Many people avoid spring cleaning simply because they don’t know where to begin. But the process of decluttering and then cleaning a space is actually pretty easy. Each task is quick; the tough part is getting started.
That’s where this 30-day checklist comes in. This spring cleaning plan outlines a set of tasks to help you declutter and clean every nook and cranny in your home. It will keep you moving from room to room, which goes against traditional advice to work on one room until it’s complete before heading to the next. But with a big project like spring cleaning an entire home, the impulse to quit when you get overwhelmed or bored can be strong. So tackling a few projects each day will ensure that you stay motivated.
What You Need
Before you get started, prepare some boxes. Here’s what you need:
Box Category 1: Donate/Consign. Anything you want to donate or consign goes into these boxes. If the items won’t fit into a box (e.g., a couch), then keep a running list of them.
Box Category 2: Repair. While you’re decluttering and cleaning, you will come across items that need to be mended or repaired. Place these items in a box until you’re ready to get them fixed. Don’t let repairs sidetrack you until you’re done cleaning.
Box Category 3: Put-Away Box. Say you’re cleaning out a drawer in your kitchen and you find a misplaced pair of earrings in it. Don’t stop decluttering that drawer to go put your earrings in their proper place. Instead, add them temporarily to a put-away box. Once you’re done with the drawer, take that box and return everything in it to its rightful storage place.
It’s also helpful to keep a pen and paper or a digital list nearby during your spring cleaning process. On it you can keep a running list of projects that pop up while you clean that you want to get to eventually, such as organizing old photos. Once you’re done with your spring cleaning, then you can make a plan to tackle those projects.
Day 1: Dust
Take a broom to the corners of the ceiling to catch any cobwebs in your kitchen, living room, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Then, sweep or vacuum the floors.
Dust the undersides of every chair and table in your home, and then vacuum and mop the floors around them.
Clean every mirror in your home, including ones in the bathrooms, bedrooms, and entryway.
Wash your winter gloves, hats, and scarves, and pack them up for next year. Take your winter coats to the dry cleaner if necessary.
Sort your under-bed storage boxes. Add any applicable items to the donate or mend boxes.
Remove odd socks from your sock drawer, and either toss them or use them as cleaning rags.
Go through your dresser, and pull out items of clothing you haven’t worn in a year and have no plans to wear again. Put them in your donation box.
Day 3: Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet
Throw away expired medicines. Look up local regulations on how to properly dispose of medicines.
Organize your emergency supplies. Make sure you’re stocked on first aid necessities.
Declutter your linen closet. Pull out the old towels and sheets you no longer use, and put them into your donation box.
Day 4: Sort Your Shoes
Sort through your shoes. Add any that you want to donate or repair to those respective boxes.
Clean the floors of your closets, and get rid of any unused storage solutions.
Wash your slippers.
Day 5: Clean Small Appliances
Clean your appliances, including their plugs, tops, bottoms, sides, and any accessories that came with them.
Deep clean your coffee maker, following manufacturer instructions.
Thoroughly clean utensils, such as can openers, that might not be washed on a regular basis.
Replace old kitchen sponges and rubber gloves.
Day 6: Clean Your Car
Use a vacuum to clean the inside of your car. Declutter while you go. Don’t neglect cleaning the floor mats. Then, wipe down interior surfaces with a cleaning solution and rag.
Wash the outside of your car (or bring it to a car wash).
Day 7: Deep Clean Your Fridge and Cabinets
Thoroughly clean your fridge and freezer by removing all shelves, racks, and storage containers and washing them in your bathtub. Toss any old food. Wash your ice cube trays. Wipe down the sides of the fridge and freezer. Then, put everything back in. If you’re afraid of food spoiling, use a cooler to keep food cold while you work.
Take everything out of your cabinets, and clean all the surfaces before replacing the items.
Check the cabinets for any unexpired food you don’t plan to eat that can be donated. Throw out expired or questionable food.
Day 8: Toss Clutter in the Bathroom
Declutter and clean your bathroom storage. Take everything out, and clean the backs, sides, and bottoms of the cabinets and drawers.
Dispose of any expired bathroom cleaning products.
Replace any old, worn toothbrushes and/or razors.
Wash or replace your shower curtain liner.
Day 9: Wash Household Linens
Wash your couch covers, pillowcases, and other linens used around the house.
Launder the drapes in your living room, dining room, and bedrooms. If you can’t wash them on site, bring them to the dry cleaners.
Wash your ironing board cover
Wash your tea towels and kitchen towels.
Toss small rugs, bathroom mats, and bathrobes in the wash.
