Spring cleaning can be downright overwhelming – there is so much work to do and most of it is labor intensive and time consuming. If you’re a person who doesn’t know where to start spring cleaning, even these spring cleaning checklists may seem overly complicated. So to help you get started and stay focused, we’ve broken up spring cleaning by room, offering two to three spring cleaning jobs for each.
But more importantly, we talked to the experts about tools and cleaning products that make tough-duty cleaning faster and easier, as well as some unexpected ways to spring-clean trusted household appliances like a vacuum cleaner and washing machine.
After a long winter, the bedroom can feel stale, so focusing your spring cleaning efforts on refreshing will pay off big in the long run.
Update bedding: Even if you wash your sheets regularly, laundry will play a big part in your bedroom spring cleaning. Mary Begovic Johnson, chief scientist at Tide and Downy, notes that sheets aren’t the only textiles that get dirty and smelly over time. “People don’t always think about washing other textiles on or around their beds, such as window sills, pillowcases, pillowcases, duvets, duvets, stuffed animals, rugs, laundry bags, and even pillows themselves!”
Since these items are washed infrequently, stains linger deeply, so using a laundry detergent designed to remove stains, such as Tide Ultra Stain Release laundry detergent, should be part of your regular spring cleaning routine.
Mattress deep cleaning: As Josh Matlow, Design Manager at Dyson, points out, “We spend almost a third of our lives in our beds, but very rarely pay attention to how clean our mattresses are.” Of course, you can’t just toss the mattress into the washing machine, but you can use another household appliance to do the deep cleaning: your vacuum cleaner. Matlow suggests using a motorized nozzle like the Dyson Tangle Free Turbine to pick up hair, dust, pollen and other allergens that build up in the bedroom.
Learn more about our favorite handheld vacuum cleaners here, and for more ideas and tips, check out our complete bedroom spring cleaning guide.
Let’s face it, deep cleaning a bathroom can become a real chore. But there are some miracle products that will do most of the work for you, saving you time and effort.
Lighten dull grout: OxiClean is usually used to lighten laundry, but it can also be used to lighten dirty and messy grout. To use it for deep cleaning, dissolve the powder in hot water to make a solution. Apply a thin layer of OxiClean solution to the floor, then let the solution do its work on your floors for 30-60 minutes before wiping it off. Go over the floor again with a mop and clean water and let it dry, after which you will be greeted by a bright clean grout.
Elimination of mold and fungus: X-14 is a powerful cleaner that removes mold, mildew and Serratia marcescens, that pinkish/orange shower foam that collects around drains, grout and sealant. Because X-14 is so powerful, very little cleaning is required; simply spray the product onto the moldy surface, wait 10 to 15 minutes for it to penetrate and eliminate bacterial growth, and rinse the area clean.
The living room is a great place where machines do most of the spring cleaning for you, from freshening up furniture to cleaning ceiling fans.
Refresh furniture: As with mattresses, we spend a lot of time on our couches and couches and often overlook the need to clean them. Sofas and other upholstered furniture should be cleaned every month, Matlow says. (Every month!) Cordless models make cleaning oversized and bulky items less labor intensive than corded vacuum cleaners.
Wash windows: Cleaning windows used to be considered one of the worst spring cleaning jobs, but now there’s a robot that can do it for you. Window cleaning robots use a snapping feature that allows the machines to literally cling to vertical surfaces such as windows, sliding glass doors, and even glass shower doors while cleaning.
In the kitchen, spring cleaning jobs tend to fall into two categories: general cleaning — decluttering and reorganizing spaces like the pantry or closet where you store food storage containers — and large appliances, which we tend to put off cleaning because let’s be honest, we tend to be afraid of jobs like cleaning the oven or refrigerator.
Clean the oven and refrigerator: If your large appliances require serious attention, you need to know this tip: the tool you use to get the job done is just as important as the cleaner you choose. When it comes to cleaning the inside of your oven or refrigerator, Dobie Pad – a non-scratch sponge that removes stubborn dirt – makes the job a lot easier.
Wash smelly, dirty curtains: “Fat and other molecules released during cooking will travel throughout the home and settle on fabrics such as curtains, causing dullness and odor,” Johnson explained. “Some odors and dirt can be so deeply ingrained that they cannot be removed with normal washing.” For things like curtains or small kitchen rugs, Johnson suggests using a heavy-duty laundry detergent like Tide Hygienic Clean laundry detergent.
Address of sticky, dirty cabinets: If tidying up your closets and pantry is on your spring cleaning list, you should also take the time to thoroughly clean cabinet shelves and doors. Cooking grease leaves a sticky film on hard surfaces that regular all-purpose cleaners can’t get off, so use a powerful degreaser like Zep Industrial Purple for the job.
Home offices have two main and interrelated problems: clutter and dust. Focus your spring cleaning efforts on eliminating these two sources of clutter and your workplace will look brighter, cleaner, and more organized.
Wipe hard-to-reach places: An inexpensive vacuum attachment can do wonders when it comes to spring cleaning your home office. Matlow notes that “we may be used to cleaning the bottom of the window sill, but the top can be left untouched for years,” picking up dust, dirt, pet hair, and more. It offers an extension head like this one from All Parts for cleaning high spaces where your eyes can’t detect dirt, but check to make sure “versatility” applies to your machine.
Organize your files: Scanners aren’t usually associated with cleaning, but if your home office has been taken over by papers, spring cleaning could take the form of a digitization project. If you’re serious about optimization, investing in an easy-to-use scanner will allow you to organize your files digitally, saving you that pile of paper on your desk and leaving your workspace clean and tidy.
Checklist for spring cleaning of the garage and the street
Outdoor spring cleaning can be a back-breaking job, which is why power tools are such an important part of outdoor cleaning. Kevin O’Connor, TV show hostThis old house“, he has a few favorite spring cleaning multi-tasking power tools, which he calls “favorite of all household chores to do!”
Blow away dirt and debris: Blowers aren’t just for leaves. Kevin O’Connor, host of TV’s This Old House, said: “A powerful blower will help you clean your beds, clear your lawn, and tidy up your driveway, patios, and paths.” Is the garage dirty? Use a blower to remove dirt and debris. O’Connor prefers a gas-powered backpack blower like the Poulan Pro Backpack Leaf Blower because of its size and power.
Wash the floor in the garage and not only: People love pressure washers so much that there are entire online forums devoted to them, and O’Connor explains why: “There are an infinite number of uses for this tool, the only limit is your imagination.” O’Connor uses a pressure washer to clean grills and patio furniture, clean gutters or downspouts, clean brick and wood decking, and even clean trash cans.