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Easy Spring Cleaning Tips & Tricks

1. Create a Game Plan: For each room in your house and other spaces (garage, shed, patio, house exterior), create a checklist of what needs to be cleaned and a realistic spring-cleaning schedule. Based upon the tasks you’ve identified, write a shopping list of cleaning products you need. With a plan in hand and all the necessary supplies, you’re ready to begin.

2. Clean Out Your Cleaning Supplies: Whether you’re going green or want to eliminate toxins, sort through the cleaning supplies you already own. It is advised to . 

3. Think “Top to Bottom”: Take a “top to bottom” strategy even when writing your room cleaning checklist. When you are determining what items you must clean, start from the ceiling and work downwards. You’re less likely to miss something because you will have visually scanned the entire room.

4. Create a Place for Your Belongings: As you’re cleaning and determining what to store, donate or throw out, create places for everything you’re keeping. Do not merely toss an item back in a closet, drawer, or box. While determining where you’re going to keep each object, organize and label everything appropriately for minimal clutter and maximum accessibility. For example, when clearing out your junk drawer, avoid throwing everything you’re keeping back in. Instead, use small bowls or drawer organizers and designate one for pens, keys, batteries, and whatever else the drawer will hold.

4. Put Away Everything Winter: While you’re pulling out all of your spring and summer equipment, make sure you’re putting away all winter gear. Winter items include skis, snowboards, snowshoes, holiday décor & lights, boots, winter coats, snow pants, ice skates, sleds, shovels, winter car accessories (such as a snow brush), and more. Put it away now so you won’t have to find a home for it later. Packing away seasonal winter items should be a task unto itself.

5. Use a Cloudy Day for Window Cleaning: Save the sunny days for other projects. When the clouds roll in, clean your windows. If you wash your windows on a bright, warm day, the heat will dry cleaner onto the window before you get a chance to wipe it off. The sun and heat will lead to unwanted streaks.

6. Use Lemons for Sink Stink: Even the most robust cleaner may not get the odor out of garbage disposals. Put a few lemon rinds into your disposal and run them through. After a minute, run the cold water, and the original stink will likely disappear.

7. Deodorize Area Rugs with Baking Soda: As your house warms up, unwanted odors from area rugs and carpets may surface. A natural remedy? Baking Soda. By sprinkling baking soda and then vacuuming the area once it has sat for a while, the smell will likely subside. 

8. Check Your Toiletry & Medicine Expirations: Makeup, hair products, skincare, and medications all have expiration dates – even if specific dates are not on the packaging. Have three tubes of open mascara you haven’t touched in over three months? Toss it. Extra sticks of used deodorant that have been open a year or more? Pitch them. Go through your medicine and bathroom cabinets, safely disposing of anything past expiration. The FDA provides recommendations and guidelines on proper disposal of medications, whether at home or through Drug Take Back Programs. Are your products missing an expiration date? No worries. Check out this handy guide for knowing when toiletries need replacing.

9. Ceiling Fans, Molding & Baseboards: It is easy to forget these “out-of-sight” places. Get an extendable duster and clean all of your fans, hard-to-reach light fixtures, and trim. When cleaning painted baseboards & doorframes that can be easily reached, dust first and then use a mix of warm water & dish soap to remove marks and scuffs. If you have stained baseboards, choose an appropriate wood cleaning solution. 

10. Pack Away Fall & Winter Attire: Clear room in your closet by putting away all of your fall & winter clothing, including coats, boots, and outdoor accessories. If you do not have a lot of space to house these items, use vacuum-sealed storage bags and stack them on top of one another under beds. It would help save room in your closets if you donated or threw out any ruined, old clothing or attire that you did not wear during the season.

11. …And Sort Through Spring & Summer Clothing: As you take out your warm-weather clothes, a good rule of thumb is to try everything on. If something is not your style or does not fit, store it in a donation box. If you do not take it out to wear it within the next six months, donate it.

12. Replace your HVAC filters: This is one of those tasks that sometimes is forgotten. If possible, choose a filter with a high MERV rating, as it typically will catch even tiny particles – including those that built up in your A/C ducts during the winter months.

13. Clean behind, on top & under things: During spring-cleaning, do not do a superficial top clean. This is the time to get under and behind furniture and appliances, including your washer & dryer.  Other places that are often missed include the top of the refrigerator, under mattresses, behind televisions and couches, and inside trash cans.

14. Clean Your Washing Machine: You may think it cleans itself (since it is cleaning your clothes!), but it may need a cleaning. Many washers have a special wash cycle, so run that – especially if you notice any odors. You can also purchase a washing machine cleaner to help give it an extra boost of freshness. 

15. Attend to Your Vacuum: If your vacuum isn’t clean, can it truly clean your house? Replace the bag (or empty the canister), snip off any hairs or threads stuck in the brush, and clean or wash the filter.

16. Disinfect You Knife Block: You’ve stayed in and cooked many meals during the holiday and winter season, and while you’ve washed the dishes, your knife block hasn’t been given attention. Experts recommend deep cleaning your knife block by first handwashing it with soap and water and then sanitizing it in one gallon of lukewarm water that contains one tablespoon bleach. Once sanitized, remove the knife block and let it air dry upside-down on a towel.

17. Wash Your Pet’s Toys & Beds: Your pets get washed and groomed, so clean their toys, beds, and blankets. Check whether or not these items are machine washable. If so, consider choosing a laundry detergent that does not contain harsh fragrances or dyes. 

18. Focus on Cleaning, Not on Sorting “Sentimental” Items: The purpose of spring cleaning is deep cleaning your home. Wait until a later date when you have more time to revisit photographs, tchotchkes from vacations, holiday cards, and collectibles. Organizing these items will take you longer, so save them for after you’ve accomplished all of your basic cleaning projects.

19. Get Your Family Involved: The quickest way to tackle a cleaning project? More hands. Use spring cleaning as a time to get your family working together as a team. Instead of viewing it as chores, view it as a time you get to spend with one another. If it’s a challenge to entice everyone to join in, come up with a group “reward” that you’ll all receive once you’re done with all of your tasks.

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Storage Can Assist with Decluttering & Organization

While spring cleaning is not exactly many people’s definition of fun, it can be quite necessary. During and after the cleaning process, you will most likely identify items that you do not have a home for anymore – but still want. That’s where Prime Storage comes in. If you don’t have the extra space in your home to store furniture, appliances, and other items, we can help you. With facilities nationwide and many different storage options available, Prime Storage is your go-to for self storage during your spring-cleaning endeavor. Find a location near you now by visiting us at PrimeStorageGroup.com.

Looking for more tips on how to keep your house neat and tidy? Check out our other cleaning tips now! Once you’re ready to tackle the outside of your home, follow these helpful spring maintenance tips to ensure you’re getting a great deep clean.