
Spring cleaning is every cleaning professional’s favorite time of year, but that enthusiasm can be shared and enjoyed. In fact, we want to share some of our best spring cleaning advice as well as a checklist you can use when you’re ready to start your own spring cleaning. Check out our checklist below and feel free to use it to customize your own spring cleaning checklist for your home.
Why should you do any spring cleaning?
Spring cleaning is a great way to kickstart any cleaning journey and catch up on any dust and debris buildup left behind from the cooler months. Changing seasons is a great time to reset and refresh your home in preparation for hosting and relaxing. Warmer weather means social gatherings, sunny days, and allergies so why not get a head start before you start sniffling from all that pollen?
Grab Your Tools
Before your spring cleaning can begin, you should make sure you have all your cleaning essentials at the ready. Whether this means running to the store to replace an empty bottle of your favorite cleaner, or making your own DIY natural cleaners, we want you to be prepared. If you want to make sure you have what you need, we can help. Here is a general checklist of supplies we think you’ll need:
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Primary Tasks
There are some tasks that can be taken care of in every room of the house. We suggest knocking those out before you start breaking the job down by room. Here are some of the general cleaning tasks for the whole house from the top floor to bottom:
- Clean and wipe down walls, baseboards, and trim
- Clean windows, window sills, and curtains
- Vacuum
- Dust surfaces top to bottom
- Wet and or dry mop
- Clean and deodorize carpets
- Clean air vents
- Replace batteries in smoke/carbon monoxide detectors
- Sanitize high-touch surfaces
Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of every home, and we highly suggest starting the deeper spring cleaning in here or in the bathrooms as both usually take the longest. In order to make sure you get a proper deep clean in the kitchen, make sure you use food safe and effective cleaning products and degreasers.
Cleaning around the kitchen is super important, but should be handled with care and attention to detail. If you’re not sure if the products you have are safe for food preparation surfaces, be sure to take a moment to research this and find alternatives if necessary. Here is a general list of cleaning tasks for the kitchen:
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Living Room
Whether you live alone or with others, the living room is almost always the social center of the home. Even if you really only stay on the couch and binge your favorite shows and movies, the space could always use tlc. Plus there’s no telling how many house parties and friends you’ll be hosting as the weather warms up.
It’s finally time to say goodbye to the crumbs that have accumulated in the cushions and around the floor, as well as that musty smell left behind from a spilled drink. You spend a good amount of time in the living room, why not give it the deep cleaning it deserves? Here is our list of cleaning tasks you can complete around the living room:
- Vacuum upholstered furniture
- Wash any furniture slip covers and pillow covers
- Dust blinds and window trim
- Shake out and vacuum rugs
- Wash throw blankets
- Dust light fixtures and ceiling fans
- Dust and wipe down wall hangings and decor pieces
- Clean and sanitize electronics
Bedrooms
Outside of your living room, the bedroom should probably be one of the coziest rooms in your home. Your bedroom is your personal space and should be calming and inviting, ready for each evening as you crawl into bed. But somehow, there always seems to be an accumulation of clothing and clutter around the room.
Spring cleaning is the best time to do some serious decluttering in the closets around the home as well. The transition in seasons is the perfect time of year to review what you wore and didn’t wear the previous season, so make sure to be ruthless in your purging. Here are a few spring cleaning tasks you can incorporate when cleaning your bedroom:
- Strip and wash bedding
- Deodorize and rotate mattress
- Purge and reorganize closets
- Move and vacuum under furniture
- Clean and declutter under bed
- Dust and wipe down wall decor pieces
Bathrooms
No one enjoys walking into or using a dirty bathroom. Hopefully you keep up with the regular cleaning and upkeep of the bathrooms around your house throughout the year, so spring cleaning won’t be too different.
Bathrooms can be bacteria magnets, so it is very important to keep these rooms clean and sanitized regularly. Be sure to thoroughly wipe down and sanitize the high-touch surfaces around the bathroom every day, not just as part of a cleaning routine. Here are a few of the cleaning tasks you can tackle in the bathroom:
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Outdoor Areas
When you think of spring cleaning, your mind probably sticks to all the cleaning you’ll be doing inside your home. But please don’t forget about the spaces outside your home during the cleaning process. With warmer weather on the way, you’ll want to make sure your outdoor spaces are clean and ready for hosting.
Sure, that may mean some more extensive effort and probably some lawn care that you maybe didn’t plan for, but it’s worth it we promise. No matter the size or scope of your outdoor space, you’ll want to make sure it is inviting and ready for any potential guests. Here are a few of our recommended cleaning tasks for outside your home:
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Miscellaneous Spaces
Where the main rooms of your home are clean and ready for the coming weather, you can change focus to the smaller areas. Rooms like the garage, laundry room, play room, and home office need some serious cleaning and decluttering as well so don’t leave them out of your checklist.
Every home is different and can contain any assortment of rooms that serve any number of purposes. Make sure you put in just as much effort when cleaning these side rooms as you would the rest of your home, dust and bacteria can accumulate on almost every surface. Here are a handful of tasks you can include when you deep clean any of the side rooms in your home:
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Extra Tips and Tricks
As you work through your home to complete your spring cleaning checklist, there can be a few things you may miss or disregard in the process. That’s okay, we all miss some details here and there once in a while. To help you stay focused and motivated while you clean, here are some of our favorite tips and tricks:
- Make sure you have a complete list of cleaning and decluttering tasks on hand before you get started so that you’ll be able to be as detailed as possible as you clean. You’ll also be more motivated to keep cleaning as you check more tasks off the list.
- The more thoroughly you clean around your home and the more frequently you can keep up with a regular cleaning schedule, the fewer allergens will be floating around and the healthier you will be!
- When you’re cleaning around your house, we always always always suggest cleaning from top to bottom. If you’re living in a multi-story home that means working from the top floor to the basement, and if you’re in an apartment that will mean cleaning from your ceilings to your floors. We recommend this because as you work from high to low dust can settle on lower surfaces. So by cleaning top to bottom, you ensure that every speck of dust is swept away when you clean.
- Don’t shy away from doing your research about the cleaning products you use. Some of the highest rated cleaning products on the market are not always the best product for every home. If you ever have any doubts about whether or not a product is safe to use in and around your home, kids, or pets, consider looking into tried and true alternatives.
- Check social media for cleaning inspiration, motivation, and even product recommendations. Some of the best cleaning tips and tricks can be found in the strangest places if you know where to look. Many people often find their motivation in posting their cleaning journey online, so don’t be afraid to show the world just how much you can accomplish within your home!
Some Final Information
Now that you have a general idea of what to clean up in and around your home, there are a few extra things to keep in mind. First, spring cleaning doesn’t just have to be reserved for spring. In fact, any time there is a transition of seasons is a great time to deep clean and declutter around the house. We highly suggest doing a spring cleaning type of project at least twice a year.
Second, remember to clean at your own pace. If you don’t have the time or energy to knock out your entire checklist in one day or even one weekend, that’s okay! You can break your spring cleaning down into manageable chunks and go by room or go by a set of tasks. Set a cleaning goal for yourself and do your best to reach it, when you do you’ll feel accomplished and motivated to keep going.
If you are struggling to keep up with a regular cleaning schedule and a thorough deep clean is out of the question, don’t worry. Everyone struggles to maintain a clean environment and there’s no shame in admitting that you need some help. Be sure to check out our Boston Spring Cleaning services, we’re happy to help you make sure you and your home are taken care of. Be sure to check out our website to browse our range of services and read through our blog to find some more cleaning tips and tricks.