Spring cleaning your home can help eliminate clutter and make your space feel more comfortable. Need inspiration to help you get started? Check out this spring cleaning guide with 40 spring cleaning tips and tricks for decluttering and organizing your home!
Gather Spring Cleaning Supplies
Before you start cleaning your home, it’s important to have the necessary spring cleaning items. While the supplies you need will depend on your home and preferred cleaning methods, you’ll generally want to make sure you have the following items on hand:
- Vacuum
- Mop & bucket
- Broom & dustpan
- Duster
- Scrubbing brush
- Sponges
- Towels
- Microfiber cloths
- Spray bottle
- Disinfecting wipes or spray
- All-purpose cleaner
- Dish soap
- Laundry detergent
All-Room Spring Cleaning
Keeping a clean house means tackling big chores in every room. If you want to deep clean this spring, check out these spring house cleaning tips that can make any room shine!
Make a Plan
A spring cleaning schedule is an excellent way to maximize your time and ensure you don’t get overwhelmed by the tasks at hand. Plan for what you can take on today, identify home chores for the week, designate projects for the month, and set overarching cleaning tasks and goals for the season. Creating a well-crafted cleaning plan will help you prioritize what surfaces need scrubbing, which rooms could benefit from decluttering, and where new home organization systems should be put into place.
Declutter First
Before you dust, vacuum, or clean surfaces, declutter your home. Donating or disposing of old papers, clothing, and unwanted knick-knacks can help you feel less cramped in your living space and make deep cleaning easier. If the task of decluttering is physically or emotionally taxing for you, consider hiring a professional organizer. Is your spring cleaning checklist calling for even more change? These minimalist home organizing tips will help you embrace the art of living with less.
Clean Your Cleaning Supplies
Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to reset and stop old supplies from spreading more dust, dirt, and grime around your home. Plus, cleaning your supplies extends their lifespan, saving you money and keeping them in good condition for their next use. Change your vacuum filter, disinfect all your cleaning brushes and washcloths, scrub your trash cans, and replace your toilet wand.
Try Eco-Friendly Fixes
Living an environmentally-friendly life isn’t just a trend! Embracing sustainable spring cleaning practices can lower cleaning costs, cut down on plastic waste, and reduce the number of harsh chemicals in your home. An eco-friendly spring cleaning hack is to cut up old t-shirts, towels, or socks to use as washcloths or dusters. You can also make DIY cleaning products that are both eco-friendly and affordable.
Test Safety Features
Take time during your seasonal cleaning to test and replace the batteries in your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. If you have a home security system installed, make sure to test that it’s armed and working properly—a practice that should be done at least once a month.
Change Air Filters
To keep the air in your home fresh, add changing your air filters to your spring cleaning to-do list! These should typically be changed every 30 to 90 days, making now a perfect time to check it off your list. While you’re at it, swap out your furnace filter with a fresh one—this can help carry the benefits of your spring cleaning well past summer and into autumn!
Dust Everywhere
Dusting might seem like a basic chore to put on your spring house cleaning checklist, but have you thought about typically-forgotten cracks and crevices? Ceiling fans, air vents, window blinds, picture frames, bookshelves, and light fixtures should all be on your list! If your dusting is typically a quick once-over, use this time to move trinkets and clear clutter. One pro tip is to use different vacuum attachments to reach hard-to-dust spaces.
Wash Windows & Screens
One of the best ways to deep clean your home is to wash your windows and their screens! Not only does this give you the opportunity to wipe away dust and dirt, but it allows you to enjoy fresh spring air. To properly wash your windows, wet a microfiber cloth with warm water or spray your windows with a cleaner, then wipe horizontally or vertically. To clean your window screens without taking them out, use a brush attachment to gently vacuum them, spray with a vinegar and water solution, and wipe with a microfiber cloth.
