Even if it means it’s time for spring cleaning, the spring season is one of my favorites! Flowers bloom, adding much needed pops of color around the neighborhood after the long, cold Winter. Trees sprout shades of green leaves, promising warm, sunny days ahead. Bunnies nibble on the dewy grass, preparing for tiny palm bunnies. (They fit in the palm of your hand.)
Spring cleaning may sound like a chore better left for the professionals, but not all of us can afford it or want to relinquish control over cleaning our home. Personally, I love spring cleaning. There, I’ve said it. Actually, this is me publishing it, because blogger here.
Since I consider myself to be a professional house cleaner (aren’t all of us who have cleaned our own homes for decades?), I have a tried and true spring cleaning process to share with you.
This is the ultimate spring cleaning checklist, including a printable spring cleaning checklist at the end.
Why Do You Need to Spring Clean
A thorough spring cleaning can make you feel ready to face the day, month or year, and make your home feel refreshed, enlivened, full of energy again.
Many of you probably don’t get what I’m talking about when I reveal that I love spring cleaning. To those that get it, the spring season is the time of year to shed the long layers, open windows to let fresh air in, and dust off the remnants of the gray winter season.
Tip: Shop your home for decor pieces that could be moved to another area of your home. The simple act of moving decor or other furnishings from one area to another has the effect of making a space feel new and fresh.
I look at spring cleaning as a way to conduct more of a deep clean. For instance, I don’t regularly steam my curtains, but I do during a spring clean. I also do not frequently clean the window wells, except when it’s spring cleaning time.
Tip: Use spring cleaning as an opportunity to go through linen closets and other storage areas. Categorize items into groups of things you can organize better, donate, repurpose, recycle, DIY, or throw away.
Spring Cleaning Supplies You’ll Need
First things first, you’ll need the right spring cleaning supplies if you want the work to be efficient. Below, I’ve compiled a comprehensive list of all the cleaning supplies you’ll need for the spring clean.
1. Cleaning Caddy:
Allows you to carry supplies from room to room. You could have one for each area or floor of your home.
Trouva out of the UK sells this powder coated steel white utility bucket caddy.
On Amazon there is this Wash Up organizer caddy from Garden Trading or the Living Nostalgia metal caddy.
2. Reusable Cleaning Gloves:
The reusable natural latex and cotton gloves by Full Circle are great, though I wish they came in white.
Don’t buy gloves made out of PVC, phlathates, BPA or other toxic chemicals.
3. Glass Spray Bottles:
The easiest way to spring clean is to have glass spray bottles for your cleaning products.
Glass is non-toxic, recyclable and aesthetically pleasing.
I have a few sets of glass spray bottles from the Sally’s Organics storefront on Amazon. The plastic components are BPA free as well.
4. Glass Jar / Container: Use a glass jar/container to contain baking soda and to use for when you need to make shower cleaner. Any glass container will work.
5. Scrub Brush:
Use a scrub brush for scrubbing sinks, shower walls and more. I like the aesthetically pleasing Full Circle all-purpose scrub brush.
6. Grout/Detail Brush:
A detail or grout brush works well around sinks and hard to reach areas. Again, Full Circle's detail/grout brush is a neutral color and works well.
7. Shower Squeegee: Use the shower squeegee after each shower and for your spring deep clean.
8. Cotton Cleaning Cloths:
Lint free cotton cleaning cloths are a must-have, just don’t buy microfiber. You can read my Ways to Go Green at Home post for more details on why you shouldn’t use microfiber. I recommend flour sack towels or any lint free cotton cleaning cloth. For tech devices, I use these natural chamois suede cleaning cloths for eyeglasses from Amazon.
9. Wool Duster:
To dust surfaces, use a wool duster. Wool is naturally antimicrobial, anti-dust mite and environmentally friendly.
10. Vacuum: Any vacuum will work. I love our Dyson V8 Absolute cordless vacuum and Dyson Cinetic big ball upright vacuum. Both can be used carpet, tile or hardwood
11. Wet/Dry Mop and Broom:
Choose a mop that works with your flooring material. The Full Circle Mighty Mop works well. I switched out the microfiber cloth it came with to reusable cotton mop pads.
12. Steamer: A portable steamer you can take from room to room is best.
13. Safety goggles: Protect your eyes from splashes.
14. Paper Towels: Have some on hand for cleaning around the toilet and areas where reusable cloths are not practical.
Wear shoes that are comfortable, since you’ll be on your feet for a while.
Cleaning Products You’ll Need for a Spring Clean
Along with cleaning supplies, there are a number of cleaning products you will need for the spring clean. I try to use natural but just as effective cleaning products whenever possible. You can read more in my post about cleaning your home with baking soda or another post on how to clean your home with vinegar.
Tip: Before cleaning a surface or material you are unsure of how a product will interact, conduct a patch test in an inconspicuous area. This is to ensure that whatever cleaning solution you use is safe. You should also check product manuals when in doubt.
This is the definitive list of all the cleaning products you’ll need for spring cleaning:
- Vinegar - Undiluted vinegar in a glass spray bottle is great for cleaning glass and mirrors.
- Baking Soda - Use baking soda to clean sinks and showers. It can be stored in a glass container of any kind, though a lidded jar is best. This can also be used to freshen carpet.
- Liquid Dish Soap - Mix a spray bottle of plain water and several drops of dish soap. Use this to clean countertops.
- Water - Fill a spray bottle with plain water. This can be used to dilute other cleaning solutions or to dust with.
- Hydrogen Peroxide - For shower cleaner, create a mixture of half a cup hydrogen peroxide, one and a half to two cups baking soda and two to three tablespoons dish soap in a glass container. The consistency should be of a paste and not crumbly.
- Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol - Use this for cleaning and sanitizing household items. Here is a list household uses for rubbing alcohol.
