While it may seem like Winter could last forever, Spring is actually nearly upon us. Now is the perfect time to think about getting your home ready for a new season, and we all know that begins with a Spring Clean. But a house is a big cleaning project to take on and, sometimes, deciding where to start and how to go about it can be quite a daunting prospect.
Fear not! We’ve compiled a room-by-room checklist for you, so you can tick them off as you go, as well as a list of all the great cleaning products you’ll need to be confident that your Spring clean is thorough enough to last you through the coming season.
Before You Begin
Gather supplies: start by thinking about what you intend cleaning and what you’ll need to do it. You don’t want to be elbow-deep in soap suds and realise you don’t have a cloth! Floors, carpets, windows… the list goes on. So, sit down, grab a cuppa and write down everything you’ll need to get the jobs done. Stock up on cleaning cloths, sponges, multi-surface cleaners, carpet shampoo for carpet cleaners and anything else you’re going to need.
Open the windows: Spring needs to get into your house to help with the cleaning so let’s open up and allow that air to circulate through your home! Opening the windows can also help speed-up the drying time and freshen up your carpets, as well as reduce any smells from chemicals used in the cleaning process.
Work from top to bottom: Always work with gravity, not against it. Dislodged dust and dirt will always float downwards so you don’t want it settling on a surface you’ve just cleaned. Lights, cornices, shelves and curtain poles are always best to start with, and floors, rugs and carpets can go last.
Make it fun: Do you want your Spring Clean to feel like a chore, or a nice way to spend a few hours? Make the time go faster by playing music or maybe listen to a podcast or an audiobook through some headphones.
Whole-House Tasks (Do These First!)
Light fixtures and ceiling fans: Dust and dirt, as well as grease from cooking, can rise and settle on lights, shades and fans and cause them to be less efficient, even dulling the light output of downlights and bulbs. And, while you’re up there, you can check for any bulbs that need replacing.
Door handles and light switches: Nothing gets grabbed, handled and generally abused more than handles and switches. Bacteria and germs can build up on these much-used fittings so make sure to sanitise them thoroughly.
Skirting boards and windowsills: Vacuuming or wiping-down dusty skirting boards and windowsills can instantly make your house look cleaner and more polished, but it’s a back-breaking effort to constantly keep kneeling and reaching them. Our bendable mop is the perfect solution for dusting those tight corners and low-down skirting boards with ease!
Living Room Cleaning
Let’s start in the busiest room and make sure we leave it looking, and feeling, fresh and ready for all that Spring sunshine!
Upholstery: Vacuum sofas, chairs, and cushions. Maybe wash any removable covers or, of your main issue is pet hairs, our Fur Daddy pet hair vacuum is the perfect solution if you let your furry friends sit on the couch with you!
Curtains and blinds: Wash curtains or dust blinds. You can run a microfibre cloth or our amazing RadiClean Duster through the slats in your blinds for a super-quick way to get them clean- as well as behind your radiators.
Electronics: Dust TVs, game consoles, and other electronics, but don't forget to unplug them first!
Decor: Wipe down shelves, picture frames, and knick-knacks. Remember to pick up ornaments so you can clean their undersides, as well as the space they were taking up on the shelf.
Carpets and rugs: It’s important to vacuum carpets thoroughly. But, if you want to get on with other things, you can leave all that tedious floor work to our robot cleaner while you relax!
Kitchen Cleaning
This is often the biggest cleaning task on any list. We eat, socialise and generally live in our kitchens more and more these days and, as we’re all budding chefs, it’s important to keep your kitchen ‘restaurant-level’ clean.
Appliances: Deep clean your oven, microwave, dishwasher, and fridge. These are where our food spends a lot of time so we need to super-vigilant here.
Pantry and cabinets: Declutter and wipe down shelves, leaving any tins easily accessible so they don’t get forgotten at the back of your cupboards. Discard expired food and donate unwanted items to a food bank or school.
Backsplash and countertops: Degrease the backsplash and wipe down the countertops with something that will kill germs as well as remove grease and dirt.
Floors: Kitchen floors are unique because they get so much food dropped on them from when we’re preparing, cooking and, or course, eating it in there. So mop or even steam hard floors thoroughly.
Bathroom Cleaning
The room where we clean ourselves deserves to get a little special treatment
Shower/Bath: Scrub tiles and grout to remove soap scum and mildew.
Toilet: Deep clean the toilet bowl, seat, and surrounding area.
Sink and vanity: Disinfect the sink and countertop. Wipe down mirrors and cabinets.
Floors: Mop floors with a disinfectant cleaner.
Bedroom Cleaning
We spend almost a third of our lives in bed, generating a lot of dust, and moisture from breathing in our sleep, which can lead to mouldy ceilings and cornices. Plus, of course, the bed itself which really demands a deep, thorough clean.
Declutter: Remove anything you don't use or wear regularly. Donate or sell unwanted items.
Wash bedding: Wash sheets, pillowcases, and blankets in hot water.
Mattress: Vacuum your mattress and flip it if possible.
Dust furniture and surfaces: Wipe down dressers, nightstands, and headboards. (Pro tip: using a bendable duster can make cleaning high places and corners a breeze?)
Vacuum carpets and rugs: Give your bedroom floors a refresh.
Don’t forget your car!
If you commute to work you could be spending as much time in your car as you do in the bath! So, it’s important to make sure your car gets a good Spring Clean too.
Declutter: Remove trash, unwanted items, and empty cupholders.
Vacuum: Using a powerful, portable, mini vacuum cleaner, thoroughly vacuum carpets, floor mats, and seats. Remove floor mats and shake them out or hose them down for a deeper clean.
Wipe down surfaces: Use disinfectant wipes or a microfiber cloth with an all-purpose cleaner to wipe down the dashboard, steering wheel, door handles, and other surfaces.
Air vents: Use compressed air or a vacuum-attached soft brush to clean dust and debris from the air vents.
Windows: Clean windows with glass cleaner for a streak-free shine.
We hope this list has been useful and helped to make that big Spring Clean a little bit easier and more enjoyable, because we have spent decades making sure we can offer the best, most affordable products for every cleaning task around your home.
Why not visit the JML website, because a clean home is a happy home!