The weather here is starting to warm up and I can feel Spring in the air! Something about the new sunshine and warmer temps suddenly inspires me to deep clean all of the things!! And not just the regular daily cleaning, but the big Spring Cleaning Deep Clean!
But, before I start, it’s really important that I follow a checklist. That’s why I created this printable cleaning checklist that goes room by room to help motivate you to get your deep cleaning on. Plus I’ll share with you my top spring cleaning products and cleaning tips and hacks.
Of course, it would be awesome if my house stayed nice and organized the rest of the year, but I’ve got three kids, so that doesn’t happen. But still, I always feel like my house is pretty clean until Spring rolls around.
Year after year I’m continually surprised by what I find when I start working on my Spring Cleaning Checklist. How does one house accumulate so much dust and grime throughout the year?
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It’s not like I don’t clean but somehow lots of little things get neglected, which is why I need to do a major deep cleaning twice a year.
The thought of doing a major Spring Cleaning may give you a bit of anxiety since there are a lot of things that have probably been put off for the rest of the year (hello baseboards). But, this deep cleaning will be so worth it in the end when your house is looking and smelling amazing.
Get ready to tackle that mess with my simple checklist that will take you room by room and guide you through decluttering and organizing each space in your home.
What supplies do I need to get started?
There are so many amazing cleaning products out there, so it can be hard to choose. Here is a list of some of my favorite household cleaning products & tools that I swear by. If you’re not using them, you should be!
(HINT: My absolute favorite cleaning purchase EVER is last on the list)
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1) Toilet Cleaner – This will clean the dirtiest of toilets and make it look brand new. Trust Me – if your toilet is stained from neglect or hard water, you need to buy this! It takes minimal effort and barely any elbow grease to come clean.
2) Bar Keepers Friend – This cleaner is really amazing! It will clean your stainless steel sinks and cooktops better than they have ever been cleaned. Plus it works great on soap scum in the bathroom.
TIP: If you have a pebbled shower floor that is impossible to clean, Bar Keepers Friend will get it clean!
3) This Disinfecting Spray is what I use to disinfect my kitchen & bathroom counters. The reason that it is so amazing is that it kills bacteria and viruses and it doesn’t have any harsh fumes. You will have a clean and disinfected home without the strong smell of bleach.
It is also safe baby and pet-friendly because it is made from 100% natural ingredients.
4) Magic Eraser Sponges – These are a generic brand and they are a fraction of the price of the real thing. And the best thing is, they work just as well! I have these exact ones and I use them all the time.
5) Blind Cleaner Brush – Let’s face it, cleaning blinds is a major pain! It takes a lot of time and it’s a lot of work. This tool is super helpful and does a great job, but keep in mind, that you’re still cleaning blinds and it will still take work and time.
6) Glass Cleaner – If you want something that is actually streakless, this is the glass cleaner for you! It works wonders on windows, mirrors, and the always foggy interior windshield😉
7) An absolute must-have is Blue Dawn Dish Soap. I use this to wash dishes but it has so many other uses as well! Cleaning up spills and stains on carpets, a degreaser in the kitchen, washing the outside of the fridge, oven, dishwasher, etc…the list could go on and on!
8) A Good Mop (or 3) – My recommendation for mops really deserves its own post lol! I love mops (not mopping – I hate mopping) and I love buying them, so I have a bit of a collection.
- For quick messes or clean-up, I love this Bona Mop. It says it’s for hardwood, but I use it for my tile floors. I love that it has a cleaning solution attached to it that I can use while cleaning.
- Next, I use my Bissell Crosswave wet/dry vacuum when I want to mop all my floors without having to work really hard. It’s a vacuum and mop all in one. The reason it makes mopping so much easier is that it vacuums while it’s mopping so it takes one step out of the equation for you.
- Last but not least is my steam mop. This mop really gets the job done, especially when you have stuck on messes on the floor. I use this when I want to do a deep clean.
- Oops, I also have this robot mop. I haven’t used it enough yet to review it but I can say it’s definitely best for maintenance cleaning and not for deep cleaning. ( I told you I love mops😀)
9) Vacuum – I love my Shark vacuum. After my Dyson died I decided to switch to Shark and I’m so glad I did! My favorite feature of this vacuum is the carpet settings: you can go from high pile to low pile, to hardwood floors just at the switch of a button. It also has great suction power and it is incredibly easy to take it apart and clean it.
