Complete this Spring Cleaning Challenge for a cleaner, healthier home this Spring, and download a free 31-day Spring Cleaning Checklist PDF…
It’s the first day of Spring – and I’m sharing my key spring cleaning tips week by week for a full 31 days of Spring Cleaning.
These tips can be found on my Instagram page, but I will be sharing them here in written form as well, since watching a video isn’t always convenient when you’re trying to search for answers or hacks to help you complete a task.
In my private Cleaning Facebook Group, I recently ran a poll and asked when people typically did Spring Cleaning.
The answers were:
- March
- April
- Other (comment below)
I received selections for all three options, but I also got a few answers stating that people cleaned all year long, not just in Spring.
And the same is true for me – but that doesn’t mean I don’t Spring clean, either…
I certainly don’t clean just once a year, but there are some key cleaning tasks I do specifically in Spring that help me catch up on what’s needed (as a mom of 3, there is a little bit of catching up from time to time), and assure me that the snow will indeed eventually melt away.
It’s my way of resetting my home and telling myself we will be hearing the chirp of birds in the trees again soon!
Maybe you’re the same – you like to spring clean to get your home ready for the new season.
may e spring cleaning gives you a reason to open the windows for some fresh air and tackle something you’ve been meaning to get to, but haven’t felt the motivation to do all winter…
Or maybe you are the type of person that cleans just once a year.
I’m never here to judge – I’m only here to educate :).
I’ve got some great tips, how-tos, and hacks for you for the first week of Spring Cleaning in this post that will help you feel motivated and ready to take on those house chores that need attention.
*This post contains affiliate links, however, all opinions are my own, as always.
Spring Cleaning Challenge – Week One Cleaning Tasks
Washing Walls
I like to use my steam cleaner to deep clean our walls – it’s great for removing buildup, smudges, and everything else that 3 kids bring inside.
Note: steam cleaning is not recommended for eggshell or flat paint finishes – spot cleaning with minimal water would be ideal for these types of finishes.
Don’t have a steam cleaner? No worries – read this post for a DIY wall cleaning solution you can make at home to easily clean your walls.
Deep Cleaning Doors and Door Frames
To deep clean our doors and door frames, I like to use Murphy’s Oil Soap.
I buy the big undiluted jug and dilute it myself (about 1 tbsp. for 2 cups of water).
There’s also a pre-made spray version available, but I believe it smells and works better when I mix it myself!
Using a swedish dish cloth, I dip the cloth into the mixture and wring out almost all of the liquid and gently scrub along the door jam, front and back, tops, and frame of the door.
Clean Stairs And Banisters
To deep clean our stair banisters, I will use a mixture of Murphy’s Oil Soap and water (about 1 tbsp. of undiluted soap mixture for 2 cups of water).
This has been great for cleaning and conditioning the wood banisters and spokes.
For our carpeted stairs, I love using my portable carpet cleaner to detail the carpet and work out any gunk or stains that might be present with 3 kids using them every day.
Wiping Down Fan Blades
Cleaning fan blades is easy, but I always recommend setting time aside to do the task so you aren’t interrupted, especially if you have more than 2 bedrooms to complete.
In our home, we have about five or six ceiling fans that need to be detailed, and if I were to try to do this task with all of our kids at home, I would find myself getting up and down from the stool to help them or find something – which can get pretty exhausting after a bit!
To deep clean ceiling fans, I always recommend vacuuming or removing as much dust as you can from the fan blades before wiping them down and cleaning them, otherwise, you’ll find yourself smearing around a lot of wet dust.
I use a portable vacuum cleaner to help remove the excess dust and follow up with some Murphy’s Oil Soap mixture on a Swedish dishcloth (wrung out almost completely).
Deep Clean Oven Racks And Interior
Oven racks are easier to clean than you’d think – as long as you have the right tools!
There are two different ways I would reommend cleaning them:
- with a steam cleaner (here’s a link to mine)
- soaking them in the bathtub
With my steam cleaner, I put a brass brush attachment (which comes with the steam cleaner) and gently work the steam cleaner back and forth on the oven racks.
Within about 10 minutes, I am completely done deep cleaning my oven racks!
