The Ultimate Guide To Spring Cleaning Your Home Like A Pro

Thank goodness spring is here!  Open the windows, let in the fresh air, and breathe in that warm breeze.  Ahhhhhhh.

Okay, now let’s get on to sprucing up your home and spring cleaning like a pro!

General Spring Cleaning

• Dust your home from top to bottom. This way, dust will fall down and not re-dirty what you’ve already cleaned.
• Dust ceiling fans with an old pillow case. Encase each fan blade in the pillow case and wipe toward you. The pillowcase will catch any dust, so it won’t fall onto anything underneath. Switch fans to spin counter-clockwise (to blow the air down onto you, which feels cooler).
• Rub dryer sheets over baseboards. This will help repel dust & dirt so you don’t have to dust as often.
• Wipe down walls with a damp microfiber cloth.
• Dust books, bookshelves, and between stair balusters with a feather duster.
• Use a feather duster or broom to remove dust and cobwebs from top corners of walls, crown moulding, and baseboards.
• Replace air filters throughout your home, including your air conditioner filter.
• Shake out indoor & outdoor door mats and vacuum.
• Wipe dirty fingerprints off doors, walls, and trim. Scrub scuff marks gently with a Mr Clean Magic Eraser (very gently...it can remove paint too!)
• Clean the vacuum itself. Making sure it’s unplugged, cut hair off of brush, wash filter in soap and water, and wipe down everything else.
• Disinfect doorknobs, drawer pulls, and light switches with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water.
• Change batteries in smoke detectors and make sure fire extinguisher is full.
• Clean computer keyboard and mouse with canned air, and disinfect.
• Disinfect cellphone (and home phone too).
• Replace any blown-out light bulbs.
• Go through that filing cabinet. Throw out/recycle any paperwork you don't need anymore.
• Schedule yearly chimney sweep.
• Touch up paint wherever necessary.
• Clean out purse or handbag.

Floors

• Clean spaces between wood floor boards using a skewer and old butter knife. You’ll be amazed (and disgusted) at how much grime is hiding in those spaces. Then, wash with Murphy’s Oil soap and finish by polishing to get that brand-new shine back to your floors.
• Sprinkle baking soda on rugs and carpets and vacuum, for a fresh clean smell all over. Spot treat any spots and consider shampooing carpets at least once a year.
• Cover up scratches on wood floors & furniture by rubbing them with the inside of a walnut.
• Vacuum under & behind furniture. Place small towels under furniture legs so they won’t scratch your floors.
• Mop and polish floors.

Windows

• Clean windows with newspaper and 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Wipe inside of windows vertically and outside horizontally (or vice versa), so if you do get any streaks, you can tell which side they’re on.  
• Bring window screens outside and give them a good scrubbing using a hose and scrub brush. Let air dry and replace.
• Vacuum curtains with handheld attachment. Then, use a handheld steam cleaner to sanitize and remove wrinkles.
• Dust window blinds by placing an old sock over your hand.
• Open windows and clean out window tracks. You’ll find lots of dirt and maybe even some bugs in there.

Bathroom

• Clean shower tiles & glass doors with DIY shower cleaner.
• Remove hair and grime from shower drain using an inexpensive disposable drain snake.
• Disinfect toilet, sink, and bathtub with 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water.
• Clean toilet brush. In a bucket of water, add 1-2 capfuls of bleach and let soak for about 1 hour, then rinse with hot water. Alternatively, place brush between toilet seat and the toilet base, so it hangs over the basin, spray with white vinegar, let soak 10-20 minutes, then rinse with hot water.
• Clean the mirror with a vinegar/water mixture, make it sparkle!
• Throw out any old makeup, beauty products, & medication (just be sure to dispose of medications properly).
• Clean and descale shower head. Fill a plastic baggie with vinegar, place over shower head, and secure with a rubber band. Let soak for 1 hour and remove. This will clean out all the little jets and you’ll notice improved water flow.
• Wash shower curtain in the washing machine on a gentle cycle. Launder floor mat in the washing machine too.
• Clean soap dish, toothbrush holder, and shower caddy.
• Polish sink and tub handles and faucets.
• Organize bathroom drawers with plastic organizers and apothecary jars.
• Clean grout. Make a paste of baking soda and water and smear onto grout lines. Then, spray the paste with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Let foam for a minute, then scrub with an old toothbrush.
• Replace any damaged grout/caulk/silicone around bathtub/shower.

