by Blake Herzog
Giving your home a thorough scrub down as winter gives way to spring is a tradition found not just in the U.S., but around the globe.
The concept may have begun taking shape in Persia (Iran) about 5,000 years ago at the beginning of its new year, which coincides with the first day of spring.
But it likely has biological roots, too. After being shut-in for most of the winter with reduced sunlight but lots of dust piling up (this may not completely apply to the desert, but work with us here), energized humans wake up to the conditions that have built up and get out to “khooneh tekouni” (shake the house), as Iranians call it.
Spring cleaning has taken on a similarly thorough meaning here. And studies have shown that as exhausting as it can be, flushing every bit of grime out of your house improves your physical and mental health.
We suggest a room-by-room approach to spring cleaning, starting each one by dusting ceiling fans, vents, and light fixtures and cleaning windows and window screens. Don’t forget to start the laundry in the morning and keep it going throughout the day.
Some prefer to spread the work out over several days or weekends, but consider setting aside one or two days to give it your all, keeping the momentum going and getting a full blast of that squeaky-clean home feeling as your reward.
Living, family rooms
- Put away toys and other loose items, fold throws, and blankets.
- Sanitize light switches, keyboards, remotes.
- Dust furniture and decorations, including photo frames.
- Vacuum couch and chairs.
- Vacuum corners along floors, and cobwebs along ceiling.
- Spot clean carpet or borrow/rent a carpet cleaner.
Kitchen
- Clean up dirty dishes.
- Wipe down the backsplash and walls.
- Wipe down cabinet doors, wipe down inside of cabinets.
- Empty kitchen drawers and wipe/vacuum them out.
- Clean small appliances (microwave, toaster, tea kettle, stand mixer, etc.).
- Clean refrigerator interior, wipe down outside of fridge, vacuum coils.
- Clean oven and stovetop.
- Empty trash; take can outside and clean inside and out.
- Clean kitchen sink.
- Sweep and mop floor.
Bedrooms
- Fold and put away clothes and loose items.
- Dust the furniture (including picture frames and display items).
- Rotate mattresses.
- Vacuum floors.
- Vacuum corners along floors and cobwebs along ceiling.
Bathrooms
- Sanitize the switch plates and doorknobs.
- Clean the toilet (including wiping down the outside and scrubbing the bowl well).
- Wipe down mirrors.
- Clean counter and sink.
- Scrub the tub.
- Wash the shower walls.
- Give the drains a treatment.
- Empty the trash; take can outside and clean inside and out.
- Sweep and mop the floor.