Remove your window screens, and vacuum them using the handheld attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Then, soak them in soapy water before rinsing.
Use dish soap diluted in water and a microfiber cloth to wipe down your windows. Then, spray on vinegar diluted in water, and wipe the windows with a clean towel to dry them.
Dust your windowsills and frames, and touch up any chipped paint around the sills.
Day 14: Toss Old Papers, Magazines, and Newspapers
Recycle old magazines, newspapers, and packing materials.
Organize old paper or plastic shopping bags that are lying around in one location, so you can reuse them.
Shred sensitive documents you don’t need anymore. Scan important papers, and shred the originals if they don’t need to be saved.
Day 15: Wash Your Makeup and Hair Brushes
Deep clean your makeup brushes and hair brushes.
Toss any liquid makeup over 3 months old and any powdered makeup over a year old.
Day 16: Clean Out Your Plumbing
Clean every drain in your home using this method: Pour boiling hot water down the drain, add baking soda, and then add vinegar. Then, cover the drain with a plug for a few minutes. Follow with another pour of boiling water.
Schedule a plumber for any leaky or otherwise damaged faucets you can’t fix yourself.
Day 17: Switch Out Seasonal Decor
Remove any winter decorations still hanging around, including throw pillows, candle holders, throw blankets, and vases.
Switch scented candles, hand soaps, etc. from winter scents to fresh spring ones.
If you have a fireplace, thoroughly clean it to remove dirt and debris from winter use.
Day 18: Vacuum Furniture
Move the couch and any heavy chairs, and clean and vacuum underneath them.
Use the handheld attachment to vacuum the couch and chairs themselves.
Day 19: Clean Your Garage
Declutter your garage, and throw out any unneeded items you haven’t touched since last spring.
Wash your gardening gloves, and rinse and wipe off the shoes you wear to do yard work.
Sweep your porch, patio, or front steps.
Day 20: Clean Out Office Items
Go through your desk drawers, and toss broken items, such as dead pens.
Collect and keep office items, such as paper clips, all in one place in your home.
Take your stash of coins to a coin machine or the bank.
Day 21: Sort Your Mugs and Glasses
Declutter your mugs and glasses. Donate the ones you no longer want, and wash and put away the rest.
Wash reusable water bottles and water-filtering pitchers. Then, change the filters.
Day 22: Organize Bags
Organize your bags, including backpacks, briefcases, and suitcases. Declutter the insides, and then clean and store them.
Clean out your everyday bag or wallet.
Wash and store reusable shopping bags all in one place.
Day 23: Repair Broken or Damaged Clothing
Either mend any damaged clothing yourself, or take it to a tailor.
Take any shoes or boots that need repairs to a cobbler.
Day 24: Organize Hobby Supplies and Other Collections
Organize your hobby supplies. This can include crafting supplies, board games, or sporting equipment.
Polish silver jewelry, silverware, and any other items that have become tarnished.
Day 25: Get the Kids Involved in the Cleaning
If you have young children, teach them how to clean something in their room, and make that their chore from now on.
Go through your books (including kids’ books), and donate ones you don’t want anymore.
Day 26: Dust and Vacuum Some More
Dust your blinds, and then vacuum the floor around them.
Dust around your stairs, and then vacuum them.
Wipe down your baseboards and other molding where dust tends to collect. Then, vacuum the floor near them.
Day 27: Wash the Walls
Wash any interior walls that have marks or stains.
Touch up chipped or discolored paint.
Day 28: Wash Your Bed Linens
Wash your bed linens, including any mattress covers, duvet covers, pillow liners, throw blankets, and throw pillows.
If you have a guest room and the bed hasn’t been used in a while, strip the bed down to the mattress and wash all the linens.
Day 29: Sell or Donate Unwanted Items
Did you keep a list of items to sell? Now is the day to take your items to the consignment store or to photograph them to sell online.
Bring donations to a local charity.
Day 30: Throw It Away
Take a trip to the dump to get rid of any large items that are beyond repair.
Check your local regulations for how to get rid of other unwanted items, such as old paint.
Wash your garbage cans and recycling bins. Either do this outside or in your bathroom, scrubbing your tub afterward.
12 Spring Cleaning Mistakes
Are you ready to shake the cold-weather blues and spruce up your home for the warmer months ahead? Before you overhaul your living space with cleaning projects galore, remember that spring cleaning isn’t as simple as it seems. With today’s powerful cleaning products, and high-tech appliances, there’s a lot of room for error. One simple mistake could damage your home, costing you a world of effort and a stack of cash. Keep these tips in mind before you clean and you’ll dodge disaster and be left with a no-mess, no-stress home.
