The first beautiful days of spring are already over. Many see this as a sign that it is time to thoroughly clean the house. We are happy to help you with that! In this article, we will tell you how you can best tackle this yearly task.
Are you in need of a fresh start? Then you are not alone! It is a well-known tradition to clean the whole house at the start of the spring season. This way, you can fully enjoy the sunny days ahead with peace of mind. In this article, we will discuss the necessary preparations and the best way to approach spring cleaning. Let's get started!
The preparations
Before cleaning, you first have to make sure that some things are in order.
1. Make sure that you have the right cleaning products at home
You won’t get very far without the right cleaning products. Therefore, you should first check whether you have everything at home. Degreaser, all-purpose cleaner, descaler, you name it!
If you find out that you are out of certain products, you could of course go to the supermarket to get new ones. Since many cleaning products contain polluting ingredients, we recommend that you opt for a green brand – such as Sophiegreen.
Another option is to make your cleaning products yourself. For example, you can easily make all-purpose cleaner with water, cleaning vinegar and essential oil. The great thing about this is that you can choose your favorite scent!
2. Tidy the house first
It is important that you put away all the items that are lying around the house before you start cleaning. Otherwise, they will just get in your way.
Make sure that all surfaces are empty and get rid of the stuff that you no longer use.
Are there any reusable or recyclable items among them? Then use the Byewaste app to have them picked up from your home for free. This way, you are left with more time to do the actual cleaning ánd you do something good for the planet.
3. Use a checklist
Make sure you have a clear checklist so that you know what needs to be done. Hereby you make sure you take on a thorough approach, and you avoid accidentally missing something.
Maybe you already have your own checklist that you go through every year. However, if this is not the case, you can find an extensive spring cleaning checklist below. If you start ticking off the smaller tasks, you will enjoy a clean house in no time.
Good luck!
The spring cleaning checklist
Below, you will find a spring clean checklist, with all tasks that can be done neatly organised per room. If you take on a structured approach, cleaning room by room, you always know exactly where you left off. This way, you can spread the spring cleaning over several days if you would like to.
Living Room
- To start, you should wash all cushion covers, curtains, blankets and sofa covers.
- Wipe all surfaces with a wet and dry cloth. Empty all the cupboards before, so that you can also clean them on the inside.
- Clean the carpet with a steam cleaner
- Dust the front and back of your radiator. And while you’re at it: maybe it’s time to vent it again?
- Clean the walls and baseboards
- Dust all lampshades, light switches and sockets
- Use special cleaning liquid to clean your TV screen
- Finish with the floors, so that you also get rid of the dust that has fallen on the floor while cleaning. Start with vacuuming. Move your furniture around for easy access. Then finish with mopping the floor. On to the next room!
Bedroom
- Make sure you will get to rest in a completely clean bed tonight by washing your duvet, pillows, fitted sheet and mattress protector
- Vacuum your mattress and turn it over – this has to be done approximately 4 times a year
- Swap your winter wardrobe for your summer clothes, cleaning the inside your wardrobe in the meantime
- Again, wipe all surfaces with a wet and dry cloth – don’t forget to also clean on top of your wardrobe
- Then, it is the radiators’ turn again
- Dust all lampshades, light buttons and sockets
- Round off with vacuuming and mopping the floors again
Office
- Once again, you wipe all surfaces, clean your radiator, dust all lampshades, light switches and sockets and vacuum and mop the floor
- Don’t forget to sort and get rid of your old paper – you’ll likely be surprised what you will find! Receipts for things you no longer own, bills from 2015… get rid of them now
- It is also a good idea to thoroughly clean your keyboard and mouse. This is probably necessary, especially if you sometimes eat in front of your computer.
Kitchen
- Clean the oven and microwave: there exist special cleaners for this, which often have to soak in for a while
- In the meantime, you focus on cleaning the stove. Make sure that you also clean well under the gas burners if you have a gas stove
- Run the dishwasher at its hottest with a special cleaner, so that your dishes will sparkle again in the future
- Do you have an extractor hood? Use degreaser to thoroughly clean the grids
- Defrost your standalone freezer or the freezer compartment – if you have multiple freezers, you can alternate them so that your foods stay fresh
- The fridge also has to be cleaned. First, empty it completely. Throw away all products that are expired and then wipe the entire inside
- For the pantry, you take on the same approach
- Descale the tap and sink (and all appliances that come into regular contact with water)
- Wipe off all surfaces again, including the inside of your cupboards
- Dust the lampshade, light buttons and socket
- End with the floors again
Bathroom and toilet
- Clean the toilet rigorously
- Descale all surfaces, tiles and appliances that come into contact with water (e.g. the bath, shower and all taps)
- Clean all mirrors and dry them with a clean cloth so that they appear spot-free
- Then it’s time for the radiator, light buttons, lampshades, sockets and the floor
Laundry room
- Clean your dryer, and don’t forget the filter
- Run the washing machine with a special cleaning product
- Once again you finish with the radiators, light buttons, lampshades, sockets and floor
Other
- Wipe all doors and doorknobs
- Clean all the windows on the inside and outside
- Clean the walls and baseboards
- Let the whole house ventilate by opening all windows for a while
