My Spring Cleaning Checklist

Spring is a wonderful time of renewal and awakening. It is also the perfect time for some deep cleaning. The change in seasons creates a great opportunity to refresh and breathe new life into your home after the dreary months of winter. As the temperatures begin to warm up, we can open windows, bring fresh air into our homes and finally give some attention to all the neglected nooks and crannies. Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be an overwhelming burden. Creating a checklist can help you prioritize and organize your tasks. It also helps to keep you on track for what to do next. If you don’t have a whole day or weekend to designate to spring cleaning try tackling one small task each day. After a few weeks your house will be sparkling clean.

If you’re ready to tackle some spring cleaning projects and aren’t sure where to start, we’ve created a spring cleaning checklist to help you get organized. Jess has already tackled a cleaning project in her bathroom. And we’re both excited to give our homes a much needed deep clean after a long Vermont winter.

You might also like: Spring Cleaning Ideas at Home, How to Keep Your House Clean With Pets, and Best Eco-Friendly Cleaning Supplies

My Spring Cleaning Checklist

bedrooms

Bedrooms can often be neglected. They aren’t always on display for guests and usually the last place to get cleaned. Take advantage of the change in seasons to do a deep clean in your bedroom. Begin with a thorough vacuum. Be sure to get under hard to reach places like dressers and beds. If you have carpets you could take your cleaning to the next level with a heavy duty steam carpet cleaner. If you have pets or any lingering smells this is so helpful to get deep into those fibers that like to hold on to accumulated dirt, grime and dust. Wash your mattress cover and wipe down surfaces. A duster is great for reaching high spots like ceiling fans, lights, and trim.

Closet/Wardrobe

Now is a great time to go through your closet. Before switching over your wardrobe from winter to spring/summer, assess what items you didn’t wear during the winter season. A great trick is to turn all your hangers around at the beginning of each season. When you wear an item you can turn it back the other way. At the end of the season you can see which items you didn’t wear. And easily make the choice to donate or sell pieces you no longer wear.

Putting away winter clothes and taking out your spring and summer wardrobe is always such a nice way to welcome the change in season. Try everything on as you make the swap to make sure you have a wardrobe you love. If you haven’t already, sign up for Jess’s newsletter and get a link to download her Spring Capsule Wardrobe Guide.

Kitchen

Over the winter months, our appliances can build up grime, dirt, dust and residue. This is the perfect time to bring those appliances back to life! You can wipe down your washer and dryer, stove/oven, microwave, toaster, refrigerator and any other appliances you have in your home with a microfiber cloth and all purpose cleaning solution.

• Stovetop and Oven: Get deeper by running the self-clean cycle on your oven. Use an oven cleaning brush and Bon Ami Polishing Cleanser to get at any deep grit and grime buildup.
• Dishwasher: This is a great all natural dishwasher cleaner. Make sure to clean out any filters.
• Microwave & Toaster: Remove trays and wash in the sink with hot soapy water and a scrubby brush or sponge. Wipe down the inside and outside of your microwave and toaster cleaning off any food residue.
• Refrigerator: Wait until you have a fairly empty fridge and remove any leftover food. Wipe down shelves and remove trays and drawers to clean in the sink. Use warm water and soap to get at any yucky residue.
• Coffee Maker: A neglected coffee maker can be a breeding ground for mold. Check out this post on How to Clean a Coffee Maker using a 50/50 vinegar and water solution.

Bathrooms

The bathroom is another great place to do a deep clean for spring. Give the toilet a thorough scrub and rinse with a toilet bowl cleaner. Wipe down the sink and fixtures with a disinfecting bathroom cleaner and scrubbie sponge. Give the the tub and shower a good scrubbing. And deep clean (this stuff is amazing for scrubbing tubs). Wiping down the walls and getting into those corners where mold and grime can begin to develop. Finish things off by organizing any shelves, drawers, and cabinets. Get rid of old bath products you are no longer using.

Laundry Room

• Washer and Dryer: Wipe down the exterior of your washer and dryer with a microfiber cloth and all purpose cleaning solution. Run an empty self clean or hot cycle on the longest setting with baking soda and white vinegar to get rid of any residue build up.
• Clean Behind Appliances
• Sanitize/Clean Hampers
• Clean Dryer Vent
• Clean Washing Machine Filter

Living room

After giving your living room a thorough vacuum and mop or steam, remove items from the top of tables and wipe down all surfaces. Grab blankets and couch covers and run them through the wash. Wipe down your TV, dust lamps and organize any storage items. If you have kids toys in this space maybe reconsider your organization scheme. Try using baskets or shelving to keep things neat and tidy. And easy to put away when they aren’t in use. Labels are a great way to ensure things are put back in the right spot.

Entire house

Windows

Windows are one of my favorite spring cleaning tasks. It’s so satisfying to get into those hard to reach places that have built up dust, bugs, and grime over the past year. It’s amazing what a clean window can do for a home. Being able to see clearly outside on those bright sunny days is a game changer!

When is the right time to clean your windows? When it finally gets warm enough to open your windows– this is the perfect time to start cleaning! This way you can get to the cobwebs, dirt and grime that have built up over the fall and winter. Take out screens and wash them in a large sink or outdoor hose. You may even be ambitious enough to clean them from the outside as well. Wash windows using a microfiber cloth and glass cleaner to wipe away smudges and grime.

Window Treatments can be cleaned as well using a duster. They even make specific blind duster brushes for window blinds. Good Housekeeping breaks down how to clean each type of blind or shade here.

Surfaces

Surfaces of things like our bedside tables, end tables, bookshelves and dressers are often left to collect dust over the winter months. Give them a nice refresh by clearing everything off the surface using a microfiber duster. And then cleaning with a spray that’s appropriate for the surface (wood, marble, etc) to get them nice and clean.

Floors

If you’re anything like me, vacuuming happens regularly during the winter, especially with a lab that sheds like crazy. But the deep clean using a floor mop or steamer is much needed by the time spring arrives. Bring out your mop or floor steamer and use the floor cleaner of your choice (we love just a classic white vinegar and water homemade cleaning solution for tile– try one of Clean Mama’s easy homemade solutions or this is a great store bought option) and get those floors sparkling clean. For hardwood floors Bona is a great cleaning solution. Allow your floors to air dry with the windows open. It is a game changer— you won’t regret it!

Walls and Baseboards

Walls and baseboards can be cleaned by using a microfiber duster. You can also use a smaller vacuum head to get into all those dusty, dirty areas. If you have marks and spots that you can’t seem to clean, magic erasers are a miracle worker.

doors

Doors can be cleaned using a microfiber cloth to wipe away dirt, grime and dust. Wipe them down with an all purpose cleaner or surface appropriate spray.

Ceiling Fans & Light Fixtures

Ceiling fans and light fixtures are often neglected but just because we can’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there! Grab a duster and get to those hard to reach places. Remove dust off the top of the fan and around your light fixtures. You will be surprised at how much dust builds up over time.

Spring Cleaning Checklist PDF