Get Down and Dirty with this Spring Cleaning Checklist

Spring cleaning is an annual rite of passage that many people take part in to start the season anew. You pick a room to start in and clean the house from top to bottom, getting rid of things that are broken or you no longer need. A housekeeper best aids this in-depth house cleaning process by offering an outsider’s perspective.

A housekeeper can help you with a variety of cleaning tasks, from deep cleaning the carpets to scrubbing the windows. After your housekeeper is done, your house will shine, and you can take comfort in knowing it's a job well done. Let's look at some of the major cleaning tasks you need to undertake or have your housekeeper work this spring.

Clean the Walls and Ceilings

One of the first tasks you'll want to perform when spring cleaning is to wipe down all of the walls and ceilings in your house. This method gets rid of dust that will fall while you're working on furniture and floors. Take a vacuum to areas such as vents, and wipe down the walls. You can also scrub surface stains with a solvent-free cleanser that you've tested in a spot that won't easily show up.

After you've cleaned the walls, you may want to reseal grout lines around the house. Use a grout sealer to protect it year after year, which is best applied with a small foam brush. Your housekeeper can help you with this process.

Dust the Shelves

Taking everything off of the shelves and from around the house to thoroughly clean them is a great spring cleaning task. You should also dust and wipe down the shelves, and clean each item on the shelves. This is also a great time to go through each item and see if there are some that you are ready to part with.

When you're replacing everything on the shelves, you can reorganize them. Before starting this, take a quick trip around the house and see if any items could be grouped with these, such as DVDs or video games laying around near the TV.

Cleaning the Windows

It's time for that dreaded task of cleaning each of the windows in your house. While this process may seem easy, there are always steps you can take to take to improve the process. First, take down all window dressings and launder them or have them dry-cleaned — there's no point in cleaning the windows while leaving dusty curtains up.

Dust around the windows and vacuum them to get rid of stuck-on dust that will make more of a mess when you go to wipe the windows down. Use a streak-free window or glass cleaner on each side of the windows, using it liberally to ensure you get a streak-free shine. After you're done, replace the window hangings.

Clean the Rest of Your Furniture

For upholstered items, take each cushion outside and beat it to remove dust. Check for stains that need to be treated and follow labelled directions on the furniture. Vacuum the furniture items, including all crevices, to get rid of all of the dust.

Any remaining furniture should also be cleaned and dusted, from dressers to desks. Use wood polish to make these items shine after a thorough cleaning. You might want to take this time to go through each of the drawers and get rid of papers or clothing items you no longer need. While your housekeeper can't go through each of your details for you, they can clean while you sort out things to be trashed or donated.

Tackle the Kitchen and Bathrooms

You will want to go through each of the cabinets in your kitchen and bathrooms to make sure nothing is outdated or no longer gets used. Be sure to pay special attention to that dreaded junk drawer — we all have one. Remove everything off of the counters and give them a thorough cleaning.

Scrub the walls down and take care to remove any mold or mildew that has started to build up, especially in the bathroom. Clean out the refrigerator and freezer, dating any items left so you know when they will go bad.

Scrub the Floors

Once you've cleaned everything else, it's time to tackle the floors. Sweep and mop all non-carpeted surfaces or coordinate with your housekeeper to get it done. Vacuum and shampoo all of the rugs in your house, washing any small ones that can fit in the washing machine and be laundered safely.

Another step would be to wax non-wooden floors to help them bring back their shine. You can also use wood polish on wooden floors to help them get their lustre back. Move any furniture items, lamps, or decorations around so that you can clean every surface.

In Summary

Your housekeeper can help you keep your house in tip-top shape throughout the year, but don't forget to utilize them when it's time to spring clean. They are efficient professionals and can help guide you on the order in which to do things and what products to use.

BONUS: If you’re looking for an all-encompassing cleaning list to get you started, look no further! Below is a complete list of any and all tasks you may need to undergo in order to start your cleaning routine.

Spring Cleaning Checklist

General House Cleaning Tasks

Kitchen Tasks

Bathroom Tasks

Bedroom Tasks

Living Area Tasks

Laundry Room Tasks

Outside Tasks

This article is a guest post written by Elizabeth Muirhead.