Deep cleaning your home can be a thankless job, especially if you have kids and pets. Chances are, in less time than it takes to say “your dishes go in the dishwasher” your house will be messy again. But nobody wants their homes to be dirty. That’s why spring cleaning is a thing.
What should you prioritize? I usually focus on tasks I don’t do regularly. Then, weekly maintenance cleaning keeps my house in check. Here’s a list of fifteen things that will make your home springtime fresh.
Spring Cleaning Plan:
1. Strip your bedding. Wash your mattress pad, blanket and comforter. If you have decorative pillows, remove the covers and wash them too.
2. De-grime windowsills. Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe out windowsill crevices and the bottom of your sliding glass door. Watch out for dead flies.
3. Snake the heating vents. Stick your vacuum cleaner attachment down the heating vents and suck up dirt. Then, clean the vent covers too.
4. Clean the dishwasher filter. This is a job that should be done every month, but I usually forget about until the dishwasher stops working.
5. Replace your furnace’s air filter. Bonus! Order a replacement filter for the future so that you’ll be ready to change it next time.
6. Tidy your front porch. Wipe off the outside of the front door. Sweep the stoop. Shake out the welcome mat. If you have a Smith Brothers milk box, or a Ridwell recycling box, clean those as well.
7. Wash out your kitchen trash can and recycling bin with hot soapy water. Once dry, spray bleach at the bottom.
8. Dust light fixtures. Lamps are usually easy to clean, but for tricky items like chandeliers I like to use an extendable mop.
9. Vacuum underneath the couch, and in the crevices of cushions. If you’re lucky, you might score some lose change.
10. Clean the baseboards with a damp rag. I hate this job because it involves bending over or crawling around on the ground, but it does make a visible difference.
11. Toss out old food. Sort through every item in your refrigerator, checking for expiration dates. Do the same with your pantry and freezer.
12. Wash pet bedding and organize their food stash.
13. Dump out your sock drawer and match every sock. Toss ones that are worn out. This is a good job to do while you watch TV.
14. Launder throw blankets from your living room.
15. Vacuum underneath your bed. Dust around the bedframe. I like to do this before I put the mattress cover and bedding back on.
If this seems like a lot, that’s because it is a lot. A housecleaning service might charge $800 for this amount of work. While you clean, remember that you are doing a valuable job. Giving your home a fresh start is a gift to yourself as well.
Jennifer Bardsley is the author of “Sweet Bliss,” “Good Catch” and more. Find her online on Instagram @jenniferbardsleyauthor, on Twitter @jennbardsley or on Facebook as @JenniferBardsleyAuthor. Email her at teachingmybabytoread@gmail.com.
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