The Ultimate Spring-Cleaning Guide for Your Home

What is Spring Cleaning in Housekeeping?

Spring cleaning in housekeeping means thoroughly cleaning and organising your home or workspace at the beginning of spring. After the long spell of gloomy winters, the warm spring season uplifts our mood. It is time to open the windows and let fresh air in a while, eliminating the musty odours that may have built up over the winter months.

The Benefits of Spring-Cleaning

Spring cleaning involves deep cleaning your home, reorganising and decluttering your belongings, and refreshing your living space for the new season.

• Stay Organised: A clean and organised home helps to clear out distractions and make it easier to find things you need.
• Stay Healthy: Deep cleaning reduces mould, dust and other allergens around your home, thus keeping you healthy.
• Improved mental health: A clean and organised home promotes calmness and positivity, thus having a positive impact on mental health. An organised, clutter-free bedroom also improves your sleep quality.

How to Prepare for Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning might seem tedious, but you can complete spring cleaning quickly and efficiently with a clear plan and all the necessary resources. Here are a few steps to prepare for spring cleaning:

• Plan and create a cleaning checklist: Prioritise the rooms that need to be cleaned first. Then in each room, create a checklist of all the areas that need deep cleaning and organising.
• Get your supplies and tools ready: Gather the necessary cleaning tools like a broom, vacuum cleaner, microfiber cloth, mop, cleaning solution, surface disinfectant, spray bottle, gloves, and trash bags.
• Set a Timeline: Having a realistic schedule for spring cleaning makes the task easier. Divide the tasks into manageable chunks and tackle a room or a part of a room on any day. Take breaks in between to rest and recharge yourself for the cleaning process.

 Room-by-Room Spring Cleaning Tips

1. Spring-Cleaning the Living Room

A living room is usually the first room you see after entering the home, and sets a tone for the overall aesthetics of your home. So, start spring cleaning from the living room.

• Declutter the living room: Empty the shelves, TV cabinets and drawers to quickly clean the surfaces. Discard all the old magazines, files, broken show pieces, torn rugs or anything else that has not been used in a long time.
• Dust and Polish the furniture: Using a damp cloth or a microfiber cloth, wipe down the dust from all the surfaces in the living room - including furniture, shelves, picture frames, and electronics. Wet wipe with a solution of Dettol Antiseptic Liquid with water to kill germs that would have accumulated on all such surfaces. Consider polishing your wooden furniture to bring it back to life.
• Clean the floors, carpets, and rugs: Sweep and mop the floors to remove dust and other debris. Remove the mats and vacuum them separately. Move the furniture around and ensure every nook and corner of the room is cleaned efficiently.
• Deep clean the upholstery and blinds: Vacuum the dust out of the upholstered furniture, and use a soap solution or steam cleaner to remove stains if any. Top up these activities by using Dettol Disinfectant Spray, which can safely kills germs that reside inside the fabrics of soft surfaces. Use a glass cleaner to wipe down the blinds, frames, mirrors, and sills.
• Organise and arrange: After cleaning, rearrange the furniture, and organise your shelves and cabinets. Throw clean rugs and carpets on the floor and use fresh cushions on the couch.

2. Spring-Cleaning the Kitchen

The kitchen is where you have a maximum number of appliances to cook the food, a lot of shelves to store groceries and utensils and wet spaces prone to dirt and grime. So, break down the spring-cleaning process into smaller and more manageable tasks.

• Clean Top to Bottom: Start cleaning from the topmost cabinet of your kitchen. The dust falling from the top can be cleaned when you move downwards.
• Clean and organise the cabinets and drawers: Empty them, group similar things together and place them on the countertop. In the process, dispose of items that are no longer needed. Wipe the interiors and exteriors with a damp cloth, preferably dosed appropriately with Dettol Antiseptic Liquid to kill accumulated germs that can find their way into your food. Use a cleansing solution and scrub the stains. Wrap a cloth around a toothpick and run it across hinges, corners and edges for deep cleaning the cabinets.
• Deep Clean the appliances: A hob, oven, stove, dishwasher, refrigerator and small appliances like a blender, toaster and juicer are standard in every household. Take one appliance at a time, and clean them inside out after emptying it. Use a toothbrush to clean delicate surfaces. A mixture of baking soda with water/vinegar comes quite handy to deal with harsh residues when spring cleaning is done. This even removes the foul odours. Use a damp cloth to wipe down the surfaces and leave them sparkling clean.
• Clean the countertop: Wipe and scrub the countertop with soapy water and Dettol antiseptic liquid to disinfect and remove stains and grease.
• Mop the floors: Sweep and mop the floor using Dettol disinfectant products. Such as Dettol Antiseptic Liquid to keep them germ-free.

