Spring Cleaning Tips

Spring cleaning is not my favorite thing to do – but I do love when its done and everything in the house is sparkling and in its place. That lovely clean perfection doesn’t always last long around here but it’s nice for a little while.

This past weekend my husband and I spent our Saturday morning spring cleaning and we got a lot accomplished. I never spend an entire day or weekend cleaning – there are so many more exciting things to do with my weekend.

To make my cleaning time the most efficient, I’ve come up with a few tricks to complete my spring cleaning in a weekend morning. Because let’s be honest, no one wants to spend their entire weekend cleaning.

#1 – Always make a list (or follow mine). Make a list of tasks that you can reasonably get accomplished in 4 hours or a weekend morning. Don’t print off one of those lists with 60 spring cleaning items on it – trust me, you’ll be overwhelmed before you even start. Now that you’ve got your list – stick to the plan and you’ll get it done quickly.

#2 – Focus on those things that have been neglected over the winter.

#3 – Gather all of your supplies before you start cleaning. Don’t wait until you need something to go look for it. Compile a cleaning kit – cleaners and sprays, gloves, microfiber towels, rags or paper towels.

#4 – Take a top down approach. I always start cleaning near the ceiling and work my way down so I’m not cleaning twice.

#5 – Complete each task for your entire house. Get out your dusting supplies and take 30 minutes to dust from ceilings to baseboards. When you’re done with that task, move on to windows. By focusing on individual tasks you can stay focused and get a lot accomplished quickly.

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1. Dust from ceiling to baseboards. Don’t forget to dust corners and light fixtures where spider webs can hide. *Tip: Ceiling fans are easy to clean with an old pillowcase.
2. Clean Filters on the refrigerator, furnace, and dryer vents.
3. Windows – use a microfiber cloth and glass spray to create sparkling clean windows. This is my favorite glass cleaner and it smells great too!
4. Vacuum – Vacuum all carpets and flooring. Don’t forget the bathroom floors to make cleaning easy. Be sure to vacuum under couch cushions and under beds. *Tip – use your vacuum attachments to dust chandeliers, air vents, and light fixtures.
5. Clean Kitchen Appliances – Clean your kitchen appliances easily using virtually self-cleaning techniques. Oven – set to cleaning and come back after it cools and wipe clean. Microwave – Fill a microwave-safe mug 1/2 with water and add 2 TBLS vinegar. Heat for 5 minutes. Wipe clean easily. Dishwasher – fill a mug with vinegar and run the dishwasher (empty).
6. Change Lightbulbs & Batteries – Take a few minutes to change any lightbulbs that may have gone out around the house. In our house, ceiling fan lights always seem to be out. (I really don’t like ceiling fans -so if it was up to me we wouldn’t have any.) Change batteries in any detectors around your home.
7. Deep Clean Bathrooms – I like to clean my bathrooms weekly or more depending on how many little hands are using them. My regular cleaning is the toilet, sink, tub/shower, and floors. During spring cleaning – take a few minutes to wipe down any cabinets, walls, and trim that may need it. Toss out any or expired bathroom items or toiletries.
8. Wash Pillows – Pillows get really gross. I wash mine a couple of times a year in the washing machine (as long as they’re machine washable). I tend to wash two pillows at a time on a hot temperature to disinfect.
9. Wash Throw Rugs – I have a few cotton throw rugs scattered around my house. I like to shake them out and throw them in the wash to freshen them up. Tip: Wash rugs and pillows while you’re taking care of other tasks.
10. Clean Carpets – We use a DIY Carpet Cleaner for our carpets. Its easy, inexpensive and doesn’t contain harsh smells like regular carpet shampoo. We’ve been using the recipe below for years. NOTE: Always test a new shampoo on a small hidden area before using.

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1. Window Cleaner & Microfiber Towels – I love this window cleaner because it works great & smells really nice. The microfiber towels also do a really great job of cleaning without streaks.
2. DIY Carpet Cleaner Recipe & DIY Carpet Refresher
3. Striped Kitchen Towels – I highly recommend ordering towels like this in bulk. They’re a great option for everyday kitchen towels.
4. Cotton Bar Towels – I also have these cotton towels in my kitchen and I use them every day. They’re very absorbent which is essential in a kitchen towel.
5. Toilet Cleaners & Clorox Spray – I’ve tried “natural” products in the bathroom and I’m not a fan. I like cleaners that contain lysol or bleach in the bathroom to eliminate germs.
6. Laundry Detergent – This is an inexpensive option that does a great job. My kids are tough on their clothes but Shout helps keep them looking great.
7. Stainless Steel Cleaner
8. Dyson Vacuum
9. Dust Pan & Broom – This stand up dust pan and broom is a game changer for kids messes.
10. Swiffer
11. DIY Dusting Cleaner
12. Mrs Meyers Everyday Cleaning Spray
13. Vinegar & Baking Soda – I buy huge containers of these. You can never have too much! I use it everywhere from the kitchen for cooking to the bathroom for cleaning to the yard for weeds.
14. Magic Eraser
15. Old towels, T-shirts, etc (cleaning rags) – Don’t toss your old tees and towels. Cut them up for cleaning rags.