Time to Shine
2/13
Cleaning Hardwood Floors
After surviving winter’s dry indoor air, your wood floors might be in need of some rehab. Before you reach for any old product to clean or restore your floor, make sure you’re using one that works for your material and finish. While wax may work great on a floor that’s already wax-coated, it can diminish the shine or smoothness of laminate, varnished, or polyurethane-finished wood. Always consult a product’s instructions and be sure it matches your floor type before using it.
Super Sudsy
3/13
using too much detergent
As springtime rolls around, it’s natural to feel the urge to go on a laundry spree, but an overzealous approach can do more harm than good. Using too much laundry detergent is actually worse than not using enough; a heavy-handed dose of soap can make clothes stiff and dingy. All that extra soap can also attract bacteria, leaving linens with an unpleasant odor. Instead, use the amount that the detergent label specifies (or even less, since modern washers are more efficient than many of their predecessors).
Shrinking Slipcovers
4/13
Cleaning Slipcovers
Slipcovers can be a fantastic, low-maintenance option to keep couches and chairs looking fresh and up-to-date, but washing them on the wrong laundry setting can ruin them altogether, causing you to invest in a replacement set. Never wash slipcovers in warm or hot water unless their tags specifically instruct you to do so; instead, opt for cold water to keep them from shrinking.
High and Dry
5/13
Use Water-Resistant Tubs
If you’re looking for a way to store all those books you read this winter, steer clear of cardboard boxes. In the event of a flood, leak or condensation issue, your books will quickly warp, smell, and mold if kept in containers that are essentially made of paper themselves. Instead, opt for water-resistant storage bins to keep your reading collection safe. Follow the same rules for putting away your winter clothes.
Crystal Clear
6/13
Wash Windows with Microfiber Cloth
Few things are more frustrating than spending your time and energy trying to make your windows gleam, only to stand back and see streaks. Avoid this common problem by using a lint-free microfiber cloth and either a store-bought, streak-free cleaning solution or one part white vinegar mixed with one part water. For truly grimy windows, try straight vinegar.
Perfect Plexiglass
7/13
Cleaning Plexiglass
While plexiglass is a wonderful and safe alternative to glass—particularly when used in windows and bathroom enclosures—its durability runs parallel to its sensitivity. Never clean plexiglass with a dry cloth; rather, use a moist cloth (and a light touch) to prevent minor scratches.
Breathing Room
8/13
Let Wet-Vac Carpets Dry
Having your carpets professionally cleaned—or renting a high-powered wet vac and doing it yourself—is a key part of keeping a clean home. But if you don’t allow the carpet enough time to dry before putting furnishings back into place, you run the risk of developing a mold (and odor) problem of epic proportions. Allow enough breathing room for carpets to dry completely before replacing a room’s contents. The proper dry time could be a few hours or a day, depending on the air flow in the room and the thickness of the carpet pile.
Top to Bottom
9/13
Clean from Top to Bottom
When most people start their spring cleaning regimen, things like floors, windows, and ceilings take precedence over everything else. But if these spots aren’t cleaned in the right order, your cleaning routine can allow copious amounts of dust and other allergens to accumulate. For a deeper clean, start by dusting the light fixtures and corners of the ceiling, then do the windowsills and trim, and finally the baseboards and the floors. In the end, you’ve tackled a lot of dirt with very little effort.
Bug Off
10/13
Springtime Pruning
Springtime doesn’t just yield blooms; it also brings bugs and infections, some of which could damage your trees. If you prune your trees and shrubs in advance of the growing season, consider coating the freshly-cut edges of vulnerable trees like birch, elm, and oak in pruning wax to seal the wounds, preventing bugs, bacteria, and fungi from destroying them later on.
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads around the world, it’s a good time to understand how cleaning can help prevent the spread of disease and what you can do to cut the risk of infection in your home.
Coronavirus is mainly transmitted from person to person via tiny droplets of saliva or other bodily fluids that float in the air after a cough or sneeze.
Contaminated objects and surfaces can also be important in the transmission of disease. It’s not entirely clear what role they play in transmitting the new coronavirus, but they play an important one for related viruses such as SARS and MERS.
However, it makes sense that something contaminated with the virus could pass it on, for example if a person touches it and then touches their nose, mouth or face.
So, if someone at risk of having the virus has been in your home, cleaning to reduce the amount of contamination on surfaces may help cut down your risk of further transmission of coronavirus. (It will also cut the risk of transmitting other pathogens.)