Read here for more information on kitchen cleaning to create a more functional and organised kitchen space.

3. Spring-Cleaning the Bathroom

Stepping into a sparkling clean bathroom gives the right start to the day. Here are a few simple tips for bathroom spring cleaning in housekeeping:

• Declutter and Organise: Discard the old toiletries, expired medicines, sunscreen, lotions and empty bottles. Empty the drawers and cabinets and wipe them clean. Use drawer organisers to keep everything sorted.
• Clean and Disinfect surfaces: Remove cobwebs from the ceiling, dust the window frames, countertops, top of the toilet tank and other dusty areas. Use a cleaning solution to wipe down the surfaces, including countertops, sink, toilet, shower, and bathtub. Pay attention to corners and hard-to-reach areas. After cleaning, use a Dettol Disinfectant spray or wipes to disinfect the surfaces. Be sure to follow the instructions on the product label, including how long it takes to sit on the surface to kill germs effectively.
• Scrubbing the shower and bathtub: Pour a cleaning solution into the toilet bowl, bathtub and shower. Let it sit for some time. In the meanwhile, clean the mirrors and window panes. Now scrub the bowl, bathtub, shower head and tiles. Use water to wash off the detergent.
• Clean the floor tiles: Use a mop or a cleaning solution and a scrub brush to clean the floors thoroughly. Wash the doormat and place a fresh one outside the bathroom.

4. Spring-Cleaning the Bedroom

Spring cleaning can create a more inviting and comfortable space for relaxing and sleeping in your bedroom. Follow these simple steps to clean your bedroom:

• Wash the linens: Gather all the linens from the bedroom, including bedsheets, pillow covers, duvet covers, blankets, curtains and other washable items. Sort them by colour and fabric type to prevent damage by bleeding colours. Pre-treat the stains, soak them for some time in a solution of water and Dettol Antiseptic Liquid and wash the linens in a washing machine using a mild detergent. Dry them thoroughly before using them again.
• Cleaning and organising closet: Empty the cabinets and drawers. Start by removing unnecessary items, such as clothes you no longer wear, books you've already read, and any clutter accumulated over time. Use a microfiber cloth to remove dust from the shelves. Now organise your clothes, shoes, and accessories. Consider using storage containers or dividers to keep things tidy.
• Dusting and Polishing Furniture: Use an appropriate cleaning solution to clean the bed, dressers, side table, study table, lamp, chairs etc. Using harsh, abrasive chemicals can tarnish the furniture's finish. So go for mild cleansers. Vacuum the upholstery and mattresses. Use a wood polish or wax to restore the shine and protect the wooden surfaces of furniture.

5. Spring-Cleaning the Home Office

An organised office space helps in improving your productivity. Here are some steps to follow for a thorough home office spring cleaning:

• Declutter and shred documents: Remove unnecessary items from your desk, shelves, drawers and cabinets. Shred the old documents and files and clean your desk.
• Wipe everything clean: Use a microfiber cloth to wipe your laptop, Bluetooth speakers, keyboard, projector, desk and other surfaces in the office space.
• Update Office Supplies: Sort your office supplies like pens, clips, holders etc. Restock everything you are running short on.
• Clean the floors: Sweep and mop the floor to remove debris.

Here are some more tips for a healthy home.

Advanced Spring-Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Here are simple tips for cleaning the carpets and windows like a pro.

How to Deep Clean Your Carpets and Upholstery

• Vacuum: Before the deep cleaning, vacuum the carpet and upholstery slowly and thoroughly in different directions to remove any loose dirt, debris, or pet hair.
• Allow the cleaning solution to penetrate: Depending on the cleaning solution you are using, allow it to sit and break down dirt and stains.
• Rinse or extract the solution: Use a clean, damp cloth or a wet-dry vacuum to rinse or remove the solution from the carpet or upholstery.
• Allow to dry: After rinsing, let the carpet or upholstery dry out completely before using it again.