10) Save your back with this baseboard duster. Plus, the handle expands so you can use it up high on your normally unreachable moldings and trim.
11) Clean out your bathroom drains with this simple tool. No need to spend a bunch on harsh chemicals to get your drains clean. This tool will do it super fast and the best part is it’s super cheap!
12) Now for my absolute favorite cleaning tool ever! This thing has been so amazing to have, especially with young children in the house who are constantly leaving mystery substances to dry and harden on my tile floors😊
You can check out the video below of this tool in action.
Where should I start my spring cleaning?
If you’re asking yourself where to start your cleaning, the answer is wherever you want! If there is a room that you feel inspired to clean, start there. If not, sometimes starting in a smaller area can be more motivating.
If you’re feeling in need of motivation to get your spring cleaning started, then start in a bathroom. You’ll get a quick boost from the accomplishment when you get to cross one room off your list.
Tips and advice for getting a deep clean | Room by room
The Bathrooms
- Strip the bathroom of towels, rugs, and shower curtain and put them in the washing machine.
- If your decorative curtains are washable, take those down and wash them as well.
- Dispose of your old shower liner.
- Dust any shelving and decorative accessories.
- Take the air ventilation cover off and scrub with blue dawn dish soap and hot water.
- Use your drain cleaner to pull the gunk out of the shower drain. (If you’re anything like me, you will find this so satisfying)
- Clean the shower & tub. Plus don’t forget to wipe down the wall space above the shower.
- Clean the toilet. Use Lysol Black if the toilet bowl is stained.
- Take the toilet seat off and clean around the hinges. This is where urine and bacteria like to hide – especially if you have males in your house.
- Clean the entire outside of the toilet.
- Wipe down the bathroom walls. To get the top of the walls clean I like to use my microfiber mop with water on the pad. This makes cleaning the walls so much easier.
- Clean out the vanity drawers. Throw out garbage/empty containers and then organize everything else.
- Wipe down the inside of your vanity drawers.
- Clean out the sink drain.
- Clean the countertops and then disinfect them with your Hydrogen Peroxide Spray.
- Clean the sink.
- Wipe down the electrical outlets.
TIP: If your bathroom continues to smell like urine, buy some generic shaving cream and put it all around the floor around the toilet. Let it sit for a few minutes and then wipe it up. The urine smell will be gone…yes, really😉
- Wash out garbage can.
- Clean windows.
- Dust the baseboards.
- Vacuum and mop the floors.
The Bedrooms
- Strip bed completely for washing.
- Wash pillows
- Remove decorative pillowcases for washing.
- Clean your mattress by vacuuming it and then flip it.
- If decorative curtains can be washed, remove them for washing.
- Organize your nightstands.
- Clean out your dresser.
- Get rid of/put away all the clutter.
- Dust/wipe down all your bedroom furniture and decorative accessories.
- Fabric headboard- vacuum and then spot clean per manufacturers instructions (if necessary.)
- Clean under the bed.
- Clean out your closet and get everything organized.
- Prepare a bag for donation with all the items you no longer need.
- Wash your windows.
- Dust your baseboards.
- Vacuum your floors.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is a pretty big job. I like to start by cleaning the outside of my cabinets and then moving on to getting the cabinets re-organized.
- Wipe down cabinet exteriors.
- Wipe down cabinet shelves.
- Organize the cabinets.
- Empty out the refrigerator and get rid of expired food.
- Wipe down the inside of the refrigerator.
- Organize the refrigerator. I love to use these organizers to keep everything in order and looking clean!
- Clean the inside of the microwave.
- TIP: Fill a bowl or a mug halfway with water and add the juice from half a lemon. Put it in the microwave and turn it on for 1 minute. This will make it very easy to wipe down.
- Clean your dishwasher.
- Pull out the filter and clean with hot water and blue dawn if needed. If you don’t know where your filter is, google your dishwasher model number and you will find the instructions.
- Run a cleaning cycle: with an empty dishwasher, fill a microwave-safe bowl with white vinegar, and place face-up on the top rack. Run a regular cycle and this will clean and refresh your dishwasher.
- Clean the outside of your appliances and polish stainless steel.
- Wash your appliances with a mixture of warm water and blue dawn dish soap.
- After that polish with stainless steel polish.