Scrub Walls & Baseboards
Cleaning the baseboards, ceilings, and walls are tasks to include on any spring cleaning checklist, as many renters and homeowners go for long periods of time without doing this chore. If you want a truly clean space, wipe away grime and dust from these areas with warm, soapy water—which is safe for most painted walls and baseboards.
Deep Clean Carpets & Rugs
It’s important to vacuum carpets and clean area rugs so crumbs, dust, and dirt aren’t being tracked around your home! If vacuuming is physically straining for you, consider investing in a robotic vacuum. After vacuuming, take your spring cleaning a step further by shampooing your carpets and rugs! Whether you have a machine at home, rent one from the store, or hire a professional, deep cleaning your carpet can remove dust, pet hair, allergens, and bacteria from your space, allowing for better indoor air quality.
Thoroughly Clean Upholstery
If you’re already hiring a professional to clean your carpets, check if they have any deals so you can get your upholstery steam cleaned at the same time! More of a DIY home cleaner? Add upholstery and furniture cleaning to your spring cleaning checklist. To deep clean your upholstery, use the specialty tools on your vacuum to refresh curtains, mattresses, and fabric couches. Most fabric upholstery can be scrubbed with a homemade mixture of rubbing alcohol, water, and vinegar, while leather upholstery can be treated with specialty products or olive oil and vinegar.
Wax Hardwood Floors & Furniture
Waxing hardwood floors and wooden furniture extends their life, adds a nice shine, and helps prevent scratching and stains. Begin by removing all furniture and household objects from your floors, then vacuum and mop. To wax hardwood floors, scoop a tablespoon of wax into a lint-free cloth, applying it in small sections with protective gloves. When choosing what products to use when waxing wooden furniture or floors, be sure to review the manufacturer’s instructions so you don’t damage them or void a warranty.
Organize All Closets
Some of the best tips for spring cleaning and organizing involve tackling cluttered storage spaces. Because they tend to get stuffed with items that don’t have a home or things you want to keep out of sight, deep cleaning and organizing your home closets is a must! For linen closets, consider labeling baskets or storing items in clear baskets or wire bins for easier accessibility. Or add features like drawer organizers and shelves to maximize your hall closet space!
Remember to Disinfect
Once you’ve covered the major areas of your spring cleaning list, it’s time to clean the smaller household details that are often forgotten! Here are some frequently-touched items you should disinfect:
- Keyboards & computer mice
- Doorknobs, cabinet handles, & light switches
- Remotes, phones, & video game systems
- Home gym accessories
- Kids toys
- Pet items
Tend to Houseplants
Spring cleaning is the perfect time to check in with your houseplants as they wake up from their winter hibernation! Removing dead leaves, trimming scraggly stems, and giving dusty foliage a good wipe with a mild, soapy solution and a soft cloth sets your indoor plants up for a fantastic season. Springtime is also great for fertilizing dry or nutrient-depleted soil and repotting plants that have outgrown their planters.
Try New Home Layouts
Welcome the new season by mixing up the layout of your home! Need ideas for how to get started? These feng shui tips for your bedroom, living room, kitchen, and bathroom can inspire you to create a natural flow in each room and invite in good energy. Plus, moving around furniture can aid your spring cleaning by giving you an opportunity to dust, vacuum, or wash hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
Bedroom Spring Cleaning
The bedroom can be the most relaxing, welcoming space in your home if you maintain your mattress, linens, and wardrobe. Check out these tips for your bedroom spring cleaning checklist!
Wash Bedroom Linens
One of the best tips for how to spring clean your room is to wash all your bedroom linens. While bed sheets should already be changed multiple times a month, spring is the perfect time to launder or dry clean your comforter, duvet, pillows, curtains, and rugs. You may also want to switch your winter fleece sheets to lightweight cotton ones.