Before I had a steam cleaner, I would soak them in the bathtub overnight, lining the bathtub with an old towel so I didn’t scratch the tub finish, in hot water and a laundry detergent pod.
In the morning, I could wipe away the grime with my finger – no elbow grease needed.
For extra tough grime that didn’t come off with soaking, I found using a drill attachment kit on our power drill worked great.
Clean Microwave
I have an easy and efficient cleaning hack for your microwave – no scrubbing needed.
In a microwave-safe bowl or cup (I’m using a glass 2-cup measuring cup), add in 2 cups of water.
Slice a full lemon in half, squeeze in the juice of the lemons into the water.
You can also pop the lemon rind in the water – this is what I do.
Place lemon water mixture in the microwave on High for 5 minutes.
Carefully dip a rag or cloth into the mixture (it will be HOT!) and wipe the interior of your microwave.
The grime, food, and splatter marks will come up easily.
Wash Range Hood Filters
For your range hood filters, you can clean them easily in one of two ways…
- placing them in your dishwasher (this may change the color after a cycle)
- soaking them in the sink
For our range hood filters, I like to soak them in our sink with about 1/4 cup of baking soda and a few squirts of dish soap in boiling water for an hour.
Once they’ve soaked for an hour, I use a gentle brush scrubber like this one and lift off the grime.
After a gentle scrub, I rinse them in cool water and allow them to air dry.
Deep Clean Dishwasher
To deep clean your dishwasher, you’ll need to first empty it completely and remove the filter.
If you are unsure of how to remove your dishwasher filter, I always recommend consulting your appliance manufacturer’s website, manual, or a video online with the exact make and model of your dishwasher.
As you’re removing the filter, I also recommend filming yourself with your phone while you remove it to ensure you can comfortably put it back together and in place.
I have a detailed blog post on deep cleaning your dishwasher that you can read here.
Once you’ve cleaned your dishwasher interior and rinsed the filter, you can place everything back and run a normal cycle.
As a general tip, I would use a commercial dishwasher cleaner to descale and deodorize instead of vinegar, as this can damage the lines and plastic parts inside your dishwasher over time.
Aim to deep clean your dishwasher once a month.
Deep Clean Faucet Aerators
Cleaning your faucet aerators is a MUST for your Spring Cleaning Checklist this year – it helps remove buildup, keeps water flow at an optimal level, and reduces the risk in your drinking water. 💕✨
Faucet aerators (the little circle screen in this video above) are commonly placed in interior faucets to help add air to the water as it streams out and helps control the stream by reducing the amount of water that comes out so you don’t get splashed with water every time you turn it on 😉.
They need to be cleaned periodically – I aim to do this quarterly, but you can stick with 1-2x a year.
As always, when removing and cleaning something new, be sure to film yourself taking it apart with your phone to you can be sure of how to put it back together when you’re done!
Wash Windows And Drapes
This Spring, take the time to detail your windows and drapes.
Remove the drapes and curtains from your windows and wash them.
Some curtains may not be suitable for machine washing and drying, so be sure to read the care tags on your fabrics.
With a good window cleaner (this is the one I use – use code SLAYATHOMEMOTHER at checkout to save 15% on your starter kit) and a cloth, work your way from the top of the window down to the bottom.
You can gently scrub the window frames and curtain rods as well.
For your window track, vacuum the dust and dirt out first, then wipe it clean.
For super tough window tracks, you can use a steam cleaner to blast out the excess dust and build-up.
Deep Clean Mattress
To deep clean our mattress, I use our steam cleaner with a triangle tool and microfiber bonnet.
This helps kill bacteria and any invisible dust mites that might be lurking under the surface!
Steam cleaners are not suitable for cleaning memory foam mattresses, however, and can ruin your mattress.
For memory foam mattresses, you can instead sprinkle baking soda over the surface and allow it to sit for up to 12 hours before vacuuming.
Vent Cleaning + Change Furnace Filter
Have you looked up at your bathroom vents lately?
Your vents are probably carrying a lot more dust than you’d like to think – just look at the video linked above!
Vent covers can be carefully vacuumed and popped off. The cover can either be washed with warm soapy water or wiped clean depending on dirt and dust level.
