Ah, spring! Time to step outside and rejoice at the beauty of Mother Nature renewing herself after a long winter sleep — then step back inside and face the household ritual that comes with the season: spring cleaning.
No matter how you feel about this universal task, you can find an approach to match your mood and mode. See which of these seems most like you.
Optimistic: The Chinese do their spring cleaning at the lunar new year to banish any bad vibes from the previous year and invite good luck and positive energy into the home for the year ahead. This tradition might inspire you to start a few weeks early so that when spring arrives (March 20 at 5:01 a.m. EDT this year), you'll be finished and ready to enjoy it to the fullest.
Intense: “The key to spring cleaning is to be ruthless! Throw out anything and everything you never use. (Or that may be incriminating.)," advises Josie Brown, author of The Housewife Assassin's Handbook. If you agree, then fast and furious is your spring cleaning style, and you can't wait to start. But first, warn everyone who lives with you to claim their prized possessions to keep them safe from your sanitizing zeal.
Angry: Mad at your partner? Fed up with your boss? Ticked off at the world or the weather? It's all fuel for the viral phenomenon known as Rage Cleaning. No one knows whose idea this was or when it started, but many people find it therapeutic. Vigorously attack the mess that bugs you the most, and you’ll feel much better as you release your anger and check one more chore off your list. Cleaning gurus suggest chaotic closets, dirty floors, and dusty, furry carpets as great targets for your rage.
Easygoing: When it comes to cleaning, not everyone feels the need for speed. Calm, relaxed cleaners might find wisdom in this advice from Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project: “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Lower the bar. Actually spending 10 minutes clearing off one shelf is better than fantasizing about spending a weekend cleaning out the basement.”
Multitasking: Some people find it easier to do two things at once than to focus on a single task. If you're one of them, listen to your favorite music or an audiobook while you clean. Music can energize you and lift your spirits, while a book can entertain or inform you. Either way, you'll have something you enjoy to distract you from the monotony of scrubbing grout.
Disgusted: If you're equally appalled by your grungy house and the thought of having to clean it, here's some motivation from author and humorist Mark Twain: “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first.” So, which is your scarier "frog," the kitchen or the garage? Once you've conquered it, the other "frog" won't seem like such a monster.
First Things First: Declutter and Organize
However you decide to approach the actual cleaning process, you’ll first need to eliminate unneeded belongings and arrange the rest in ways that streamline your daily routine. Professional organizers recommend setting up and labeling some large bins or boxes to hold what you no longer need. Depending on your circumstances, those might include containers for things to:
Give to a friend, neighbor, or family member who could use them
Sell at a yard sale, on an auction site, or on consignment
Send to seasonal or long-term storage
Donate to a thrift store, shelter, or charity
Take to a reuse center that has room for outdated appliances that still work
Drop off at an electronic waste collection site that will take old computers, computer peripherals, and other electronic devices
Depending on the amount of stuff you need to get rid of, you can create a central sorting area or place a few containers in every room with excess belongings that need to go.
Don’t forget to inspect all the shelves, drawers, cabinets, and surfaces in your kitchen and pantry for items that have outstayed their welcome — especially seldom-used appliances and gadgets that clutter up your countertops. No home cook has ever complained about having too much workspace!
After all the clutter leaves your home, take time to organize what’s left before you begin the actual cleaning. It might be fun to take your family or roommates on a shopping trip to round up organizing gear, such as:
Closet space-makers like clear bins and stacking baskets for accessories and foldable clothing, extra hanging rods, or hangers made to accommodate multiple pants or skirts
Underbed storage boxes to unburden small bedroom closets
Over-the door racks to hold shoes, condiments, kitchen towels, or pantry items
Clear boxes to organize first aid, cosmetics, personal care, and other essential bathroom supplies
Clear canisters for the kitchen with labels to make it easy to find everything you put in them
Dividers for kitchen drawers and cabinets to make things like silverware, lids for pots and food storage containers, and miscellaneous gizmos easy to find and access
Once you say goodbye to your clutter and organize what you want to keep, your home will feel more spacious, and you’ll have a lot less left to clean. That means spring cleaning is likely to take less time than you expected — a happy thought to get you started.
