Your Spring Cleaning Checklist
Your Ultimate Spring Cleaning Checklist
Ahhh - spring has finally sprung, and you know what that means…spring cleaning! Spring cleaning is a tradition that allows us to freshen up our homes and get a head start on the often hectic seasons of spring and summer. Cleaning your home from top to bottom is no effortless feat, but you can make the project manageable - and even enjoyable - with our printable checklist. This checklist offers an overview of everything and anything you need to know.
After you read through these tips, tailor the list to your home. Create a realistic schedule and focus on one task at a time - and don’t forget to enlist the help of family members. Lastly, before you start, be sure to restock your must-have cleaning supplies.
Throughout the House
Dust it ALL. This is your duster’s time to shine. Dust the walls, ceiling fixtures, and all the hard-to-reach spaces. Make sure to start your cleaning here, so you don’t have to vacuum your floors twice.
Wipe down walls. Keeping your walls clean is as easy as wiping them with a damp microfiber cloth - top to bottom. And, don’t forget the door frames and baseboards!
Wash your windows. Wait for an overcast day to clean your windows as direct sun can lead to streaking. Start on the shady side of the house and raise your blinds or shades and wipe the windows clean with glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth.
Spruce up curtains, drapes & throw pillows. Put your dryer to work for 15 minutes on the "air-only" cycle and rehang immediately to avoid wrinkles. If you want to take it a step even further, give your curtains, drapes and throw pillows a wash. Usually, the item’s cleaning instructions are on an attached tag, but if they are not, use the gentle cycle, cool or lukewarm water, and mild detergent. Just like before, rehang immediately, or toss them in the dryer on a no-heat or delicate setting.
Freshen up carpets & rugs. Refresh your carpets by sprinkling baking soda or carpet deodorizer on your carpet. Using a soft brush, work the powder into your carpet. Let the baking soda or carpet deodorizer sit for 15 minutes, and vacuum.
Vacuum soft furniture. This is the time to clean all the places you usually don’t - including your furniture and the hard-to-reach spaces around it. To start, pull your furniture away from the walls and vacuum behind and underneath the furniture as well as air vents. Then, switch to the upholstery tool to go over both sides of cushions and underneath them. Lastly, use the crevice tool to remove any grime along the trim and stitching.
Replace air conditioner filters. Replace your HVAC and window air conditioner filters before you start to use them regularly in the warmer months. Be sure to check with your unit’s manufacturer for the recommended way to clean filters.
Wash your reusable bags. Check the care instructions on your bags to determine the best way to clean them. If they're not machine-wash safe, clean them thoroughly with a sponge or cloth dipped in sudsy water. Then, rinse with a clean cloth and air dry.
Sanitize kids’ toys. When it comes to cleaning kids' toys, the dishwasher and washing machine may just be your best friend! For plastic toys, place them on the top rack of your dishwasher, choose the crystal or quick cycle, and skip the heated dry. For stuffed animals, check the care tag first and then stick them in a mesh bag or pillowcase before throwing them in the washing machine on a gentle cycle. Keep in mind that toys may take longer to dry than regular laundry.
Kitchen
De-stink the kitchen sink. Does your kitchen smell a little funky, but you can’t find the culprit? Try running a couple of lemon rind slivers through your garbage disposal and follow with cold water.
Spruce up granite countertops. Dig out your granite polish to restore shine and help repel stains in your kitchen. For daily wipe-downs, use a specialized granite cleaner.
Bring stained cutting boards back to life. If you think that nasty cutting board mark is permanent, you're wrong. Run the cut side of a lemon over the board to help remove food stains and smells. For an extra kick, sprinkle it with salt or baking soda first.
Deep clean the fridge - both inside and outside. In addition to wiping down your fridge's interior shelving on a regular basis, give the removable bins and shelves some love. Pop out all of the shelves and bins, and wash in warm, soapy water. Then wipe down the surfaces that can't be removed on the inside with a sponge before putting shelves back in their place.
Shine up pots and pans. Soften burned-on residue by adding water and dish soap to your cookware and letting it simmer on the stove. Then, use a scrub sponge to remove any remaining stuck-on bits. Have a copper pot? Ketchup helps dissolve tarnish on copper pots and accessories. Simply massage ketchup over the surface with a pinch of salt for stubborn spots.
