Life & Lifestyle

Conquer Spring Cleaning: Room-by-Room

Spring brings a much-needed burst of color to trees and flowers after the long winter months. For many, it is also the time we clean our homes with a fine-tooth comb! It’s not always a pleasant task, but we do it anyway — in with the good and out with the stale.

Join the ranks of spring cleaners with this guide to help conquer the task.

Schedule a block of time each day — or even each week — to keep the job from feeling overwhelming. Work on one room at a time and reward yourself for each until you’ve completed the job.

The basics – for every room in your home

  • Dust wall and ceiling light fixtures. Remove globes and wash them out.
  • Dust ceiling fan blades.
  • Remove cobwebs with a vacuum and brush attachment or a clean rag attached to the head of a broom.
  • Remove and wash window coverings. Dust the top of curtain rods and window trim.
  • Remove wall hangings, knick-knacks, and décor, then rinse in warm soapy water.
  • Wash doors and knobs and the dust that collects on top of the doors and entryway trim.
  • Wash walls with an all-purpose cleaning solution. Touch up mars and chips with paint.
  • Wipe off switch plates.
  • Empty cabinets and drawers, then wash them inside and out. Wash and arrange drawer organizers too.
  • Wash windows and sills. Don’t forget the unsightly tracks.
  • Clean unupholstered furniture from top to bottom with an appropriate cleaner.
  • Vacuum upholstered furniture from top to bottom and under cushions, paying particular attention to creases and crevices where the dust and grunge build up.
  • Vacuum lampshades with a soft bristle attachment.
  • Unplug electrical cords and wipe them down with a damp rag to remove dust.
  • Wash baseboards, then vacuum carpet edges with a narrow attachment.
  • Vacuum and mop under furniture and other stationary items.

Bedroom odds and ends

  • Remove items from under the bed. Dust off storage containers and dispose of clutter.
  • Vacuum under beds using attachments.
  • Eliminate unwanted articles from drawers.

The bathroom—scour and disinfect

  • Remove and launder the shower curtain and liner, bathmat, toilet cover, and rugs.
  • Scour tub and shower from top to bottom, inside and out. Use a toothbrush to remove mold, mildew, and soap scum accumulation around the drain, faucet, knobs, and showerhead.
  • Clean glass shower doors inside and out, including the track.
  • Spray the exterior of toilets with a sanitizing solution and wipe down.
  • If you have young boys, remove the toilet seat and clean the bolts where odors linger. Use a deodorizing solution on the baseboard and wall behind the toilet.
  • Wash both the toilet brush container and the wastebasket.
  • Scrub the sink and countertop, including grooves around the drain, faucet, and knobs.
  • Dust the top edge of mirrors, towel racks, and other accessories.

Closets—the always forgotten

  • Dust shelving, brackets, and rods.
  • Organize shelves and eliminate unneeded items.
  • Remove clothing you haven’t worn in two years.
  • Dust shoe racks and shoes.

Kitchen—contamination zones

  • Dust the top of kitchen cabinets.
  • Remove grease and grime from small kitchen appliances
  • Clean the stove, oven, refrigerator, and dishwasher inside and out.
  • Wipe the built-up grunge on the top of the garbage disposal with a rag. Add ice and lemon slices, then run the disposal to clean and freshen the blades.
  • Scrub countertops with a mildly abrasive cleaner or degreaser.
  • Wash the table and chairs from top to bottom, and don’t forget the cracks where table leaves meet.

Outdoors—dirt, dirt everywhere

  • Hose down siding and windows.
  • Wash screens with soapy water, then rinse with a hose. Wash window exteriors.
  • Scrub doormats with an all-purpose cleaner and a brush, then rinse.
  • Spray off patio furniture, then wipe clean.
  • Clean light fixtures.
  • Remove lint from the outside dryer vent, along with any nests and/or hives that have formed on or near the house.

Remember, if doing all these tasks is too much on your own, ask friends or family to help you. Make it a fun cleaning party! Offer pizza and drinks to your helpers.

Time- Saving Tips:

  • Clean light fixtures.
  • Gather cleaning tools and supplies before you get started. Have plenty of rags, an old toothbrush, Q-tips, toothpicks, cleaning solutions, a spray bottle, a step stool or small ladder, a vacuum, and attachments.
  • Work room-by-room for efficiency and to avoid duplicating or missing things.
  • Work around the room from top to bottom.
  • Play music as you clean. It may not save time, but it will make time pass more quickly.
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Kimberly Blaker

Kimberly Blaker is a freelance writer. She also owns an online bookshop, Sage Rare & Collectible Books, specializing in out-of-print, scarce, signed, and first editions; fine bindings; ephemera and more at www.sagerarebooks.com.

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