Care for Mattresses
To prolong the life of a mattress, add flipping it over and cleaning it to your seasonal cleaning checklist! If it’s designed to be slept on both sides, you should flip your mattress every few months—which makes spring the perfect time to do it! Additionally, clean your mattress by sprinkling a layer of baking soda on the surface, letting it sit, and vacuuming it off. Then, put allergy covers, mattress protectors, bedsheets, pillows, and blankets back on your bed.
Switch Out Your Seasonal Wardrobe
Spring has arrived, which means it’s time to organize your wardrobe! Add these tasks to your bedroom spring cleaning checklist:
- Swap winter clothing for your warm-weather clothing, decluttering as you go.
- Refold clothes and reorganize as you’d like.
- Wash or dry clean your winter sweaters and coats so they’re ready to go next season.
- Organize your shoes, moving sandals and slides to the front and winter boots to the back.
- Mend any clothing pieces that are worn or ill-fitting.
Living Room Spring Cleaning
A clean living room is great for entertaining, watching movies, or simply having a relaxing night in. Check out these spring cleaning ideas to get your living space ready for whatever comes your way!
Wash Pillows & Throws
Blankets and pillows add flair and comfort to your space, so take the time to care for them while tackling your spring cleaning checklist!
- To wash throw pillows, read the care label to see if you should use the delicate cycle on your washing machine, hand wash them, or take them to a dry cleaner.
- To wash polyester blankets, apply a pretreatment for any stains, use a gentle laundry detergent, and tumble dry.
- To wash fleece blankets, opt for cold water on a gentle cycle to prevent matting or pilling.
- To wash wool blankets, use cold water and a wool-safe detergent—and brush in the same direction to avoid damaging the blanket’s fibers.
Deep Clean Your Couch
Start deep cleaning your sofa by brushing off dirt, dust, or hair, then vacuum your cushions, armrests, and chaise lounges. Next, remove cushions from your sofa, vacuuming up any crumbs that may have slipped through the cracks. If you need to clean couch stains, keep the sofa’s material in mind. Fabric sofa stains, for example, can be cleaned by gently blotting the stained areas with a microfiber cloth. Be sure to thoroughly dry the area before using the couch again.
Take Care of Fireplaces
While a fireplace is great for warming up a space during the colder months, it won’t be getting as much use in the spring—so now is the perfect time to give it a deep clean! How you clean a fireplace will depend on the type you have. To care for a wood-burning fireplace, start by removing soot and burnt logs. Vacuuming vents in electric fireplaces and cleaning glass doors in gas hearths are other excellent places to start when cleaning a fireplace.
Tend to Electronics
Since electronics—like TVs, sound systems, smart devices, and more—are a major part of daily life, it’s important to include them on your spring cleaning list. Here’s some spring cleaning advice to keep in mind as you care for and reorganize your electronics:
- Test electronics to confirm they’re still in working condition.
- Replace old batteries.
- Consider upgrading outdated systems.
- Tidy up with a cable management box or cable organizers and ties.
- Be mindful of how to correctly dispose of or recycle electronics when spring cleaning.
Wipe Down Decorative Pieces
Candles, vases, frames, decorative books, gaming systems, and more are prime dust-collectors. By giving these items a once-over, your space can stay cleaner longer. Make sure to also dust your coffee tables, shelves, and entertainment units to prevent buildup. To round out your seasonal cleaning in the living room, dust and disinfect any seasonal or holiday decor before putting it into storage for the season.
Kitchen Spring Cleaning
A clean kitchen makes it easier to be productive when preparing meals. Make the most of your space and keep a clean house with these spring cleaning tips and tricks for your kitchen!
Empty Your Fridge & Freezer
It’s easy for your fridge and freezer to accumulate expired food and ice buildup, so make a note on your spring cleaning list to tackle this area. Here’s how to clean your fridge and freezer:
- Empty your fridge and freezer, placing food in coolers to keep it cold. Throw out any expired items as you go.
- Remove and wash all shelves to eliminate bad odors.
- Wipe down your fridge and freezer—remember to get the coils, too!
- Clean your ice maker by wiping the interior with a damp washcloth.
