It's that time again! You may still not be able to leave the house without a parka—let alone open a window or turn off the heat. But spring is on its way!
This time every year, I go into spring mode, with cleaning and organizing at the top of my priority list. Right behind Girl Scout cookies, of course.
It's easy to put off or dread spring cleaning because it feels like it’ll take forever to unearth a year's worth of dust bunnies and clutter, but there's no need to fret. We're outlining how to clean a house in one day, including what needs to be done in every room—and how often you should revisit each task to keep it clean—plus our favorite homemade eco-friendly cleaning product recipes.
Bedroom Spring Cleaning
If you've had your furnace on at all this winter (or if yours has been working double-time like ours has!), I'm going to go out on a limb and say you probably have a good layer, or three, of dust hanging around those hard to remember and hard to reach areas of your bedroom to dust. Well, spring is just around the corner, which makes it the perfect time to tackle those dust bunnies and get your bedroom fresh and clean.
1. Do a bedroom detox, including a deep clean of your mattress, pillows, and sheets—wash everything in hot water to get rid of any dust mites.
2. Clean out your closet, donating or upcycling old or ill-fitting clothes, and organize it in a way that makes sense for you—repeat seasonally.
3. Humidifiers can actually make you sicker if you don’t clean them regularly. A little hydrogen peroxide (or vinegar) and water, plus a good scrub with a toothbrush, can work wonders—repeat seasonally. Check all other appliances while you're at it. Test the smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector to be sure the battery life is good.
4. Clean makeup brushes (you know, those things that touch your face every day?) and hairbrushes with this quick tutorial, which includes a guide to makeup expiration dates—repeat monthly.
5. Dust blinds, nightstands, lamps, dressers, and other surfaces with natural cloth dusters—repeat every 2 weeks.
6. Your sheets will smell amazing with the help of this DIY lavender linen spray—wash and spritz weekly.
7. Clean and deodorize any rugs or carpet in your bedroom. Check out our fave DIY lavender carpet deodorizer here.
Living Room + Office Spring Cleaning
This to-do list isn't that long (promise!), and as always, we've got some fantastic eco-friendly DIY's to get your room looking and smelling absolutely wonderful. So grab your cleaning caddy and dive in!
1. Clean or vacuum floors under furniture—repeat seasonally.
2. Wipe down baseboards and molding, dust/vacuum corners and ceilings—repeat monthly.
3. Dust surfaces, including light fixtures, ceiling fans, and bookshelves, with natural cloth dusters—repeat every 2 weeks or as needed.
4. A DIY citrus floor cleaner will disinfect wood floors and leave them smelling and looking great—repeat every week or 2, more often if you have kids or pets.
5. Vacuum carpets and rugs—repeat weekly, more often if you have kids or pets.
6. Organize books, toys, and magazines—repeat weekly.
7. Go through and file paperwork, organize and sort through digital files—repeat weekly.
8. For carpet and furniture stains, consult our guide to no-fail stain removers, and try this one-ingredient (yes, one!) carpet stain remover—repeat as needed.
9. Mix up a homemade air freshener (try these blends) with just a few drops of essential oil, some vodka, and water—repeat as needed.
10. Don't forget to add air-cleaning plants like these.
Kitchen Spring Cleaning
1. Deep clean your oven with a non-toxic cleaner—repeat every 6 months.
2. Deep clean the refrigerator—repeat seasonally.
3. Check the refrigerator and pantry for expired foods—repeat weekly.
4. A mixture of vinegar and water is all you need to clean your coffee pot—repeat seasonally.
5. Deep clean and sanitize cutting boards—repeat monthly.
6. Freshen your garbage disposal with homemade garbage disposal refreshers—repeat monthly.
7. Use a DIY citrus floor cleaner—repeat weekly.
8. Wipe down the microwave, stovetop, cabinets, and fridge, including the handles—repeat weekly.
9. Clean your counters the natural way (and make your kitchen smell good) with an all-purpose grapefruit-infused counter cleaner—repeat daily.