How to Clean and Organise Your Closet

Cleaning and organising your closet can be a great way to freshen up your home for spring. Here are some steps you can follow in cleaning and organising your closet:

• Empty the closet and Sort through your items: Take out everything from the closet and decide what to keep, donate, or throw away.
• Clean the closet: While empty, dust the shelves and wipe down all the surfaces with water and Dettol Antiseptic Liquid.
• Organise your items: Organise your clothes by colour, type of clothing, or season. Storage solutions such as shelves, hangers, or storage bins come in handy to keep everything in place.
• Hang or fold your clothes: Hang dresses, blouses, and suits on hangers, and fold items such as t-shirts, jeans, and sweaters to keep them in good condition.
• Optimise space: Consider using storage solutions such as hanging organisers or shoe racks for maximum space utilisation.

How to Declutter Your Home

Decluttering creates an organised and stress-free living space in your home. Here are some tips for decluttering your home:

• Start with one room at a time: Decluttering can be overwhelming. So, focus on one room at a time, and don't move on until that room is completely decluttered.
• Set up designated areas: Keep the baskets to sort items you plan to donate, sell, or throw away.
• Be realistic: Be realistic about what you can keep and let go of. Ask yourself if you've used an item in the past year or if it has any sentimental value.
• Use the "one in, one out" rule: When you bring something new into your home, eliminate something old. This can help you avoid accumulating more clutter over time.
• Get rid of duplicates: Get rid of multiple items of the same type.

How to Clean Your Windows Like a Pro

Glass windows add to the aesthetic value of your house, but only when they are sparkling clean. Here are some tips to help you clean your windows like a pro:

• Choose the right time: Plan window cleaning on a cloudy day or when the sun is not shining directly on them. Direct sunlight dries up the cleaning solution quickly, leaving streaks.
• Remove any dirt or debris: Use a soft-bristled brush or a microfiber cloth to remove any loose dirt, cobwebs or debris from the window and the surrounding frame.
• Apply the cleaning solution: You can make a solution at home using equal parts vinegar and water or use a commercial window cleaning product. Use a sponge or spray bottle to apply the same on window panes.
• Squeegee the window: Start from the top and pull down the squeegee in a straight line. Wipe the blade clean with a rag after each stroke.
• Clean tough spots: Use a scraper to remove stubborn spots on the window.
• Dry the edges: Use a microfiber cloth to wipe the edges of the window and any remaining water droplets.
• Repeat on the other side: If you have double-pane windows, repeat the process on the other side.

 Eco-Friendly SpringCleaning in Housekeeping

Spring cleaning requires a lot of cleaning products that might release harmful chemicals into the environment. Here are some spring-cleaning tips to keep the environment safe:

• Use DIY eco-friendly cleaning products: You can also make your cleaning solutions with vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice at home. Else buy non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning products from the market.
• Reduce waste: Instead of using disposable cleaning tools like paper towels, use reusable microfiber cloths, mop pads, and cleaning brushes.
• Donate or recycle unwanted items: Don't just throw away unwanted items in the trash while decluttering. Donate them to charities.

Maintaining a Clean Home Year-Round

Maintaining a clean home all year round requires consistent effort and a few good habits. Here are some tips to help you with that:

• Establish a cleaning routine: Segregate areas that require daily, weekly or monthly cleaning. Accordingly, prepare a cleaning schedule for a month and stick to it.
• Clean as you go: Clean up messes as soon as they happen to prevent the accumulation of dirt. Also, put away things in their designated places immediately after use.

Be wary of germs: Always use a safe disinfectant solution such as Dettol Antiseptic Liquid and/or Dettol Disinfectant Spray to kill accumulated germs which are invisible to the naked eye and pose a threat of causing several kinds of illnesses.

• Use shortcuts: Use a lint roller to quickly clean pet hair off furniture or use a squeegee to clean shower walls.
• Involve everyone in the household: Make everyone responsible for the cleanliness of their rooms. You can assign age-appropriate cleaning tasks to children and make it a family effort.

The Importance of Spring Cleaning

Regular spring cleaning creates more space and improves the longevity of the appliances and fixtures around your home. It reduces allergens to keep you healthy. Spring cleaning can help improve your home's cleanliness and overall feel while providing mental and physical health benefits.