I would suggest vacuuming the cover thoroughly before removing it, as there may be a dust layer waiting to fall on your head once the cover is removed.
You can use a handheld vacuum like this one, and be sure to get the fan blades when you’re vacuuming.
With the other vents throughout your home, a good vacuuming goes a long way to remove cobwebs and dust buildup on the slats.
Now is a great time to change your furnace filter as well. You should aim to change these filters every 60-90 days *more often if you have children, allergies, asthma, or pets.
We always write the month and year of the time with a sharpie on the top we change our filter so there’s no guessing as to when it was last changed.
Deep Clean Dryer Vent
The next time you empty your lint trap on your dryer, look inside that trap cavity.
There is usually a small amount of lint buildup that you can see – this needs to be vacuumed monthly.
Life happens, and we all tend to forget this task, but it is a known fire hazard.
You can take a long vacuum attachment (this is the one that I use, it attaches to your vacuuming hose and makes this task really easy) and vacuum up any and all lint inside this trap cavity.
Deep Clean Toilets
If you don’t already, now is a great time to start removing your toilet seats when you are deep cleaning your bathroom.
I got a mixture of comments when I first posted this.
I received a lot more private messages about not even knowing this was a thing people had to do, and many public comments about how gross it is that I didn’t do this every single time.
But if I had everything in my home perfectly clean all the time, it would be hard to see the true difference between a clean and dirty surface.
I let this toilet go for a couple of months before removing it in the boys’ bathroom so I could show those who weren’t so informed understand what leaving the seat on while cleaning can do.
Toilet seats can be removed in a number of different ways, depending on the model.
I’ve heard of people soaking them in the bathtub with cleaner while they cleaned the rest of the bathroom, so that’s always an option.
I just give ours a quick wipe down with disinfectant and rinse.
Deep Clean Fridge
Time to deep clean the fridge!
Take everything out, wipe down the shelves and drawers, and reassemble.
Sounds easy, but it usually takes me about 30 minutes to do a thorough job.
A really handy tool I like to use when deep cleaning our fridge is this little powered tool – it cuts through sticky messes and grime like a champ.
Deep Clean Couches
Time to deep clean your couches!
If you have leather couches, a good conditioning wipe can be all you need, but if you have fabric couches, I recommend picking up a portable carpet cleaner like this one.
It’s great for detailing, removing stains, and doing general deep cleans once a month.
Remember to remove your couches from the walls and clean underneath them, underneath cushions (flip and deep clean both sides of the cushion), and any pillows.
Wash pillow covers as well, if you can.
Linen Closet Deep Clean
Remove all items from your linen closet and wipe down the shelves.
For smaller items, you can incorporate some small stackable drawers like these, or baskets and bins with labels.
I recommend shelf dividers for towel stacks as it keeps the folded towels tidy.
This is great with small children who like to pull and shuffle around towels when you aren’t looking ;).
I try to keep our sheet sets up on top, followed by smaller items and toiletries on the next tallest shelves.
On the middle shelves, I keep hand towels and towels.
On the bottom, I keep out paper products so everyone can reach them.
To wipe our shelves clean, I use an all-purpose cleaner and microfiber cloth.
Deep Clean Pantry
To deep clean your pantry, start by taking items out.
I like to toss things as I notice they are expired while removing them from the shelves, but you can always do this before placing things back in.
Vacuum the shelves and floor of your pantry.
For wood shelves, use some orange furniture oil to clean and condition the shelves. For other types of shelves, use an all-purpose cleaner and cloth to wipe them down.
Once you have gone through your pantry items to ensure everything expired has been tossed and excess items cleared or donated, you can start organizing your pantry again.
Pantry organization differs from house to house, so be sure to keep your family and habits in mind when organizing.
Garbage Disposal Deep Clean
For a stinky garbage disposal, you’ll need some kosher salt, ice cubes, and baking soda.
Here’s my full blog post on deep cleaning your stinky garbage disposal.
Clean Inside Kitchen Cabinets
Empty those kitchen cabinets!
Pull everything out – and I mean everythinggggg.