- Bona Floor Cleaner - To clean our hardwood floors, I use Bona hardwood floor cleaner. Whatever anyone says, do not use vinegar on hardwoods.
- Disinfecting Spray - I do not use bleach, though I know many people do. Instead, I use natural but just as effective disinfecting spray from Honest Company to clean toilets and sinks.
A Room by Room Guide to Spring Cleaning
To effectively and efficiently conduct a thorough spring clean of your home is a usually multiple-day project. Don’t freak out. You want it to be multiple days or you will easily wear yourself out and never finish.
Tip: In every room, always start from top to bottom. It may seem obvious, but you would be surprised how many people don’t follow this rule. You should always, always start cleaning from top to bottom because dust will fall down onto surfaces, including the floor, as you clean. If you vacuum before you dust, you will have to vacuum the floor twice. Be smart about it, don’t double your work.
There is an easy process I developed to spring clean our home over the course of a few days and it works very well for me.
I start on the second or top floor of our home. Then, I work my way from one side of the house to the other over the course of a few days. When dusting, be sure to dust under decor pieces.
Here is a quick room by room spring cleaning guide I follow, with items in each room listed in the order in which it should be cleaned.
Primary Bedroom:
- Dust ceiling vents
- Dust ceiling fan and/or ceiling light fixtures
- Dust, vacuum or fluff window treatments, steam if needed
- Dust the top of door frames
- Dust all surfaces
- Wash decorative pillows, throws and other bedding
- Vacuum any upholstered furniture
- Vacuum window tracks and window sills
- Vacuum the floor
- Clean the floor
Primary Bathroom
- Dust ceiling vents
- Dust bathroom fan vent
- Dust the top of door frames
- Dust, vacuum or fluff window treatments, steam if needed
- Dust vanity lights
- Dust closet from top to bottom
- Clean all surfaces, cabinets, countertops, toilet, and sinks
- Clean shower stall and bathtub
- Vacuum window tracks and window sills
- Vacuum the floor
- Clean the floor
Office / Den
- Dust ceiling vents
- Dust ceiling fan and/or ceiling light fixtures
- Dust, vacuum or fluff window treatments, steam if needed
- Dust the top of door frames
- Dust all surfaces
- Clean all surfaces
- Sanitize tech devices
- Vacuum any upholstered furniture
- Vacuum window tracks and window sills
- Vacuum the floor
- Clean the floor
Guest Bedroom
- Dust ceiling vents
- Dust ceiling fan and/or ceiling light fixtures
- Dust, vacuum or fluff window treatments, steam if needed
- Dust the top of door frames
- Dust all surfaces
- Wash decorative pillows, throws and other bedding
- Vacuum any upholstered furniture
- Vacuum window tracks and window sills
- Vacuum the floor
- Clean the floor
Guest Bathroom
- Dust ceiling vents
- Dust ceiling fan and/or ceiling light fixtures
- Dust the top of door frames
- Dust, vacuum or fluff window treatments, steam if needed
- Dust vanity lights
- Dust closet from top to bottom
- Clean all surfaces, cabinets, countertops, toilet, and sinks
- Clean shower stall and bathtub
- Wash shower curtain and liner
- Vacuum window tracks and window sills
- Vacuum the floor
- Clean the floor
Laundry Room
- Dust ceiling vents
- Dust ceiling fan and/or ceiling light fixtures
- Dust, vacuum or fluff window treatments, steam if needed
- Dust the top of door frames
- Clean the exterior of the washer and dryer
- Clean all surfaces, sink, cabinets, and drying racks
- Vacuum dryer lint trap
- Vacuum behind washer and dryer
- Vacuum window tracks and window sills
- Vacuum the floor
- Clean the floor
Living Room
- Dust ceiling vents
- Dust ceiling fan and/or ceiling light fixtures
- Dust, vacuum or fluff window treatments, steam if needed
- Dust the top of door frames
- Dust all surfaces and decor
- Wash decorative pillows, throws and furniture slipcovers
- Vacuum any upholstered furniture
- Vacuum window tracks and window sills
- Vacuum the floor
- Clean the floor
Kitchen and Dining Room:
- Dust ceiling vents
- Dust ceiling fan and/or ceiling light fixtures
- Dust, vacuum or fluff window treatments or shutters gently, steam if needed
- Dust the top of door frames
- Dust inside cabinets after removing everything inside
- Clean pantry from top to bottom, especially if you have a pantry shelving system where crumbs collect
- Clean all small appliances
- Clean the interior and exterior of the refrigerator
- Clean the interior and the exterior of the dishwasher, including emptying the filter
- Clean the interior and exterior of the oven
- Clean stove grates
- Clean kitchen accessories, decor and other items
- Clean all surfaces, cabinets, countertops, and sink
- Vacuum window tracks and window sills
- Vacuum the floor
- Clean the floor
It doesn’t matter where you begin your spring cleaning. All that matters is that you start somewhere.
Spring cleaning may be just the thing you need to feel refreshed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Spring cleaning is a way to greet the changing season from winter to spring, by deep cleaning your home. It often involves cleaning areas of your home that don’t get much attention, such as window coverings, hard to reach surfaces or storage closets.
While spring cleaning is not necessary, it is an opportunity to conduct more of a deep clean. It is also a perfect opportunity to shop decor pieces in your home, moving them to new areas for a fresh take on something you already own.
You can start spring cleaning anytime that feels right. Many people spring clean in March or April when the weather turns to longer days and warmer temperatures. Being able to open windows to air out the home is also beneficial and may impact when you start spring cleaning.
You can make spring cleaning easier by making a room by room checklist or using the one in this post. It’s all about organizing the spring clean into zones. Then, tackle one zone a day or whatever you have time for, checking each item off the list.
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