How to spring clean your house in a day

The season of spring is an opportunity to dust off the wintery cobwebs and take stock for the rest of the year. It’s a chance to refresh and set intentions, while plants and animals slowly ease back to life.

Where better to begin than with a classic spring clean, ridding your home of unwanted items and dusting off those long, dark nights.

Cleaning may not be everyone’s cup of tea, however these simple tips will have you well on your way to spring cleaning your house in a day.

What is spring cleaning?

Spring cleaning is just as it sounds – the act of thoroughly cleaning your house or living space in springtime.

This practice usually exists in climates with a cold winter like the UK. However many cultures, including Jewish, Iranian, and Chinese, have a similar custom due to where the new year falls.

In Iran, the new year usually arrives around March 21^st, and is a time for regeneration and reinvigorating life, which includes Iranian homes. The ritual is aptly named khane tekani (“shaking the house”). Iranians usually buy new clothes to wear for the occasion, and every bit of the home is scoured and cleaned. Once the house is ‘shaken’, the new year and spring can arrive.

Jewish culture involves cleaning the home in preparation for Passover, with a focus on the kitchen. Observant Jewish people go to great lengths to rid their kitchens of all chametz (any products made from wheat, oats, barley, spelt, or rye), marking a clear distinction between their regular kitchens and Passover kitchens.

To prepare for the Lunar New Year in Chinese culture, the home is cleaned tip to toe to rid it of any bad luck. Interestingly, cleaning is completely forbidden on the first day of the Lunar New Year, even including the washing up. This is to preserve any good luck that may have arrived on the stroke of midnight.

How to Spring clean

Now you understand a little more about what spring cleaning is and why many cultures choose to do it, it’s time to learn how to spring clean your own home.

You may already have some cleaning habits or best practices – stick to those if easier. However, if the idea of cleaning your entire house sends shivers up your spine you’ll want to follow a spring cleaning checklist and make some sort of plan to tackle the task.

How to spring clean your house in a day

Many of us don’t have the time to dedicate multiple days or entire weeks to cleaning our homes. Spring cleaning your house in a day is a popular approach for busy lifestyles.

There are many different plans to follow. Here are some spring cleaning tips and tasks that help maximise efficiency.

Clean the bedding

A good place to start is by stripping the bed and washing your sheets. You likely already do this regularly, so use your spring cleaning as a chance to wash the duvet and clean your mattress too.

Focus on whole-house tasks

One universally recognised piece of advice is to tackle whole-house tasks first. This includes things like washing rugs, cleaning windows, mopping floors, emptying and cleaning cupboards, and wiping surfaces. Doing this means you’ll touch every room in the house and give it an instant refresh.

Prioritise labor-intensive tasks

Similar to the above, try to tick off those more labour-intensive tasks first while you still have the energy. As the day goes on, you’ll likely run out of steam and get tired of cleaning, so it’s important to face those chores you usually procrastinate on first.

Find fun chores

This may be a difficult piece of advice to take on board, but we promise your spring cleaning will go much faster if you manage to find some ‘fun chores’. Many people enjoy cleaning out their fridges, rearranging cupboards, or tidying up their closets. Areas you see and access every day are incredibly therapeutic to clean as you’ll immediately notice the difference.

How to spring clean your room

You can still take part in spring cleaning even when living in university accommodation or a house share.

• Begin by opening any windows to let in the fresh air.
• Next move onto the basics, such as tidying up your closet and dusting.
• Spray and wipe down any surfaces.
• Strip the bed and wash your bedding before cleaning your mattress according to the care instructions.
• Vacuum the floor and any rugs.
• Remake the bed.
• Finally, wash the windows and wipe all mirrors.

Spring cleaning checklist

Many people follow a spring checklist to ensure they don’t miss out on anything during their deep clean.

Below is an example, which you can copy and customise for your own spring cleaning.

Entrance hall

• Sweep and mop floors
• Wipe walls
• Wipe skirting boards
• Clean door
• Clean doormat
• Organise shoes
• Hang coats

Kitchen

• Clean stovetop
• Clean oven
• Clean microwave
• Clean dishwasher
• Clean refrigerator
• Wipe drawers and shelves in refrigerator and freezer
• Defrost freezer
• Discard old or expired food
• Clear countertops
• Degrease cabinet doors and backsplash
• Remove items from cabinets and thoroughly clean inside
• Clean fridge/freezer seal
• Dust top of high surfaces including fridge, microwave/cooker hood, cabinets
• Declog the kitchen drain
• Wash tea towels and clean sponges
• Wipe walls
• Wipe skirting boards
• Mop floors
• Shake out dust or dirt from floor mats

Dining Room

• Dust chinaware
• Wash and press table linens
• Polish silver
• Dust and polish furniture
• Vacuum chair cushions
• Wipe walls
• Wipe skirting boards
• Clean light fixtures
• Dust blinds
• Dust curtain rods
• Clean window sills
• Wash windows
• Clean or vacuum curtains
• Mop or vacuum floor
• Shampoo rugs or carpet

Bathroom

• Throw out expired personal care products and makeup, and bring old medications to a drop-off site
• Clean makeup brushes
• Clean vanity
• Wipe mirror
• Clean bath and shower
• Clean showerhead
• Replace shower curtain liner
• Scrub tile grout
• Clean toilet
• Clean hardware
• Sweep floors
• Mop floors
• Wipe walls
• Wipe skirting boards

Bedrooms

• Wipe skirting boards
• Dust/polish furniture
• Donate unused clothing
• Organise closets
• Wash bedding including sheets, pillows, and duvets
• Vacuum carpets
• Flip mattress
• Dust blinds
• Dust curtain rods
• Clean window sills
• Wash windows
• Clean or vacuum curtains
• Mop or vacuum floors
• Shampoo rugs or carpets

Living Room

• Dust/polish furniture
• Wash blankets and pillows
• Vacuum sofa and chairs
• Dust blinds
• Dust curtain rods
• Clean window sills
• Wash windows
• Clean or vacuum curtains
• Dust and clean lamp shades
• Dust electronics
• Dust and clean decor
• Sanitise remote controls
• Mop or vacuum floors
• Shampoo rugs or carpets

Garage

• Declutter tools, sporting equipment and toys
• Open up garage door to air out the space
• Wipe down walls
• Sweep floor
• Clean garage door
• Clean garage door frame
• Clean windows

Throughout the House

• Test and replace smoke alarm batteries
• Clean light fixtures
• Replace light bulbs as needed
• Sanitise door handles
• Sanitise light switches

Find a home to take pride in and that you enjoy spring cleaning! Pickard Properties has a range of student-friendly homes and homes for professionals that are waiting and ready to be lived in.