The Ultimate Spring Cleaning Guide

Spring cleaning is the yearly practice of thoroughly tidying up one’s house during the blooming spring months.

Many researchers and historians claim that spring cleaning originated from the Iranian house cleaning tradition of khane tekani, which means ‘shaking the house’. Khane tekani is done on the first day of spring, which marks the beginning of the Iranian new year.

Plenty of other countries, cultures and religions have embraced similar traditions, deciding that the beautiful breeze and blooms of spring was the perfect setting for cleaning.

With so much to do, however, people tend to get overwhelmed with this idea. As a result, a lot of people simply avoid it.

In this blog, we’re going to try to tackle this issue by breaking down spring cleaning into manageable parts. Hopefully, by simplifying the process, a lot more people will become more motivated to clean up during springtime.

Without further ado, here is the ultimate spring cleaning guide.

1. Decluttering
   First things first, it’s important to declutter all the rooms in your home. It will be a lot more difficult to vacuum, disinfect and repair things around the house if you find yourself stepping over clothes or tripping over scattered boxes.
   
   Decluttering involves organising all the little items in your drawers, wardrobes, bookshelves, benchtops, coffee tables, cabinets and so on.
   
   To make things easier, you should create designated boxes for sorting. We recommend that you make four boxes:
   • Misplaced
     This box is reserved for items that are misplaced or simply need to be stored away. Such items could be scattered makeup products on dressers, shoes in the hallway, toys in the kitchen, and so on.
   • Sell or donate
     These items are the ones you’re looking to sell, give away, or donate to charity.
   • Recycle
     Any materials that can be recycled or reused should be placed in this box.
     
     Be sure to check with your local government to make sure you’re following all relevant recycling laws. Depending on the state or country that you’re in, there are often particular laws regarding the disposal of things like e-waste or non-biodegradable items.
   • Waste
     For the sake of the environment, this box should always be treated as the last resort. Before you decide to throw something away, be sure to think about whether it can be repurposed in some way.
     
     If you need help with rubbish removal, be sure to hire a reputable skip bin hire company. This will help you reduce costs and will ensure that all waste is disposed of in an ethical and eco-friendly way.
2. Deep Cleaning Carpets
   Even the most luxurious carpet will eventually become dull and lifeless without care.
   
   To make sure your floors look as good as possible, it’s recommended that your carpet is deep cleaned every 12 to 18 months. Deeping cleaning will get rid of stains, dark edges and foul odours. Since this process removes contaminants and allergens from the carpet fibres, it can also improve the air quality in your home.
   
   Yearly deep cleaning and shampooing will also make sure that your carpet retains its warranty and that it lasts for many, many years to come.
   
   You can deep clean the carpet by yourself, but it’s highly recommended that you hire professionals for the job. Cleaning specialists will have all the heavy-duty tools and products needed to ensure that your carpet is given the proper care.
3. Maintaining Furniture
   Once you’ve taken care of the floors, it’s time to take a look at your furniture.
   
   If you have leather sofas and chairs, you need to make sure that the leather is cleaned thoroughly. Always remember that dust is abrasive and can cause damage to your leather furniture if left on the surface for long enough. Even the tiniest of cracks can be exacerbated by dust, grime and other abrasive contaminants. As such, when springtime comes around, make sure to give your furniture a good cleaning.
   
   Conditioning the leather is also important. Conditioner will make sure that the leather remains flexible and tough, preventing premature cracking or splitting. Suede leather should also be brushed regularly.
   If you have wooden furniture, they need to be cleaned regularly and re-waxed every year. You should also consider power washing outdoor furniture if you notice mould or grime beginning to build up on the surface.
4. Clean Hard to Reach Spaces
   Now it’s time to pay attention to the little details. After all, it’s not spring cleaning until you dust off every little nook and cranny.
   
   One thing that most people forget are the lighting fixtures. You should always dust off the top of desk lamps and/or hanging lights with a microfiber cloth or with a feather duster. When doing this, make sure that the light bulbs have cooled down completely so as not to hurt yourself.
   
   You should also pay attention to the spaces between your furniture and cabinetry. You may have to move things temporarily so that you can vacuum those hard to reach places under your sofa or in between your bookshelves.
5. Disinfecting
   You should finish up your spring cleaning routine by disinfecting common touch points around the house. Disinfecting is the process of killing harmful microscopic bacteria on various surfaces. In a common household, you should disinfect surfaces like doorknobs, benchtops, cabinet handles and so on.
   
   Disinfectant products may come in the form of wipes or solutions. Make sure to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Some cleaning products can cause harm if the skin or other sensitive body parts) is directly exposed to the solution.
   
   Hopefully, this guide has made the idea of spring cleaning a little bit less intimidating. If you’re able to break down into small, manageable parts, spring cleaning really isn’t that difficult. So, turn on some music, put on some gloves and just enjoy the springtime as you clean.