Learn how to do Spring cleaning when you hate to clean! This can be done anytime – not just Spring. This is often called a deep clean.
At one time in my life, I loved to clean. In fact, friends and family used to say that you could eat off my floors.
The older I get, the less that is true! Maybe I am just getting old or maybe I got cleaning–burnout.
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The Dirt Does Not Just Go Away
Unfortunately, the dirt does not go away just because I don’t want to do it. I have a post about household cleaning and using an organized list, but this post is about the dreaded but necessary Spring cleaning.
A good deep clean at least once a year is different than your regular cleaning but it can help you be motivated to keep it cleaned.
These tips and tricks will help you schedule your spring cleaning and stay on track.
All cleaning needs to start with decluttering. This might take you a day or two, depending on the state of your stuff and size of your home. Go from room to room putting things where they belong. This prework will make real cleaning a lot easier! Use boxes to put things to donate, trash or sell.
Do Your Prep Work
Before starting your spring clean, be sure you have all the cleaning supplies you will use including a vacuum, other floor cleaners depending on your flooring, kitchen specific cleaners, bathroom cleaners, dusting rags or dusting tools, all-purpose cleaners, and glass cleaners. I like to use vinegar wherever possible because it is affordable, works well, and when diluted it does not have to be rinsed.
I suggest cleaning one room at a time. Your situation might be different and you may decide to clean by task. Either way, you need to make a cleaning schedule. Be realistic in the time each day you can use for spring cleaning. For us, we have to make our spring / deep cleaning as weekend tasks. It takes us longer in calendar days, but it is how we manage it.
Here’s a pro cleaners tip – clean from top to bottom, left to right. This helps you not miss anything or mess up something you already cleaned! If you have ceiling fans, the top to the bottom method will help you by cleaning the floor after the fans. So, clean ceiling fans, walls, windowsills, furniture and then floors.
How to spring clean/deep clean when you hate to clean! #SpringClean #DeepClean #Cleaning Share on XCleaning Hacks
- Use a microfiber cloth and tongs to clean your blinds. Secure the cloth with rubber bands.
- A wet dryer sheet will loosen up burnt on stains on your glass cooktop.
- Use a sifter to sprinkle baking soda on the bare mattress and then vacuum it.
- I read that you can clean tile grout with foam carpet cleaner but I have not tried this yet. Would be great if it works!
- Machine wash your bed pillows. Put a couple of tennis balls in a sock and tie it. Dry the pillows in the dryer with the tennis balls.
- Wet a paper towel with full strength white vinegar and wrap it around your faucets. Leave it there for about 15 minutes to remove build up stains.
- Put 2 cups water and 1/4 cup vinegar in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 90-second increments until the microwave fills with vinegar steam. Let the bowl sit a couple of minutes after the microwave finishes so the bowl cools some. It will be VERY hot. Then take a wet sponge and wipe down the inside of the microwave.
- Clean baseboards with used dryer sheets.
- Follow your washer manufacturers instructions to clean your washing machine. Mine has a clean washer setting that uses a cup of bleach and runs a cycle.
- Grind lemon slices in your garbage disposal to cleanse and freshen it.
- Use a sticky lint roller to remove pet hair and dust from lampshades
- Wrap a towel around a broom to clean hard to reach places. Attach the towel with rubber bands.
- Clean stainless steel sinks with baking soda.
Spring Cleaning Checklist
To make spring cleaning easier, even if you hate to clean, make a schedule and a checklist. This will keep you on track and also give you a real feeling of accomplishment as you check things off.
I created a free checklist that you can download and print for your use!
I like going around and “prepping the space” before I sweep. Examples: picking up ottomans and getting them off the floor, moving bathroom trashcans to the countertop, etc. I just feel like this maximizes your time management while making sure not to skip parts of the floor.
Good ideas! Thanks! I need to add that to the list.
I am not a fan of cleaning. I do like the end result but not the act of cleaning. These are great tips to get through the dreaded spring cleaning. We tend to do two deep cleans a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. It’s a lot of work and like I said I don’t enjoy it, but seeing the house spotless does make it all worth while.
Thanks for your comments! I think the twice-yearly deep cleaning is a good idea. I also really like having a clean home. 🙂
I think cleaning-burnout is a real thing! I must admit, while I can’t manage cleaning like I used to and it frustrates the hell out of me because it now takes sooooo long, I do love to clean. It’s that sense of refreshing achievement I really like, but doing it can be frustrating.
Some fab tips here, Janet! I use lint rollers on clothes but I never thought about lampshades! We actually have a fake flower in a pot on the dining table and it attracts dust like nothing I’ve ever seen, but it’s impossible to clean. I never thought of a lint roller – going to try that now! Thanks for the great suggestions.
Caz xx