Wipe down your cabinet shelves with a good all-purpose cleaner and cloth or rag.
I like to get the backs of the cabinets and inside doors really well, as well.
Be intentional about what you’ll need and how often you’ll be using it as you put items back.
Deep Clean And Organize Closets
Spring is a great time to empty your closets and deep clean them!
Depending on what you store in your closets, here are some to-dos you may want to incorporate this season:
- deep clean shelves, baskets, and drawers
- go through clothes and donate anything you don’t wear anymore
- change out sizes or seasons as appropriate
- Implement tools to help you organize your items (shelf dividers, jewelry or bag organizers, etc.)
- fold and store away out-of-season items
For kids’ closets, feel free to give them the task of going through their clothes one afternoon while you wipe down the shelves (or teach them how to wipe down the shelves).
Deep Clean Carpets And Rugs
Now is a great time to deep clean your carpets and rugs.
I like using a carpet cleaner like this – it takes all the guesswork and manual labor out of the task.
I aim to do this deep clean once a month, but you can also get away with doing this once a quarter (every 3 months or so).
Clean Blinds
To clean your mini blinds, you can easily vacuum them of excess dust or soak them.
I like to soak them in our kitchen sink, but you can also soak them in a large bathtub!
Read more about how to clean mini blinds here.
Soaking would not be suitable for wood or manufactured blinds, only mini blinds.
Under Sink Clean Out And Organization
Empty your bathroom cabinets and drawers – it’s time to clean and organize!
I find this is a great way to declutter and organize a space that often gets overlooked.
To organize under our bathroom sink, I used these clear pull-out drawers that are stackable.
You can fold cloths and put them in the drawers, or use them to organize toiletries like nail polish, cotton swabs, or beauty and cleaning products.
Deep Clean Shower Head
Another space in your bathroom that may need some deep cleaning this Spring is your showerhead.
I have a great cleaning hack for cleaning your showerhead with minimal effort.
Read more about how to deep clean your showerhead here.
Clean Trash Cans
Time to deep clean your trash cans!
And not just the one in your kitchen…your outside trash cans need attention, too.
For safety reasons, I did not film myself cleaning our outside trashcans.
After trash day, spray out your trash cans. You may need to wipe them out with a paper towel and some cleaner (wear rubber gloves if needed).
Allow them to air dry and replace them.
Clean Up Paper Clutter
Whether you have it in your home office, your mail organizer, or your kitchen counters – almost no home can escape paper clutter.
It’s time to divide and conquer…
Divide your paper clutter into piles of…
- keep (file away)
- shred
- short-term keep (bills coming up that are due, school paperwork needed, etc.)
Vacuum Fridge Coils
Did you know that you are supposed to vacuum your fridge coils?
That’s right – 1-2x a year!
This is really easy to do, you’ll just need to look at your appliance manual before starting to ensure you know where and how to access the coils.
This helps your fridge not have to work as hard (lengthening the life of your fridge appliance) and prevents a fire hazard.
Clean Out Car
Take everything out of your car (even the mats), and give the inside of your car a good deep cleaning.
I also like to remove the car seat covers from our children’s seats and, following the directions, wash and dry them.
Deep clean your floor mats by vacuuming them and then giving them a good scrub.
I used this little handheld power scrubber – it did fantastic with the fine grooves in our mats!
For our leather seats, I used some soapy water and a rag to surface clean them and then followed up with some leather conditioning wipes.
Clean Junk Drawer
If you have a junk drawer, now is a great time to empty it out and give it a deep clean!
Find a home for all the junk you’ve acquired in your junk drawer, and organize as needed.
Clean Up Outdoor Spaces
Cleaning up outdoors is just as important as inside!
Here are some spaces, depending on your home and area, you might need to clean up this Spring:
- change out your doormat
- change and replace bulbs as needed
- weep out your garage (you can also deep clean and organize it, but account for your schedule and the weather)
- clean or refinish patio furniture
- deep clean deck
- powerwash house exterior
- turn on the outside faucet (weather allowing)
- deep clean outside windows
- clean gutters (only if they were missed in Fall)
- change or replace lights
What other spaces in your home do you like to Spring Clean? Comment below and let me know.