- Pull the fridge away from the wall to vacuum and mop the floor underneath it.
Deep Clean Kitchen Appliances
The bulk of your kitchen spring cleaning checklist will have to do with cleaning your appliances. Consider the following:
- Clean your microwave by heating a bowl of water, vinegar, and a lemon slice to loosen inside residue, then wipe down.
- Scrub the stovetop with warm water and soap using a microfiber cloth or sponge.
- Run the clean cycle on your oven—making sure to remove any racks, pans, and debris first.
- Tend to your range hood. If stains are stubborn, leave a water and baking soda paste on overnight before scrubbing away at burnt food.
- Clean the kitchen sink and drain with a sponge, baking soda, dish soap, and hot water.
- Deep clean your dishwasher by clearing the filter, running a cycle with white vinegar, then running a cycle with baking soda.
- Clean your coffee maker by filling it with a water and vinegar solution, running a cycle, and rinsing.
Clear Out the Pantry
It’s easy to put off pantry organization, so why not add it to your spring cleaning checklist? Buckets, bins, and tubs can all be labeled and organized by frequency of use to create a pantry that’s as functional as it is visually appealing. Spring cleaning encourages you to remove outdated canned goods, expired food, and unwanted non-perishable items from your pantry. Purging your pantry also allows you to restock shelf-stable items that you’ll actually use.
Tackle Your Kitchen Cabinets & Drawers
Cleaning kitchen cabinets or drawers helps keep them hygienic and in good condition. Keep these tips in mind as you spring clean your kitchen drawers and cabinets:
- Empty and vacuum out loose debris and dust.
- Use an all-purpose cleaner to wipe down shelves, cabinets, and kitchen hardware.
- Declutter your kitchen and donate any unused pots, pans, dinnerware, or silverware.
- Replace any worn-out hand towels, sponges, and cleaning brushes.
- Create a more organized kitchen by implementing efficient storage systems in your cabinets.
Care for Kitchen Counters
Spring cleaning can be a great time to think about upgrading countertops or focus on deep cleaning your current ones. Caring for your kitchen countertops is key to keeping them in good condition and preventing the spread of bacteria. Here’s how to clean kitchen countertops properly based on what they’re made of:
- Clean marble, granite, and butcher block countertops with water and mild dish soap.
- Clean quartz countertops with an approved cleaning spray—or warm water and mild dish soap.
- Clean linoleum countertops with a soft cloth or sponge, using a pH-neutral detergent.
- Clean laminate countertops with warm water, dish soap, and a non-abrasive brush or sponge.
Bathroom Spring Cleaning
Keeping your bathroom clean means diving into overlooked corners and reorganizing makeup, medicine, and more. Here are some spring cleaning tips to help you keep your bathroom in top shape.
Scrub Bathroom Appliances
Even if you regularly clean your shower, when was the last time you really put your back into it? To give your bathroom the refresh it needs, make sure tasks such as scrubbing the shower, toilet, sink—and vanity—are part of your spring cleaning checklist. To clean your shower tiles and grout, use warm water—or baking soda paste for hard-to-remove stains.
Soak Faucets in Vinegar
Whether it’s your shower head, bathroom faucet, or anywhere else that uses running water, calcium buildup can become a problem. To clean a faucet or shower head, you can use a wet dishrag or full plastic bag to soak the spouts in white vinegar. This spring cleaning task helps break down any mineral buildup before you scrub away at water spots and stains.
Launder Bathroom Linens
Use your spring cleaning time to freshen up your bathroom linens! Here’s how to clean towels, rugs, and shower curtains:
- To clean towels, separate them by color to stop color bleeding, follow the care instructions, and use fabric softener or white vinegar to keep their fluffy feel.
- Wash bathroom rugs on a gentle cycle with high heat—or hand-wash with a mixture of water and laundry detergent, depending on the care label.
