The Quickstart Spring Cleaning Guide to a Clean and Healthy Home

Madam Winter’s packed her bags and left the building. There’s a new tenant in town – Miss Spring, and she brings a tonne of goodies with her. While she’s still unpacking, we’ve already started to enjoy her presence – from the warmer weather, through the blooming flowers, to the singing birds and fresh air.

But spring isn’t only about enjoying ourselves. It’s the season of renewal and as such, offers a fresh start for us and our homes. And nothing spells “fresh start” like good ol’ spring cleaning.

While spring cleaning is a practice with rich cultural traditions, we’re still finding new ways to improve the process and make it more enjoyable today. Here are some spring cleaning tips to make your home spotless without tearing your hair out.

In this article:

• Create a checklist
• Get stocked on cleaning supplies
• Clean room by room
• Reduce clutter
• Don't forget to disinfect
• Conclusion

So without further ado, let us begin!

Create a checklist

Spring cleaning is a top-to-bottom cleaning of your entire home. It suggests a level of cleaning depth your home has probably not seen since last spring. It can be tedious and even overwhelming, but planning in advance will make it more manageable.

First, create a checklist for every room and make sure you’re not forgetting anything. Include often neglected areas such as under the and behind the fridge, under the furniture, top of the cupboards, door frames, top of the door, door handles, etc. Always start from the top and work your way down.

Painting a road map to the whole process will allow you to get things done much faster. Furthermore, it will give you the chance to prepare all the cleaning supplies in advance. Victory loves preparation.

Get stocked on cleaning supplies

No one wants to make a trip to the shop in the middle of cleaning the bathroom. To avoid interruptions, make sure you have everything you need before you start cleaning. This seems like obvious advice, but you will be surprised at how often people don’t prepare properly.

Having a good, all-purpose cleaner at hand is always a good idea. Aside from detergents, make sure your vacuum cleaner’s bag is empty. This will ensure maximum suction and make vacuuming a lot easier.

If you’re more environmentally cautious, it also pays to have baking soda, limes/lemons, lemon juice, and white vinegar at the ready. These make for fantastic natural cleaning products when used correctly.

Of course, you’re going to need an empty spray bottle, rags, cloths, a microfiber towel, and paper towels (preferably recycled).

In case you’re worried about germs and you’re not sure vinegar and lemon juice will do the trick, perhaps a good sanitiser is in order.

Last, but definitely not least – don’t forget your cleaning gloves. Protect yourself at all times.

Clean room by room

Breaking down the entire process into smaller areas will make your spring cleaning task much easier. Cleaning each room from top to bottom instead of running all over the place is a great way to introduce some much-needed structure. 

Moreover, seeing the fruits of your labor will motivate you to keep going. Once a room is done, the feeling of achievement will recharge you for the next one. This way, you’ll be done before you know it.

Otherwise, you risk demotivating yourself. Nothing breaks your enthusiasm more than cleaning all day, only to turn around and realize nothing got done. Trust me – this is tried and tested. 

Reduce clutter

Reducing clutter is one of the biggest benefits of spring cleaning. The easiest way to get started is by dividing your belongings into 4 categories:

• Throw away – throw these items away (recycle, if you can);
• Give away – you don’t need these items anymore, but someone else might put them to good use;
• Store away – you might need this in the future, but right now it’s just in the way;
• Leave – this item is good where it is and requires no intervention on your part;

Be honest about every item. Go through the list and see where different items fit best. This is a quick and easy way to reduce clutter and reintroduce order into your home.

Don’t forget to disinfect

Cleaning and disinfection are two very different processes. Cleaning regards to physically removing dust, dirt, grime, etc. Disinfection is the process of reducing the number of germs, viruses, and bacteria in a given area. Note the word “reduction” – we’re not talking about their complete eradication (that would be sterilization).

Like it or not, disinfection has become an important part of our daily lives. Don’t fall victim to the mindset of thinking that if an area looks physically clean, then it’s disinfected. You need to take extra steps for that.

Enter lemon juice and white vinegar. Mix the two substances at a 1:1 ratio in a spray bottle and you have a great, natural disinfectant that’s been shown to reduce the levels of germs to undetectable levels.

Note: I’ve not been able to find a study on the effects on viruses. If you’re not certain the white vinegar/lemon juice mixture is strong enough for your needs, the best course of action is to buy a certified sanitiser. You can also book a sanitisation service. 

Once you’ve chosen your disinfectant, spray often-touched areas. This includes, but it’s not limited to: door handles, drawer handles, cupboard doors, the door of the fridge, etc. After you’ve sprayed them, let the mix sit for a few minutes, and then give them a thorough wipe. If the disinfectant has dried out, you may need to spray them again.

Conclusion

If handled incorrectly, spring cleaning can take you the better part of a week. But with proper planning and preparation, you can make the process much faster, more effective, and more enjoyable than ever before. In case you find yourself pressed for time, we can always give you a hand.

Author: Atanas Dzhingarov

Hi, I’m Atanas - brand consultant and writer. I’m helping Samyx Cleaning create the best cleaning company blog on the Internet. Join us on our journey and learn how to live a cleaner, healthier, happier life in the process.