Decorating & Design
April 20, 2022
20+ Tips For Spring Cleaning Your Home
‘Tis the season for sweeping floors, laundering linens and finally cleaning those neglected nooks! Whether your spring cleaning checklist is intricate or simple, we’ve rounded up expert-approved tasks you can do right now to freshen up your home. With the help of the right tools and a little elbow grease, it’s time to say goodbye to dusty digs and hello to a spring-fresh sanctuary!
Scroll down and get cleaning!
Deep Clean Furniture Upholstery
These pink mohair sofas are a driving force in the living room of designer Rosie Daykin. At least once a year, it’s recommended to deep clean upholstery like this to maintain its original color and texture. Steam cleaners are a good solution, but you can opt for a gentle fabric cleaner to spot treat as well.
Shed Some Light On The Home Office
Whether you’re working from home or catching up on homework, position your desk in an area that offers plenty of natural light and pay extra attention to keyboards and bookshelves that build up dust and grime overtime.
Don’t Forget About Dusty Light Fixtures
In this dreamy cottage by Barbara Purdy, two wide-set wicker pendants make quite an impression in the kitchen. But over time, it’s easy to forget about how much dust they can accumulate. Come spring, dust off your light fixtures as part of your spring cleaning checklist!
Pretty Your Powder Room
A powder room is the perfect place to experiment with whimsical styles and add a burst of eccentricity to your home. Take the changing of the season as an opportunity to refresh this space with florals, new soaps and candles and even a wallpaper with fauna-inspired motifs.
Organize The Play Room
When it comes to playroom organization, the key is to create an open space that encourages kids to clean up on their own. Take tidying to the next level by adding storage canisters or a shelving unit that reduce the everyday clutter of toys and books.
Give Your Glass Shower A Little Extra Love
Glass shower doors are modern, refined and make small quarters feel larger…when kept clean. While a quick rinse may do the trick here and there, spend some extra time on your shower this spring with a deep clean from head to toe. Featured in March 2022’s The Healthy Home, we recommend Pretty Clean Shop’s concentrated cleaning vinegar for the job.
Repot Houseplants
Spring is a time of growth and renewal, which means paying special attention to the greenery that makes our homes come alive. Give your houseplants an upgrade with larger vessels in new colors and materials to keep them happy. The favor will be returned when you begin to see your plants thrive.
Remove Dust And Scuffs Off Grasscloth Walls
Like the burnt orange in designer Aly Velji’s Calgary office, the right grasscloth can add a colorful and textural pop to any room. This spring, spend a bit of time dusting your wall covering – you might be surprised with how many unseen scuffs or spiderwebs you’ll find in those tiny grooves.
Wash Your Outdoor Cushions
With summer just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to make sure your backyard is in tip-top shape. To avoid shrinking, fading or damaging the zippers of your valuable outdoor cushion covers, have them professionally dry cleaned at least once a season.
Revitalize Your Potting Station
For gardeners, spring marks the start of a busy season ahead. Don’t forget to wash, reorganize or even slap a fresh coat of paint on your potting station so that you can hit the ground running once the warmer weather hits.
Dry-Clean Your Beloved Blankets
Even if your throws are purely decorative, don’t forget to include them in your spring refresh. According to Shermin Zarif, the founder of Flair Cleaners in Toronto, throws need to be dry cleaned up to four times a year.
Clean Your Front Door
Why not give the entrance of your home the squeaky-clean treatment it deserves? Pro organizer Lois Kaplan of Montreal’s Organized Success suggests washing and drying the entire door all the way down to the sill to make a good first impression. Scrubbing the surface with a gentle mix of dish soap and water does the trick.
Toss Old Makeup & Skincare
From dirty brushes to bygone beauty products, there’s a good chance that bacteria has snuck its way into your makeup bag. Fun fact: the number six, 12 or 24, followed by the letter “M” printed in fine text on makeup and skincare is actually the maximum shelf life of a product after it’s been opened.
Rethink Your Linen Closet
To avoid overcrowding, Rachel says the general rule of thumb is to have two to three towels per person in your home and one extra set of sheets per bed. “If you are well over those numbers, consider cutting up the linens to use as cloths or rags, or donate them to your local animal shelter.”
Replace Seasonal Gear
It’s finally time to switch out clunky skates and oversized scarves for sun hats and sneakers. Start by wiping down built-ins and shoe racks, then mop the last traces of winter away before stashing spring favorites in tidy baskets. “For those with limited space, place winter hats on the bottom of a basket, layer with a towel and place summer hats on top,” says Lois.
Clean Under Your Laundry Machines
“The laundry room is an area people often neglect even though it’s the room where we clean our clothing,” says Lois. Aside from wiping shelves and disposing of unnecessary items from laundry room cabinets, consider doing a deeper clean by moving machines aside to sanitize the hard-to-reach space underneath. “Be sure to wipe behind the machines where dust accumulates,” she says.
Be Extra Careful With Your Throw Pillows
“Accent cushions should not be washed in water as this can lead to shrinkage, fading and destruction of fine details,” says Shermin. Get them professionally cleaned once a year (especially if your pillow covers can’t be removed).
Edit Your Wardrobe
We’re quick to put away sweaters and jackets when we spot the first signs of spring, but when was the last time you KonMari-ed your closet? Not only does this method edit out pieces you don’t wear, it instantly transforms cluttered wardrobes into tidy, streamlined sanctuaries. “If there’s a sweater in there that hasn’t been off the hanger in six months, consider donating it or passing it along to someone who will use it,” says Rachel. The best time to do this is right before you store your winter clothes away for the milder months ahead.
Purge Your Pantry
Organizing your pantry once in a while can avoid the build up of old cans, dusty cartons and stale food you forgot you had. Before stocking your pantry with spring staples (hello, sparkling water!), “take inventory of what you currently have, what’s expired and what should be eaten sooner than later,” suggests Rachel. As for anything that is past its prime, consider this compost for your garden!
Edit Your Files
A labelled filing cabinet is a stress-saver come tax season, when we dig around to compile various records and receipts. Get a head start for next year by revisiting and de-cluttering this stockpile to get rid of any dated documents. “Ensure you are only keeping seven years’ worth of paperwork,” says Rachel. Anything prior can be safely discarded by shredding and recycling.
Dust Off Your Dog Bed
Your pooch’s dirty paws aren’t the only thing to clean on the regular. “Dander, mud and all the unseen bacteria they bring home from the dog park is accumulating in their bed daily,” says Shermin. “A professional dog bed cleaning should entail multiple steps including an odor removal process, steaming and finally, cleaning.” Shermin recommends doing this at least four times a year.
Clean Out-Of-Sight Storage Areas
The lack of foot traffic — and often light — in hidden areas like utility closets, attics and nooks under the stairs make them perfect targets for unwanted pests and cob webs. Fortunately, getting rid of webs is as easy as removing them with a vacuum or, alternatively, using a broom covered in a rag, says Lois.
Unsoil Your Outdoor Space
Carving out a quiet space in your backyard to get a breather from being inside all the time can instantly boost your mood, especially if it’s free of grime. “Hose down your patio or deck so it’s ready for your outdoor furniture,” says Lois. While a pressure washer can lift deeper stains, an ordinary hose will do away with most dust and debris.
Don’t Forget About Your Drapes
“Curtains are like air filters – gathering dust, pollen and mold spores from the air that flows between windows and the interior of a home,” says Shermin. “They also absorb moisture, harbor odors, attract pet fur, dander, germs and even insects.” Make sure they’re taken down and cleaned at least once a year.