- To clean a shower curtain or liner, take them off their hooks and pop them into the washing machine. Be sure to use warm water for cloth curtains and cool water for plastic liners.
Reorganize the Medicine Cabinet
Medicine cabinets are common problem areas for clutter. Take time during your spring cleaning to properly dispose of expired medications, restock emergency supplies, and organize over-the-counter medicines and other bathroom items so they’re easy to find and use.
Maintain Brushes
Don’t skip out on cleaning the tools you use every day! Cleaning makeup brushes helps keep your skin clear, your makeup station organized, and bacteria to a minimum. Though typically done every three or four months, replacing your toothbrush is another excellent spring cleaning checklist addition. Once sanitized, you can even repurpose your old toothbrush to clean a hairbrush by scrubbing at the base and bristles with a soapy water solution.
Clean the Mirror
Fingerprints, watermarks, and dust can all make a mirror dirty, so add mirror cleaning to your spring cleaning list! Whether it’s a medicine cabinet or bathroom mirror, full-body mirror, or shaving mirror, glass cleaner can help get rid of pesky marks. Then use dish soap, shaving cream, or vinegar to help prevent fogging in the future.
Bonus Rooms Spring Cleaning
Have a bonus room you need to add to your spring cleaning list? From storage areas like the garage and basement to multi-use rooms, here are some ways to deep clean these areas of your home this spring!
Be Mindful of Your Laundry Room
Whether you have an entire utility room to organize or a combined washer-dryer in a closet, use your spring cleaning time to clean and organize your laundry room—starting with your washing machine. This will ensure your clothes smell fresh and are getting as clean as possible. The best way to clean your washing machine is to add vinegar or bleach to your machine and run it on the hottest and longest cycle. Don’t forget to empty your lint trap and dryer vent to prevent mold and house fires, save energy, and increase your dryer’s lifespan. You may also want to use this time to nail down a laundry routine to save time and energy down the line.
Don’t Forget Outdoor Spaces
Don’t neglect your outdoor living space or patio! Ensure your outdoor space is well-kept for springtime with these spring cleaning tips and tricks:
- Flush out your gutters and clear the downspouts.
- Rinse your garbage and recycling bins with a hose, scrub brush, and dish soap.
- Take your patio furniture out of storage and give it a good cleaning to prepare for guests.
- Pressure wash your front patio, deck, and siding to get rid of dirt and elevate your space.
- Tend to your yard, garden, and other landscaping needs.
- Set up your pool and maintain any other backyard water features as needed.
- Consider giving your backyard a makeover by installing a deck, stone path, or fire pit.
Take Care of the Garage & Shed
Lawn care season is almost here! Make sure your spring cleaning list includes decluttering and organizing your garage or shed so you can quickly find lawn equipment, tools, clippers, and gardening shears when they’re needed. If you have an abundance of tools or seasonal items, consider setting up a spring cleaning garage sale to help declutter your space. Or free up space by renting a seasonal storage unit for large items like snow blowers and snow shovels.
Keep the Home Office in Mind
If you study or work from home, your home office can collect clutter in a hurry. Add these office organization ideas to your spring cleaning checklist to create a calmer, more organized workspace!
- Check and replace writing utensils or commonly used office supplies.
- Reorganize and declutter bookshelves by donating or selling books, decorations, and other items.
- Dust your computer and keyboard with a microfiber cloth.
- Organize any loose paperwork or hard drives.
Consider Flex Rooms & Basements
Whether you’re using a flex room as a playroom, kids room, home gym, or craft room, keeping things tidy and organized with these spring cleaning hacks will help you get the most out of your space!
- Take time to disinfect games and toys that are frequently touched.
- Dust decorations with a feather duster or microfiber cloth.
- Organize toys or art supplies into bins or shelves so they’re easier for your kids to find while playing.
- Clean and organize your basement by upgrading its design and decluttering your storage space.
- Consider rearranging your basement furniture to give your space a makeover and increase its usability.
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