Making a house cleaning checklist means taking time to do the little things, such as buying cleaning supplies and assigning tasks to your family members. Use this list to make sure nothing goes untouched.
Spring cleaning is a time-honored tradition of clearing out old junk, cleaning corners you might usually neglect and basically wearing yourself out to create the perfect home decor layout.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, never fear, because there is a house cleaning checklist to guide you through cleaning your house from top to bottom.
Why Clean in Spring?
Up and down the block, big trash bags full of yard clippings and old clothes, line the street for pickup. Why does this all seem to happen around the same time?
Some historians believe the practice of “spring cleaning” began in Persia, where the new year falls on the first day of spring.
Persia and many other places often had their cleaning at the end of the year as a way to start the next year on the right foot. Take this time to clear out allergens, replace broken furniture, and create inner peace by removing clutter.
1. Make a Master List
The best way to accomplish everything that needs doing is to make a list. Your list depends on how you accomplish tasks best and could either be a vague list of areas to focus on in your home or a very detailed list of each household item you want to clean, repair, or replace.
Most spring cleaning endeavors will automatically include areas such as bedrooms, bathrooms and linens. However, other areas that might not get regular attention also need to be on your list.
Here are some areas of your home you don’t want to overlook:
- Yard
- Windows
- Garage
- Closets
- Storage
2. Buy Your Supplies From Your House Cleaning Checklist
As you clean your home, it can be detrimental to hop over to the supermarket for more cleaning supplies every few hours.
Based on the list you have made, determine what cleaning supplies you need and which ones you have. It may also be time to update certain cleaning supplies. Check your broom, mop, scrub bushes and other items that can wear out and add those to your list, as needed.
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If you care about using eco-friendly products, look online for alternatives to the typical harsh chemicals.
Many stores stock organic cleaners, and some cleaners can be replaced with mixtures of water, citrus juice or other natural ingredients. You can also take care of the environment by using reusable products, such as a rag instead of paper towels.
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3. Delegate Some Tasks to Family Members
As you finalize your list of spring-cleaning tasks, know that living in a multi-person household means there are more hands to handle the work.
While teens might balk at housework, you can still come up with tasks for each child or adult in your home that plays to his or her strengths and interests.
For example, most toddlers simply like to be involved and help.
Very small children like to be involved in figuring things out, too. You can get your toddler started by pointing out something dirty or out of place and asking, “How can we fix this?” Starting your kids young means less push-back when they’re older.
For older children, it’s useful to give them a time limit.
Otherwise, distractions can draw them away, and the task stays undone.
For large projects started at the beginning of the day, try “before dinner” or “by the end of the weekend.” Another clever solution for older children is to use their desire for spending money by hiding dollar bills in various places in need of cleaning.
Finally, if you have more than one child of similar ages, you can set up a cleaning competition. It can be comparing their rooms after cleaning or dividing the yard in half and seeing who can rake the leaves fastest.
4. Start With Outdoor Areas
Whether you have many acres of trees and outdoor areas or a small porch right against the street, it’s a good idea to start your spring cleaning outside.
This prevents you or your family members from tracking mud through clean rooms after working for hours in the yard.
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However, if you are someone who feels deflated after working hard and going into a messy home. It can be helpful to pick a small area for your relaxation that is tidy enough to not bother you.
Here are some tasks to make sure you cover while outside:
- Wash and repair windows
- Clean and paint (if necessary) fence
- Clear flower beds
- Fertilize grass
- Trim bushes and trees
5. Remove Anything That Doesn’t Belong
You waste time cleaning things you don’t want to keep anyway.
When you choose a room to start with, begin cleaning by removing anything that doesn’t belong or that you do not want.
For example, if you keep shoes by the front door, then any shoes in the bathroom need to be moved. Alternately, if you have a vase or other decoration you plan on replacing, remove it, too.
For homes with many rooms, it may be helpful to use color-coded buckets for which items need to move where. One bucket could be all the things that move to a child’s room, such as toys or a backpack. Once everything is moved to its proper place. Then it becomes easier to clean.
6. Clean Furniture
During ordinary cleanings, you might focus on picking items up off the floor and not much else.
Your furniture needs some TLC in the form of stain removal, repairs and general cleaning. Do not forget to turn over any cushions that might have been stained at last year’s party. If you can remove these old stains, your furniture can last longer.
This can also be a good time to strip and re-stain wooden furniture.
Updating the look of your wooden coffee table or dining room chairs is a great way to improve the look of your home while cleaning it. Once your pieces are clean, consider changing their look with paint, stain or, if you are very daring, new upholstery.
7. Clean Walls and Get Into Corners
If you have small children who love expressing themselves on the wall, then maybe your walls get regular cleaning already.
Otherwise, it may have been months or years since soap graced your walls. Take the time to check the kind of paint and material before diving in. Some materials, such as adobe, require special care when cleaning and painting.
If you have not moved your furniture in a while, there could be dust and cobwebs behind them. These corners need regular cleaning to prevent the buildup of allergens. Each corner of your home needs some attention in order to make everything clean.
8. Launder Clothes and Linens
Most people do their laundry once a week, but that does not always include bedsheets and towels.
You may also want to dive deep into your closet for clothes that may have fallen from their hangers and hidden behind boxes or shoes. If you don’t have a regular cycle of dry cleaning your work or formal clothes, then now may be a good time to do that.
When you gather all the bed sheets and linens in your home, check them for rips and stains. Anything you can’t fix should be replaced. You can take this as an opportunity to change or update the look in your room.
9. Leave the Floors for Last
As you clean, there is always the possibility of debris and dust floating into the air and settling on lower areas of your home.
When you dust shelves, some of that dust can end up on the floor. The same is true when you clean your walls, furniture or other home decor. This is why it’s a good idea to save your floor for last in your house cleaning checklist.
When it’s time to tackle your floors, each kind of flooring requires different processes.
Carpets that you’ve vacuumed on occasion during the year should get a deep cleaning at least once a year. Some groceries and department stores rent out vacuums that provide a deeper clean than the standard models.
Hard floors, such as tile, wood and concrete. Should first be swept.
This prevents dirt and hair from clumping during mopping. When it comes time to use chemicals on your floor, make sure you double-check the kind of material with the best cleaning product for it.
Here are a few examples.
- Linoleum: Four parts water to one part vinegar
- Clay tile: Mild detergent with water
- Hardwood: Microfiber pad; avoid harsh liquids
- Ceramic tile: Liquid dish soap with water
10. Double-Check Your List
Once the floors are done, it’s time to make a quick check of each room. And finish any projects left undone. Is your yard clear and ready for spring planting? Are your windows clean and in good repair? Is each room clean, organized and decorated?
It’s time to relax. Because your spring cleaning is done!
With your chores done. Then you are ready for a relaxing spring! And a fun-filled summer. You’ve unloaded items you don’t need, cleaned and repaired the ones you do, and made a cleaner environment for everyone in your home.
Congratulations!
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