Tipnut’s Guide To Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning & Washing Windows

Here’s a peek at this year’s battle plan for the big Spring Clean in my home, I’ve also included references to homemade cleaner recipes, tips for specific cleaning jobs and assorted fix-it projects that will help make this year’s job a big success.

Spring Cleaning Tips

Mission: Clean – Declutter – Organize

Every surface is cleaned, everything is emptied out, washed & scrubbed, decluttered and organized.

Clean from Top to Bottom, Left to Right so you always know where you left off when returning to the room to clean (see how to clean like a maid).

Specific cleaning jobs & chores will depend on what room you’re working on, here’s an overall plan…

Working From The Top Down

1. Ceilings – Dust from corner to corner and wash if possible, remember to clean the light fixtures, ceiling fans, smoke detector covers (might as well replace light bulbs and batteries while you’re up there).
2. Walls – Dust corner to corner, floor to ceiling; Wash & scrub walls & everything on them (such as fixtures, pictures, mirrors, doors & door frames, hanging shelves, clocks, etc.).
3. Windows – Inside & outside glass; Clean tracks & window frames; Wash all curtains, drapes & blinds. Find homemade window cleaner recipes here.
4. Cupboards, Counters, Drawers, Shelves – Empty, remove shelf paper, wash inside & out, top & underneath, line with fresh shelf paper, sort items as you put back (keep/trash); Wash all knick knacks; Tighten, repair or replace handles and knobs where needed; Declutter & organize all items in drawers, on shelves, in cubbies.
5. Furniture & Appliances – pull out to wash floor & walls behind as well as all sides of furniture or appliances (inside & out); Steam clean furniture if possible; Wash all kitchen appliances; Dust & clean all electronics.
6. Floors – Sweep well & wash; Vacuum & clean carpets and rugs. I also have a lovely herbal lavender carpet freshener here.

Declutter & Organize As You Clean

1. Review all bedding items, linens and towels, are they getting threadbare and won’t make it through the next few months? Too stained? Either cut them into cleaning rags, pack away for craft & repurposing projects they can be used for or trash. See 10 Ideas for Recycling Old Towels, 10 Ideas For Recycling Pillowcases and plenty of repurposing ideas here.
2. Clean and sort all clothing to be given away, pull items that you can repurpose for around the home.
3. Pack away all household files from the previous year and prepare new folders for the upcoming season. If you don’t have a home filing cabinet, a cardboard filing box should do the trick.
4. Items to be tossed are sorted: Box for charity, Box for garbage, Box for garage sale (if one is planned this year).
5. Toss all food items that have no expiry date and you’re not sure how old they are (Herbs & Spices: Storage Tips Guide). Replace spices and herbs you don’t regularly use. List all food items that need to be re-stocked on the next grocery trip.
6. See Off Season Clothing Storage Ideas for finding extra storage space.
7. Remember: Beware Of Junk Bunkers.

All Areas Of The Home Are Cleaned

• Kitchen: See 20 Ways Vinegar Can Help Your Kitchen Sparkle and Kitchen Cleaning Tips. Don’t forget to include deep cleaning small appliances (How To Clean A Coffee Pot) and shine your sink for a gleaming finish: How To Clean A Stainless Steel Sink.
• Bathrooms: See 10 Quick Tips For A Shiny Bathroom, Kickin Bathtub Cleaning Soak, Clean A Bathtub With Oven Cleaner, Tips & Tools For Cleaning Shower Door Tracks, Quick Tip: Shiny Shower Doors, How To Clean A Toilet – Really Well and Quick Tip: Cleaning Shower Heads.
• Livingroom
• Bedrooms: Quick Tip: Mattress Freshener, Fresh Summery Scented Bedding Year Round: Tip Sheet.
• Hallways
• Laundry Room
• Front & Back Entrances
• Storage Areas & Small Rooms

All Spaces Are Washed, Decluttered & Organized

• Pantry: Pantry Organizing With Tote Baskets, Utilize The Pantry Door
• Closets: Get Organized: Easy Tip To Store Bedding, Do It Yourself Closet Organization.
• Drawers
• Cupboards: Pot Lid Taming Options, Organize Pot Lids Neatly
• Cabinets

All Appliances Are Cleaned

• Refrigerator (see Tip: Clean The Refrigerator Daily In 10 Minute Chunks)
• Stove Top, Oven & Range Hood
• Microwave
• Dishwasher
• Washing Machine
• Dryer and Lint Trap
• Freezer
• Furnace & Duct Cleaning (by professionals); Change furnace filter

Seasonal Preparations

• Lay out fresh herbal bug bags throughout the house to get one step ahead of the warm weather creatures that will soon be heading your way.
• Bring all winter outerwear to the cleaners so they’re ready when you need them in the fall.
• Repair, Launder and store away any winter bedding
• Repair, Launder and store away all winter clothing

Keep A Running List While Cleaning

Note all nics, scratches and repair jobs needed. This is the perfect time to evaluate your home’s needs:

• Flooring Nics & Chips (Tip #2)
• How To Remove White Heat Stains On Wood Table
• How To Paint Bookshelves
• Freshen Up Wicker Baskets

Homemade Cleaning Recipes

Save money on cleaning supplies by making your own:

1. A Natural Shine To Cleaning (Recipes)
2. Homemade Shower Spray Recipes
3. Homemade Softscrub Cleaner Recipe
4. Kitchen Cabinet Degreaser Recipe
5. Homemade Window Cleaner Recipes & Tips
6. Homemade Herbal Cleaner Recipes
7. Household Degreaser & Cleaner Recipe
8. Homemade Wall Cleaner Recipe
9. Homemade Multi-Purpose Household Cleaners
10. Find more recipes here: Homemade Cleaners

Troubleshooting Tips & Fixes

• Cat & Dog Hair Cleanup Tips
• 21 Crayon Busters: How To Remove Crayon From Walls
• Tips For Floor Cleaners, Spots & Scuffs

Homemade Household Fresheners

A thorough cleaning job will definitely freshen up the house, you might like to also use one or two of these lovely fresheners to perk things up:

1. Homemade Herbal Carpet Freshener Recipe
2. Easy Homemade Air Freshener Sprays
3. Homemade Herbal Carpet Freshener Recipe
4. 4 Homemade Febreeze Recipes
5. Easy Refrigerator Deodorizer Ideas

Tips & Tools

• I like to break down my spring cleaning over a period of a week or so: Each day I do one big area (like the laundry room) and one or two smaller projects (like the hallway). I find the job I do is much more thorough (and less stressful) if I spread the cleaning job over several days rather than just a weekend.
• If a job is too big for one day, I’ll do all the cleaning then save the decluttering/organizing for the next day. For example, the Kitchen: It will be cleaned from top to bottom but the Pantry and Junk Drawers will be decluttered and re-organized the next day. All chores left to do for an area are written on a list and tackled the next day before moving on to the next room.
• Pack the cleaning kit so all the cleaning supplies you need are right at your side. Have lots of garbage bags and empty boxes on hand.
• Have all the tools you need cleaned and ready to go: mop, broom, swiffer, cleaning brushes, sponges, big bucket, feather dusters & dusting cloths. If you don’t have adequate cleaning tools, consider spending a few dollars to get what you need. It makes the job so much easier if you have the proper tools to work with.

Spring cleaning can be overwhelming, but the end result is well worth it. A few days of housework and some elbow grease is all it takes to enjoy a clean and well organized home!

Updated, Originally Published: April 21, 2008–Ultimate Spring Cleaning Tips Guide

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