What’s the difference between cleaning and disinfection?
There’s a useful to distinction to make between cleaning and disinfection.
Cleaning means physically removing organic matter such as germs and dirt from surfaces. Disinfection means using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces.
Cleaning is very important, because organic matter may inhibit or reduce the disinfectant’s ability to kill germs.
How long will coronavirus survive in my house?
We are not exactly sure how long this coronavirus will survive on surfaces. If it is similar to other coronaviruses, it could survive a few hours – potentially up to several days. How long it survives could depend on temperature, humidity and what the surface is made of.
What could be contaminated in my house?
It’s hard to say exactly. When someone coughs or sneezes, especially if they don’t cover their mouth, it is likely surfaces close to them will be contaminated.
Hands are often responsible for transferring pathogens from one place to another, so items that people often touch are at greatest risk of being contaminated.
Frequently touched items may include TV remotes, fridge doors, kitchen cupboards, kitchen surfaces, taps and door handles. And of course, there are devices such as phones and iPads – but these may not be shared or touched by others frequently.
What should I use to clean and how?
The coronavirus is a delicate structure and it is vulnerable in the environment. Both heat and detergents, including soap, can stop it functioning.
Contaminated surfaces
If a surface becomes contaminated or you think it could be, cleaning it with a common household disinfectant will kill the virus. Remember to wash your hands after cleaning (or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser) and avoid touching your eyes, mouth or nose.
There are many options for what to use to clean, including paper towels, cloths or disposable wipes.
The S-shaped pattern for cleaning a surface without re-contaminating parts of it. Brett Mitchell, Author provided
The S-shaped pattern for cleaning a surface without re-contaminating parts of it. Brett Mitchell, Author provided
How you clean is important. You don’t want to “recontaminate” surfaces while cleaning. Working from one side of a surface to the other helps with this, using an “S” shape to clean.
If you are reusing a cloth, remember to wash it afterwards and let it dry. Laundering cloths in the washing machine with normal washing liquid is also likely to kill the virus, particularly on a hot wash.
Dishes and cutlery
Washing with hot water and detergent is fine for dishes and cutlery. A dishwasher is even better, because it can use hotter water than your hands will tolerate.
Clothing and linen
Use the warmest setting possible to wash contaminated laundry and make sure you allow it to dry completely. You may not want to ruin clothing or other materials, so always look at the manufacturer’s instructions.
Laundry from someone who is sick can be washed with other people’s items. If you are handling contaminated items such as towel or sheets, avoid shaking them before washing, to reduce the risk of contaminating other surfaces.
And remember to wash your hands immediately after touching any contaminated laundry.
Prevention is best
Remember that surfaces play a role in transmitting pathogens, so preventing them from becoming contaminated in the first place is as important as cleaning. There are some things you can do to reduce the amount of contamination of surfaces in your house:
– cover your cough and sneezes, ideally with a tissue but otherwise into your elbow, and wash your hands immediately
– wash your hands often, especially after going to the bathroom and before eating.
What do I do if someone in my home is sick?
It may be wise to think about which room in your home could be used to care for a sick member of your family. If possible, the ideal room is one that that is separate from other parts of your home and has a separate bathroom.
Cleaning this room when someone is sick also requires some thought. Further advice on caring for someone with coronavirus at home is available from the Department of Health.
Health experts agree that the most important measures for preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus as the U.S. grapples with rising COVID-19 rates are social distancing, mask wearing, and practicing good hand hygiene.
That said, disinfecting high-touch objects and surfaces — doorknobs, kitchen countertops, and the like — is another best practice to stop the spread of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses like the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As the 2020-21 flu season begins, you may feel increasingly motivated to go on the offensive against germs.
It’s important to realize that cleaning and disinfecting are not one and the same, says Susan Donelan, MD, the medical director of healthcare epidemiology at Stony Brook Medicine in New York. “Cleaning is removing as much visible dirt and material as possible. Cleaning gets rid of the debris and any impurities that are on the surface of whatever it is that you’re looking to disinfect,” she says.
Disinfection usually is a chemical-based process intended to kill germs, says Dr. Donelan, adding, “Cleaning makes the disinfection process more efficient and effective.”
You likely have questions about specifics, starting with the best way to clean your hands (is sanitizer better than soap and water?). You may also be wondering, how often do you need to clean your cell phone and what’s the best way to do it? Do you really need to worry about your shoes tracking the coronavirus into your house? How should you disinfect the bedding of someone who is sick with COVID-19 or the flu?
Experts offer the answers to these and other urgent questions here.
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