- TIP: The key to polishing your stainless steel is to buff the polish with a microfiber cloth. Try it! It has been a game-changer for me!
- Clean your cooktop. For my stainless steel range, I like to use Bar Keepers Friend.
- If you have dried on messes under your burners let the Bar Keepers Friend sit for 10 minutes and then clean it off.
- After I wipe the BKF off I like to quickly wipe it down with my kitchen counter cleaner.
- Clean out your toaster by removing the trays and disposing of crumbs.
- Clean the inside of your oven.
- I am not a fan of the self-cleaning oven option. I prefer to use this oven cleaner because it is fume-free.
- To clean the racks, take them out and soak them in warm soapy water.
- Dust and wash your light fixtures.
- Scrub your counters & backsplash.
- Wipe down all electrical outlets and light switches.
- Scrub & Disinfect your sink.
- Bar Keepers Friend soft cleanser works great for this. Just make sure you rinse it off thoroughly or it will leave a film.
- Wash out garbage can.
- Clean your windows.
- Vacuum and mop your floors.
The Living Room
- Dust all decor and electronics.
- Dust your mantle, shelves, and tabletops.
- Organize your shelves, and cabinets and clean out drawers.
- Wash your throw blankets and any pillowcases that are removable.
- If you have decorative window coverings that are washable, take those down and wash them too. Just make sure to check the tags for proper washing instructions. Usually, cold water and low heat dry are best.
- Dust blinds. If your blinds have more on them than just dust, I suggest using warm water with blue dawn dish soap to get them clean.
- Dust and wash your light fixtures.
- Dust your ceiling and walls.
- Clean your windows.
- Dust your baseboards.
- Vacuum and mop the floors.
The Laundry Room
Like the bathroom, this is also a nice smaller space to clean. If you’re lacking in cleaning motivation, this may be a good place to start.
- Wipe down the exterior of your washer and dryer.
- Clean your washing machine filter. If you don’t know where your filter is or how to do this, google your model number and you will find directions.
- Clean the detergent holder with soap and water.
- Run a cleaning cycle. You can use a product like this or you can put a little bleach in your detergent holder. Just make sure it is disinfecting bleach!
- While your washing machine is running the cleaning cycle, clean out your dryer vent. I love using this to clean mine every couple of months. It’s pretty crazy how much lint it sucks up. It’s important not to skip this step because lint can be a fire hazard. Plus, your dryer will work much better with a clean dryer vent.
- Take your lint trap out and scrub it with a cleaning brush, hot water, and blue dawn. This will get all the buildup off of it from the fabric softener. It’s good to do this once a month. (If you want to check if yours has buildup or not, just take it out and run it under the faucet. If the water does not seep through, it needs to be cleaned.)
- Dust and wash light fixtures.
- Dust window blinds.
- Clean the windows.
- Vacuum & mop floors.
Spring Cleaning Checklist
Download your printable checklist by clicking on the image. Print as many as you need!
RELATED: Step by Step Guide to Cleaning Your Home When You’re Overwhelmed by the Mess
How to Get the Urine Smell Out of Your Clean Bathroom
Final Thoughts on Following a Spring Cleaning Checklist
Where are you currently in your spring cleaning process? I started mine over the weekend in the master bedroom.
A word of advice: don’t skip the vacuum mattress step! Even with a waterproof mattress cover, I was shocked at what I found in my canister!
If you found this Spring Cleaning Checklist with tips and advice useful, please make sure to pin it for later and share it with your friends on Facebook.
I created this printable cleaning checklist that goes room by room to help motivate you to get your deep cleaning on and I hope that it helps you…HAPPY CLEANING!
Happy cleaning!
Ashley says
Love this post and checklist! I am SO ready for Spring, and with it comes Spring cleaning. This printable will be so helpful! Pinning for later so I can come back and grab the checklist.
Make Life Marvelous
Christina Mott says
Thank you! I’m glad you found it helpful!
Mariam says
This is such a useful post! I’m bookmarking it for whenever I get the motivation to deep clean. Thank you!
Christina Mott says
You’re welcome!
Nilakshi says
Very helpful post with so many great ideas. Thank you for sharing.
Christina Mott says
Thank you!
Sage says
Love these ideas!! Every spring I hire a professional carpet cleaner to give my floors a much-needed clean. With two kiddos and two dogs, you wouldn’t believe the difference it makes!