It’s that time again! You may still not be able to leave the house without a parkaโlet 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 itโll 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 roomโand how often you should revisit each task to keep it cleanโplus 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 sheetsโwash 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 youโrepeat seasonally.
3. Humidifiers can actually make you sicker if you donโt clean them regularly. A little hydrogen peroxide (or vinegar) and water, plus a good scrub with a toothbrush, can work wondersโrepeat 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 datesโrepeat monthly.
5. Dust blinds, nightstands, lamps, dressers, and other surfaces with natural cloth dustersโrepeat every 2 weeks.
6. Your sheets will smell amazing with the help of this DIY lavender linen sprayโwash 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 furnitureโrepeat seasonally.
2. Wipe down baseboards and molding, dust/vacuum corners and ceilingsโrepeat monthly.
3. Dust surfaces, including light fixtures, ceiling fans, and bookshelves, with natural cloth dustersโrepeat every 2 weeks or as needed.
4. A DIY citrus floor cleaner will disinfect wood floors and leave them smelling and looking greatโrepeat every week or 2, more often if you have kids or pets.
5. Vacuum carpets and rugsโrepeat weekly, more often if you have kids or pets.
6. Organize books, toys, and magazinesโrepeat weekly.
7. Go through and file paperwork, organize and sort through digital filesโrepeat weekly.
8. For carpet and furniture stains, consult our guide to no-fail stain removers, and try this one-ingredient (yes, one!) carpet stain removerโrepeat as needed.
9. Mix up a homemade air freshener (try these blends) with just a few drops of essential oil, some vodka, and waterโrepeat 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 cleanerโrepeat every 6 months.
2. Deep clean the refrigeratorโrepeat seasonally.
3. Check the refrigerator and pantry for expired foodsโrepeat weekly.
4. A mixture of vinegar and water is all you need to clean your coffee potโrepeat seasonally.
5. Deep clean and sanitize cutting boardsโrepeat monthly.
6. Freshen your garbage disposal with homemade garbage disposal refreshersโrepeat monthly.
7. Use a DIY citrus floor cleanerโrepeat weekly.
8. Wipe down the microwave, stovetop, cabinets, and fridge, including the handlesโrepeat weekly.
9. Clean your counters the natural way (and make your kitchen smell good) with an all-purpose grapefruit-infused counter cleanerโrepeat 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 longโrepeat as needed.
11. This DIY fruit and veggie wash is perfect for getting rid of dirt and germs on produceโrepeat 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 medicationsโrepeat seasonally.
2. Scrub faucets and surfaces with a homemade scour scrubโrepeat every 2 weeks.
3. Clean the toilet brush (or better yet, get a new one!) and disinfect the toiletโrepeat weekly.
4. Change and wash hand and bath towels and floor matsโrepeat weekly.
5. A natural glass cleaner is a must for the bathroom mirrorโrepeat weekly.
6. Use a DIY citrus floor cleaner (and don’t forget behind the toilet)โrepeat weekly.
7. Wipe down surfaces with all-natural reusable cleaning wipesโrepeat weekly.
8. Keep the shower sparkling clean with a homemade mold and mildew sprayโrepeat daily.
9. Whip up a safer but just as effective alternative bleach to disinfect toilets, floors, and showersโrepeat as needed.
10. Make your own foaming hand wash or antibacterial hand washโrepeat 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 kidsโ 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.
150
Thank you for the reminder, especially this time of year. It seems like cleaning up the simple things make the biggest difference! This I can do!!
I love it and really detailed and useful! I like the checklist and that you gave some tips not only for cleaning but also how to keep the things clean.
Great tips. I feel like all I do at the moment is clean and Iโm dreading going back to work and trying to fit it all in. This post will help me massively.
I used to have a hard time with the โclean enoughโ idea. Then I had kids and all of that went out the window. A little bit of clutter is OK. However, being the perfectionist I am I do a major deep clean a couple times a year. Sometimes I hire extra help to get it done. As long as I know that there are a few times a year that my house will be spotless, I can live with a mostly clean house the rest of the time.
it’s realy great article and detailed ,love it ,thank you
La limpieza es una funciรณn que se hace dรญa con dรญa, tener de manera impecable tu hogar es necesario, para que tu mismo te sientas cรณmodo de manera saludable.
Una rutina de desplazamiento de limpiar la casa y hacer ejercicio para que tu inmobiliario quede aseado y lujoso
This list never mentions washing the mountain of dishes in my kitchen…
Wow you really have thought of everything! I’m gonna print out that check list and stick it on my wall, hopefully I will be as organised as you!
Love this post, like your tips regarding the kitchen
We are moving in to a new house next week so this is perfect timing!
Thank for your list, i will check out something for my loves. Thank you again :)
Great list! I’m in Australia so we are heading into winter however due to a huge surgery and health issues I have been unable to do a proper spring clean in well a long time. Don’t get me wrong, things like the weekly or daily chores get done but it’s the true spring cleaning things or drawers and cupboard full of paperwork or clothes that need sorting that I’ve been unable to do until now as it’s taken three years to recover and rebuild some level of fitness so as you could proberly imagine going by this post- it’s been driving me crazy!! Unfortunately it will take me a lot longer as it’s been left for so long. I have been trying to pin my partner down to pull everything out of the wardrobes and help with the cull! Although in my lounge areas we vacumn and mop the hardwood floors and under the furniture fortnightly, the same doesn’t happen in the carpeted bedroom which infact is probably more important. Thanks for the inspiration and I shall continue culling things down here in ‘fall’!
One tip that has been helping me and makes me feel less overwhelmed by the process is instead of setting myself upto fail by saying I’m going to redo cupboard x today, I’ve been setting myself the task of throwing away any rubbish I come across (things like those bottles in the bathroom with the dribble of product left in the bottle or the mascara that needs binning) and as Im doing a chore or go to get something out and I see something I don’t use anymore I’m removing immediately and either binning it or recycling it. So my motto ATM is to chuck something/s out each and every day!! I started nearly two weeks ago and it’s been quite the eye opener discovering how much rubbish I’ve held onto! If anyone is overwhelmed about their upcoming spring clean I really suggest trying this tip! Today I went through a drawer in my bathroom and removed a shopping bagful of old makeup and empty/near empty tubes of lotions and potions. This process has really enlightened me of the over consumption of products I purchase!! But bit by bit I’m chucking stuff out that before I whould assign way to much value of items that don’t need it!! Thanks agsin for such a great post!
I am bookmarking this list! I don’t think I could get everything done in a weekend. I’ll keep up on the daily/weekly list too.
These tips are more unusual than the average lists I’ve seen and I like them. Love the natural cleaner recipes and the check list is much appreciated!
I’m working on a major year-long month-by-month cleaning list. Looks like I have some more things to add! Thanks for your list–I’m going to check out some of the natural cleaner recipes.
love your blog-plz check out mine. you are inspirational!