Bedroom

• Flip your mattress. Sprinkle with baking soda and vacuum with handheld attachments, making sure to get in all the grooves.
• Swap winter and summer clothes. Make three piles: Keep, donate, and throw out.  For space saving, use space-saver clothing bags (link).
• Put away your winter boots. Keep their shape by placing rolled up magazines inside.
• Vacuum underneath and behind bed, dressers, nightstands, etc.
• Drop off winter coats at the dry cleaner, so they’re ready for next year.
• Wash bed pillows in the washing machine with a small amount of laundry detergent. Then, place in the dryer with dryer balls to fluff them back up.

Living Room

• Remove pet hair from sofa cushions using a Chom-Chom.
• If cushion covers are removable and washable, or you have slipcovers, launder them.
• Dust and clean lamps and shades.
• Dust electronics...they attract dust like a magnet!
• Disinfect remote control.
• Condition leather furniture.

Kitchen

• Grind cut lemons in sink garbage disposal, to give your sink a fresh citrusy scent.
• Place a bowl of water with lemon rinds in the microwave and set cook time for 1 minute. Remove the bowl and wipe with a sponge. All that food gunk will come right off and it will smell amazing.
• Clean cutting boards by sprinkling with salt and rubbing with inside of a half lemon.
• Wash down refrigerator shelves and drawers with 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water (don't forget the fridge/freezer seal).
• Re-season cast iron pans: Preheat oven to 350℉. Wash, rinse and thoroughly dry the pan. Apply a neutral vegetable oil (about 2 Tbsp) everywhere, using a paper towel. Don’t forget the bottom, handle, etc. Place upside down on an oven rack and bake for 1 hour (I put some aluminum foil on the shelf below for easy cleanup). Let cool. Done.
• Wipe out and clean insides of cabinets with soap and water.
• Clean out junk drawer by throwing out things you’re honestly never going to use and organize it using plastic organizers.
• Remove hood & hood filter from stove and clean with hot water and Dawn soap.
• Dust under, on top of, and behind refrigerator.
• Empty and wipe down the crumb tray in toaster or toaster oven.
• Clean stovetop and oven with manufacturer-recommended cleaner.
• Wash out trash can and place a dryer sheet in the bottom to help with any odors.
• Organize pantry. Rotate your stock by placing the oldest items in front and throw out any expired food. Wipe the shelves and top of cabinets clean. See Erich’s Essential Pantry List. Any non-perishable food that it still good but you’re not going to use yourself, donate to a local food bank.
• Check if herbs and spices are still fresh and replace as necessary.
• Clean stainless steel kitchen sink by scrubbing with baking soda (follow manufacturer’s instructions for sinks made of other materials).
• Clean dishwasher by placing a bowl with 1 cup of vinegar in the center of the top rack and run a hot wash cycle. Once this has finished, place a bowl with 1 cup of baking soda in the center of the bottom rack and run a hot wash cycle.
• Replace baking soda box or reactivate charcoal deodorizer in refrigerator.
• Change refrigerator water filter.
• Descale coffee maker.  Fill water reservoir with 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Start to run a brew cycle and stop halfway through. Let sit for 30 minutes. Restart brew cycle and let finish. Repeat this once more. Finally, run through 1 or 2 cycles with just plain water.

Dining Room

• Wash table linens and chair cushions.
• Dust fine china.
• Polish silverware.
• Polish wood table and chairs.

Laundry Room

• Organize linen closet and wash towels. To soften towels, launder with 1 cup vinegar on a hot water cycle (no detergent). This will remove any build-up from laundry detergent and dryer sheets (from now on, use dryer balls instead).
• Clean out dryer lint trap using long vacuum attachments. Also clean out dryer vent using a long-handled brush.
• Clean washing machine. NEVER mix bleach and vinegar together, as it creates toxic fumes! Run a hot cycle with 1 cup vinegar, then run a hot cycle with just plain water.

Outside

• Organize garage, shed, etc.
• Clean garage and shed floors and doors.
• Replace batteries in garage door opener.
• Clean garage/shed windows.
• Pressure wash outside of house, deck, porch, sidewalks, brick, outdoor furniture, and garbage bins.
• Apply new coat of stain and sealant to deck, porch, etc.
• Clean outdoor furniture.
• Shake dust and dirt out of doormats.
• Repair broken bricks, concrete, cement, sidewalks, stone walkways, etc.
• Clean grill.
• Clean and repair rain gutters.
• Clean and replace any broken outdoor lights.
• Trim any trees or bushes in yard.
• Clean inside and outside of vehicles.
• Clean, make any necessary repairs and/or replace lawn equipment (mowers, trimmers, etc).

Anything I'm missing in spring cleaning? What additional steps do you take to get your home spring & summer ready?

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