Spring Cleaning Tips

The first step to cleaning your house this spring is to follow these declutter tips and reorganize the items around your home. Start by separating things into a few different piles, things you’d like to keep, things that you’d like to donate and things that you’re going to throw away. If you haven’t used something in the last year, consider donating it or getting rid of it. Once you’ve narrowed down your list of things to keep, organize those items so that they can be easily identified and accessible. For instance, winter clothes that are no longer in season can go in the back of your closet, while summer clothes and items can come to the front. This will allow you to store things you’re not using while giving you access to the stuff you need.

Dust is everywhere, so clean your house from top to bottom, making sure to dust on top of your TV, picture frames, light fixtures, door jams and more. Your air vents also collect dust, so be sure to remove them and clean them, then remove any books and items from your shelving and give those a wipedown as well. Dust and then vacuum your flooring and moulding as well, and make sure to get in the corners.

Clean the inside of your windows with a glass cleaner and paper towel. Wipe down the mouldings and trim with a damp cloth to remove any residue or grime. For the outside, use a hose on low to medium pressure to wash away dirt and other contaminants from the sill and glass and then scrub the windows clean. If you’d like to use a glass cleaner, get one that attaches to your hose for easier application. If you’d rather not use a ladder, you can use a telescoping cleaning brush to get to those higher, out-of-reach areas.

Wipe down your baseboards to remove any stubborn grime. If you’ve got hardwood floors, sweep them and then vacuum them on your vacuum’s bare floor setting. If you’ve got carpet, vacuum them on the carpet setting and then wash any rugs or mats.    

Remove any old food from your fridge and wipe down the shelves on the inside. If your appliances are stainless steel, you can use a stainless steel polish to get them shining like new. To clean your microwave, put a microwave-safe container with water in and heat it for 1 minute. It will create steam that will loosen any built-up grime inside, allowing you to easily wipe it away. If your oven has an auto-clean setting, use that to deep clean it. Otherwise, use a cleaner and a brush and scrub it clean. For your washing machine, run 2 cups of baking soda through a hot cycle and then do an additional cycle with 2 cups of white vinegar. This will remove any mouldy smells that are inside. Your dryer can be vacuumed to get rid of any lint build-up, which can be dangerous. Also remove any lint from your hoses and connectors for a complete clean.    

Once your appliances are clean, it’s time to tackle the kitchen as a whole. Clean your tiles and backsplash with a warm damp cloth, wiping away any residue left from grease splatters and cooking. Clean the inside of your cabinets with a damp cloth to remove dust and debris from inside. Move your appliances out of the way and clean underneath them with a damp cloth or scrubber, and allow the floor to dry before moving them back in place. Now we’ll move on to a bathroom deep cleaning. Using a bacteria-killing cleaner, clean your toilet and surrounding area and clean any mirrors with a glass cleaner. Scrub the floors and baseboards and vacuum up any residue that’s created. Clean your sink, drain cover and faucet, making it shine like new.

Clean your gutters outside by clearing them with your hands (wear gloves!) or, if you don’t want to use a ladder, with a telescoping cleaning pole. Clean your patio furniture with hot, soapy water, or even a pressure washer for really dirty sets. Then, wash your patio cushions according to the manufacturers specifications. With all of this complete, you should have a beautiful, clean home both inside and out.