The best time time clean is in the spring; the days get brighter, and
the temperature warmer. I love opening the windows in the spring to
let the stale air out, and let the fresh air in! I once read in a
biography of Benjamin Franklin and he firmly believed in the importance of fresh air. (More about Mr. Franklin's Air Baths)
The American Cleaning Institute conducted a survey of US spring
cleaning practices. Curious how your cleaning habits compare to the
rest of the US? >> read the survey results here
Shop for Cleaning Supplies at TheVacuumCenter.com
I firmly believe in taking advantage of resources readily available,
and not wasting time reinventing the wheel. I began by comparing what I
know, to what others already have shared on the topics of cleaning tips
and how to articles for cleaning. I found a lot of excellent
information, but it was spread out across many websites. So I decided
it would be more useful to provide a guide to useful sources of
information about cleaning, and more specifically, spring cleaning.
Pleas note; I used my own personal preferences as a guide, so I wanted
to only include websites that had more, shall we say, content, than ads.
My Top 7 List of Cleaning Guides:
- National Spring Cleaning Week
- Realtor.com: Things We Forget - But Should Clean
- American Cleaning Institute
- Asthma Allergy Foundation Spring Clean
- HomeAdvisor: Cleaning Resource Center
- Houzz: Spring Cleaning Plan
- Hire a Maid :) Molly Maid
Spring Cleaning Check Lists
Spring Clean Living & Bedrooms Check List
- dust crown molding and baseboards
- dust baseboards and clean scuff marks
- dust/wash light fixtures and lamps
- dust ceiling fans
- wash doors (look for scuff marks)
- wash walls
- vacuum or wash window curtains
- wash window blinds
- wipe down and vacuum furniture (clean the base and under cushions)
- condition leather furniture
- vacuum and wash lampshades
- remove rugs to shake out, then vacuum, then clean under them
- vacuum all flooring, including corners and edges
- clean air vents
- replace light bulbs
- change air/furnace filter
- replace batteries in smoke detector
- replace batteries in carbon monoxide detector
- schedule chimney sweep
- schedule termite or pest control maintenance
Spring Clean Laundry Utility Room Check List
- clean dryer vent.
- clean inside washing machine.
- empty washing machine drain pump.
- dust behind and underneath washer and dryer.
Spring Clean Porch and Patio Check List
- sweep deck
- power wash deck
- stain deck
- power spray siding
- touch up paint trim, wood, doors, and shutters
- power wash garage door
- clean outside door frames
- wipe away cobwebs
- shake out entry mat
- clean grill
- clean and repair gutters
- clean outdoor light fixtures
- wash outside windows
- clean outside patio furniture
- wipe away cobwebs
- clean outdoor trash cans
- clean out garage
Spring Cleaning From BC to AD
Love it or loathe it; spring cleaning is a great tradition that has
deep historical roots. Just as spring is a time for renewal in nature,
people have gotten their "clean on" going back thousands of years. I
have to admit it; I have a love - hate relationship with cleaning; I
hate doing it, but I love the results!
I had no idea that spring cleaning and daffodils is as old as
human civilization! I found a wiki article with a summary of historical
references to spring cleaning. In addition to the expected weather
related desire to open the windows, there are cultural and religious
traditions as well.
Learn more about the history of spring cleaning:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_cleaning
The Jewish celebration of Pesach or Passover occurs in March or April each year. Before the celebration, the home is usually completely cleaned. Specifically, people got rid of any leavened bread, called chametz, which are forbidden foods during the Passover days. Even crumbs of chametz or a few leftover specks of leftover grains from forbidden flours need to be removed from the home, and typically, Jewish families hunt for any possible chametz crumbs the night before Passover begins.
Another origin for spring cleaning is linked to the Persian New Year celebration of Nouroz, which occurs at the onset of spring. Traditionally, the entire home is cleaned right before Nouroz begins, including floors, drapery, furniture, and ceilings. This is called khooneh takouni which translates to “shaking the house.” Twice a year in Saudi Arabia, a thorough cleaning of the Ka’aba is conducted too, which may relate to the khooneh takouni practice.
Eastern Orthodox Churches conducted a week long spring cleaning right before or during the first week of Lent. Other Christians may also use this time to clean the house from floor to roof. Obviously, anyone of any religion, inspired by warmer weather may want to take the time to get a house in order after the winter months.
Spring cleaning likely dates back to prehistory, and represents the time when it was easiest to clean the home / cave / hut, etc. After shorter winter days, the brighter spring days provided more light, and time, to truly see the messy state of their homes. Warmer weather also meant that people could get things thoroughly dry. In agrarian societies, spring cleaning usually coincided with the beginning of planting. It could be an ideal time to organize seeds and get the home ready for the busy months ahead.
Some groups also conducted a winter cleaning right before the dreary cold of winter sets in. This is often the last opportunity to clean things like quilts, mattresses and furniture before cold weather makes it challenging to dry wet clothing. Today many Americans may also conduct a spring cleaning or organizing of their tax materials before the federal tax deadline of April 15th. If receipts or tax documents have been scattered through the house, people may want to organize and clean the home at the same time they organize and file their taxes.
I know I always end up cleaning out my files and mail each tax season. And, the warmer and sunnier days always gets me ready to clean off the porch furniture. Enjoy the return of spring, and spring into action to get your clean on.