10. Don't forget the grill! This dish soap-baking soda DIY grill cleaner will ensure you have tasty, evenly cooked (and fire-free!) food all summer long—repeat as needed.
11. This DIY fruit and veggie wash is perfect for getting rid of dirt and germs on produce—repeat whenever you grocery shop.
Bathroom Spring Cleaning
Spring cleaning your bathroom won't really be that much different from what you do on a weekly basis, but there are a few exceptions, of course. We've linked some of our favorite eco-friendly DIY cleaning products, and it's a good idea to get a head start on making them before tackling the list.
Otherwise, it's business as usual with a few reminders to change out the old and bring in the new. We're looking at you toilet brushes....
1. Clean out drawers and medicine cabinets, and throw away old or expired medications—repeat seasonally.
2. Scrub faucets and surfaces with a homemade scour scrub—repeat every 2 weeks.
3. Clean the toilet brush (or better yet, get a new one!) and disinfect the toilet—repeat weekly.
4. Change and wash hand and bath towels and floor mats—repeat weekly.
5. A natural glass cleaner is a must for the bathroom mirror—repeat weekly.
6. Use a DIY citrus floor cleaner (and don't forget behind the toilet)—repeat weekly.
7. Wipe down surfaces with all-natural reusable cleaning wipes—repeat weekly.
8. Keep the shower sparkling clean with a homemade mold and mildew spray—repeat daily.
9. Whip up a safer but just as effective alternative bleach to disinfect toilets, floors, and showers—repeat as needed.
10. Make your own foaming hand wash or antibacterial hand wash—repeat as needed.
11. Do a toothbrush check. Have you been using it for 3-4 months? If so, scald/disinfect, and add 'em to your cleaning caddy. They work great as grout brushes!
Spring Cleaning FAQ
How do you prepare for spring cleaning?
First, print out the above checklist or pin it/save it on your phone for easy reference. Then do a quick inventory of your cleaning products and supplies (like rubber gloves, dust cloths, and so on), and make a shopping list for any items that need replacing or topping up.
Before you actually start cleaning, give your place a once over to clear clutter. Putting away shoes that collect by the door, washing dishes in the sink, or stashing kids’ toys where they belong before you tackle your list of spring cleaning chores will put you in a better position to hit the ground running and not lose steam too quickly once you start spring cleaning.
Also, consider stocking up on items like light bulbs and batteries, so you can replace things that require fixing as you clean each room.
Is it really worth it to put all this effort into spring cleaning?
Hey, if you'd rather hire out and bring in a cleaning crew because not having another task on your plate is what makes the most sense for you, go for it! But never underestimate the power of a clean house, especially when it comes to your mental health.
Have you ever felt like you couldn't concentrate or do your best work in a messy room? A clean, tidy, and organized space can do wonders to help relieve stress and improve your mood.
Not to mention, it's a perfect time to tackle dust and remove allergens from your home in the spring, a time of year when seasonal allergies tend to be an issue for so many of us. I am one of those people who finds the act of cleaning itself to be therapeutic. But if the thought of undertaking spring cleaning is stressful or overwhelming, be realistic with your expectations and give yourself some grace.
Tackling one room at a time should help with overwhelm, but if it gets to be too much, take breaks or spread out your cleaning list over the course of a few days. I find that drinking a latte and blasting my favorite playlist also help keep me motivated as I work.
What essential oils are best for green cleaning?
We compiled a list of our six favorite essential oils for green cleaning, which include lavender, lemon, peppermint, tea tree, cinnamon leaf, and lemongrass essential oils. These tend to be a pretty versatile bunch to keep around when making your own green cleaning products, so this is a good time to stock up.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Gina Jansheski, a licensed, board-certified physician who has been practicing for more than 20 years. Learn more about Hello Glow's medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
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