Winning the War on Grime
Try these tips for thorough, effective spring cleaning.
Open the windows: A gentle breeze on a sunny spring day is a wonderful thing, and it’s practical, too. Some cleaning solutions can be unpleasant or even toxic to work with — especially if they contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) — and with fresh air coming in, you’ll breathe easier.
Work from top to bottom: This is the most efficient way to clean since it helps you avoid having to go over any area more than once to capture dust that settles on its way down. Start with ceiling fans and ceiling-mounted light fixtures, then move to walls, cabinets and shelves, furniture, and finally the floor.
Clean green: Whenever you can, clean with natural methods and products. You can steam clean carpets, mattresses, floors, your stovetop and oven, stainless-steel appliances and gadgets, granite and marble countertops, and lots more. Versatile green cleaning supplies include mild dish soap and water, lemon juice, essential oils, distilled white vinegar, baking soda, cornstarch, and hydrogen peroxide.
Use a HEPA vacuum: A vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency particulate air filter can eliminate 99.97% of tiny airborne particles including dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and other allergens and irritants from your living space.
Target overlooked areas: When was the last time you cleaned under beds and couches or dusted the tops of mirrors, pictures, blinds, and windowsills? Spring cleaning offers a rare opportunity to tidy up every less-than-spotless thing in your home. Make your appliances sparkle and your baseboards shine. Don’t forget light switches, remote controls, kids’ and pets’ toys, vents, trash cans, and the area behind the toilet.
Clean the cleaners: Show some appreciation for those appliances and tools that help you keep a tidy home throughout the year. Clean your dish and clothes washers. Take your vacuum cleaner apart and wipe dust and dirt off each component. Treat your mop head and duster to a soapy bath. When your washer is spic and span, run a load of cleaning cloths and rags, and add baking soda for extra freshness. Scrub brushes can go in your just-cleaned dishwasher.
Have Fun With Novel Methods and Tools
Don’t limit yourself to traditional tools for cleaning jobs. Some ordinary household items that usually serve other purposes can double as cleaning aids.
You can use crumpled newspaper and vinegar to get windows clean and streak-free. A lint roller can help you spruce up lampshades, while a squeegee or duct tape can free pet fur and other stubborn debris from your carpet. Dryer sheets can help you clean baseboards, and coffee filters can do the same for computer screens. Old toothbrushes come in handy for cleaning grout and releasing the gunk that collects around faucets.
If you’d rather try something wild and wacky that also does an awesome job of cleaning, the folks at Texas Cleaning Services in San Antonio have ideas to share, including:
Magnetic window cleaner: You can simultaneously clean both sides of a window by placing one side of this tool inside the glass and the other outside. As you wipe, their magnetic connection works to give you sparkling, streak-free window glass.
Keyboard cleaning gel: Bend this sticky substance to mold to the shape of your keyboard and pry loose the dust and crumbs that are hiding there.
Mini desk vacuum: Available as a miniature model of a grown-up vacuum — or a cow, cat, or ladybug if you prefer — this gizmo will tidy up the rest of your desk or table once the keyboard is clean.
Ceiling fan duster: This clever solution to a problem area comes with two microfiber arms that slide over the fan’s blades to capture the dust on both sides at once. And its long handle eliminates the need to climb a ladder to face off with the fan.
Magic wands and slick sticks: UV sanitizing wands can zap bacteria and germs from phones, remotes, and countertops. Biodegradable sticks make drain cleaning easy. You just drop one down the drain every month, and it will break down culprits like grease and soap scum before they can cause a clog.
Cleaning Slippers: If you’re weirded out and running low on energy as the great cleanup drags on, just slide and shuffle around the house with these microfiber mop pads on your feet and pick up all the detritus in your path. It doesn’t matter how you make it to the finish line as long as you finish, right?
As soon as your spring cleaning adventure comes to an end, snap photos of all your pristine living spaces and display them prominently. They’ll remind you that with a little effort week to week, most of your surroundings can stay shiny and bright, and next year’s spring cleaning can be more fun and less funky.
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