De-gunk your oven. Use your oven's self-cleaning function to remove stubborn, baked-on grime. If your oven doesn't have this function, place a hot, wet cloth on top of burned spots to soften the gunk. Then, scrub the spot with a bit of baking powder and a heavy duty sponge. Rinse and wipe dry.
Scrub down kitchen cabinets. Kitchen grime is a mixture of built-up dust and grease. As time passes, this mixture can collect on your kitchen cabinets - especially if you don't run the exhaust hood over your range while you cook to keep grease from settling. To de-gunk, use a cabinet cleaner to cut through dirt and leave wood moisturized. Give extra attention to any place that grease collects, like drawer pulls.
Bathroom
Wash your shower curtain(s). Stick your plastic or vinyl shower curtains, along with a few bath towels, in your washing machine on the gentle cycle with laundry detergent and let it hang dry before showering. Pro-Tip: Keep your curtain cleaner for longer by spritzing it a few times each month with a bleach-containing all-purpose cleaner. Be sure to rinse off the cleaner before your next shower.
Brighten up grout. White grout picks up everything. To make grout sparkle once again, spray it with a grout cleaner. Let it sit for several minutes, then scrub with a stiff brush and rinse.
Keep the drains smelling fresh. To freshen drains and help keep them flowing, mix 1/2 cup baking soda with 1/4 cup table salt. Pour the mixture down the drain, followed by 1 cup heated vinegar. Don’t be alarmed, it will bubble and foam. Let it stand for 15 minutes. Follow by running hot tap water for at least 15 to 30 seconds.
Remove hard water buildup from your shower head. Hard water buildup can cause stains and affect your shower’s water flow. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a plastic bag and tie the bag around the shower head, making sure to immerse the shower head entirely in the mixture. Tie the bag around the shower head for up to an hour, then wipe away any residue left behind and run the hot water of the shower to rinse the vinegar out of your shower.
Bedroom
Wash bulky bedding. It's time to tackle bulky items you typically avoid: clean those pillows and wash those comforters! Make sure you check the manufacturer's label before tossing 'em into the washing machine.
Kill dust mites in your mattress. To clean your mattress, use your vacuum's crevice tool to clean the surface and sides, then spot-clean stains. Sanitize with a spritz of Lysol Disinfectant Spray afterwards.
Clean-out your closet(s). Go through clothes and shoes from the season that’s just ended, and remove anything stained, in need of repair or worn out. Make a second pass through spring and summer clothes as you take them out of storage. Try on anything you’re unsure about before giving it closet space. Get rid of unused clothes and accessories, and organize the rest by how you get dressed in the morning and by color. Your closet will look appealing, and your everyday routine will be easier.
Empty, organize and clean purses & bags. Take everything out, toss trash and organize items by category. Sort smaller items, like lipsticks, into little pouches or purse organizers, before you put them back inside.
Cleaning Supplies
Clean your vacuum. Replace the vacuum bag or clean the dust cup and replace or wash the filters. Snip threads stuck in the brush with scissors or a seam ripper.
Wash down your broom. Clear dust bunnies stuck on your broom's bristles by swishing the broom head in warm, soapy water. Another option? Zap those bunnies with the nozzle on your vacuum.
Scrub trash cans. To wash the inside, hose it down and scrub with dish soap and a sponge. Rinse it well and allow it to air dry or dry with a cloth before using. Regularly use a sanitizing wipe or spray to keep the outside of the trash can clean.
Clean your washing machine. Disinfect it with distilled white vinegar and baking soda to keep it fresh and high-functioning. Run the machine with hot water, then add the cleaning agents, and let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes. Afterward, restart your machine, let the water drain, and wipe it dry.
De-fuzz the dryer. Beyond removing the fuzz from your dryer's filter after every load, pull out hard-to-reach lint with the crevice tool on your vacuum to suck up debris. Vacuum under, around and behind the dryer as well.
Outside
Doormats. Trap more dirt by using two mats - one outside and one inside. To refresh your outdoor mat(s), hose off and air-dry. For indoor mats, vacuum on both sides.
Wipe down outdoor furniture. To get your outdoor furniture ready for the warmer weather, add a squirt of dish detergent to a bowl of warm water, then wipe down tables and chairs. Spray them down with water and then let air dry.
Wash your windows. Wait for an overcast day to clean your windows as direct sun can lead to streaking. Start on the shady side of the house and wipe the windows clean with glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth.
Wash window screens. Using warm water and a mild dishwashing liquid, scrub each screen with a brush; rinse thoroughly.