Annual Spring Cleaning: Time to Spring Into Action!
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 (Benjamin Franklin: An American Life) and I learned that 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 household Spring cleaning practices
Curious how your cleaning habits compare to the rest of the US? >> read the survey results here
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
Best Selling Books About How to Clean Well: