Spring cleaning season comes around once a year. If it happens to go around, it’s helpful to plan it out. “Block out a day in your calendar to spring clean, and hold yourself accountable for getting it done,” Matthew Baratta, the VP for Operations of Daimer Industries, advises. “Then, write out a checklist of tasks, and cross them out once they have been tackled.”
The steps above may seem basic; however, they’re crucial. A planned clean-up day will help you finish spring cleaning. A checklist will prevent you from not completing tasks during your cleaning routine.
Of course, putting together the spring cleaning list might be as intimidating as the actual spring cleaning; therefore, we turned to experts for guidance. We surveyed four experts in cleaning for tips on how to spring clean your home from bottom to top. We put their advice into a checklist you can use when cleaning your house next.
Matthew Baratta is the Vice Director of Operations at Daimer Industries, a Massachusetts-based company specializing in industrial and commercial cleaning equipment.
Derek Chiu and Leslie Tam are co-founders and Directors of UrbanMop, an organization that provides cleaning services in Canada.
Email Perushanov owns Top Cleaners London, an English-based cleaning business.
Why Should You Spring Clean Your Home?
The idea of spring cleaning can be overrated. In the end, if you care to keep your home in good condition, Do you have to thoroughly clean every spring? The truth is that cleaning your home regularly is a great idea. With the brighter days of spring blossoming trees and welcoming warmth – it can be an excellent time to start.
“Spring is a season of fresh starts, and people want to get out of their winter blues,” Derek Chiu and Leslie Tam, co-founders and directors at UrbanMop, say. “Some people have less motivation to clean their homes thoroughly during the winter season, so the spring season might be a good time to refresh their space.”
It is your choice to clean your home at any time of the year. If you can open the windows and let the fresh air in after you’ve scrubbed all over your bathtub sink, stove, or sink, spring may be the perfect time to clean for you.
Do the Dishes
If you’ve got a whole house to be cleaned, it can be challenging to figure out what to do first. However, experts suggest beginning with something easy such as washing dishes. Because the job is straightforward, it’s simple to complete, allowing you to start the process with a bang.
“Wash any leftover dishes to get the momentum going,” Chiu and Tam tell us. “This is a job that must be completed regularly. Therefore, starting with it will help you progress to other tasks that may seem overwhelming.”
Hand wash your delicate dishes. Put the rest of the words into the dishwasher. And run a quick cleaning cycle.
Strip and Wash Your Bedding
Cleaning your bed is an absolute must and’ll likely take some time. Begin the process of cleaning while you have other things to get done.
Clean your bed. Clean all your bedding, including bedding, sheets, pillowcases, and comforters. If you notice any stains, you can treat the area with baking soda before washing your beddingachine.
You might require several cycles to finish the task. This step should be revisited while you go over your spring-cleaning list. Pause from other chores of cleaning to load things into the dryer and washer, after which, once all is done, you can re-make your bed.
Clean and Flip Your Mattress
If your mattress isn’t clean, make sure you get it cleaned. In the words of Emil Perushanov, owner of Top Cleaners London, This is an activity that people often neglect.
“Surprisingly, the most overlooked task concerns the part of the home we use most often: the bedroom,” he states. “People often skip mattress cleaning and forget to flip their mattresses.”
Begin by vacuuming your mattress to rid it of dust and dirt—following, spot-treat stains with dish soap and vinegar. If you own the type of mattress that can be turned, you can flip the mattress. And then, complete the process by sprinkling a layer of baking soda over the bed to wash it.
Declutter
Clutter can only get out of the way as you tidy. Run through your house quickly, and clear out anything you can.
Begin with the basic stuff. Put dirty clothes in the laundry basket, put garbage in the trash container, and then put the items out of place in their proper place.
Create a space to keep giveaway items and add to the pile as you tidy. Each time you discover things you no longer need or require, place them in the rise of giveaways. Take the bank to a donation center after the deep cleaning.
Dust and Wipe Down Every Surface
In time, dust accumulates throughout any house, and spring cleaning is a great occasion to clean dust. Take a walk around your home with the help of a duster, and scrub any dirty surfaces. Make sure to check for the areas that are smudge-prone, such as:
When you dust, keep on the lookout for any other types of mess. Make use of your duster to get rid of any cobwebs that you notice. Use a moist cleaning cloth to scrub surfaces that appear dirty instead of dusty.
While dusting, go from the top to the bottom. “Always start from the top,” Perushanov states. Why? While cleaning, dust can be blown off your duster, contaminating the surface beneath it. If you’ve just cleaned that area, you’ll need to do it again to thoroughly clean it up.
Clean Your Air Vents, Filters, and Radiators
Dusting isn’t finished but not yet. Dust can build up on air vents, inside air filters, and even on radiators. Therefore, take the time to get rid of these.
Radiators and air vents are relatively easy to clean. Use your duster to scrub them clean. However, air filters may require a bit more effort. Begin by taking off your air filters. There are two choices. You can vacuum your air filter to eliminate the accumulated dust and other debris. Alternatively, you can change them out with a new set. (Since air filters must be replaced every three months, it’s likely to choose the latter option.)