Spring Cleaning Tips

‘Tis the season for tidying.
Published March 20, 2018

As the snow melts and the rain starts, something stirs within us to get our homes organized – once and for all this time (for real!) – and to do the deep cleaning we always talk about doing but never get around to.

We did some research to bring you a few tips and tricks to make the most of this year’s spring cleaning session.

“Focus on areas that tend to be ignored the rest of the year,” says Derek Hales, founder of Modern Castle, a platform that offers advice and reviews on products for the home.

5 Must Dos

Hales recommends these five cleaning tasks – because they’re the kind of things we never clean during the rest of the year, and they’re probably long overdue.

  1. Dust air vents – “Dusting and wiping down your air vents will help dust and particles from being blown all over your home,” Hales says. “Not only will this help minimize dust, but it can help make your home healthier, as bacteria can hitch a ride to these particles as they are carried around your home's vents.”
  2. Wash windows – “A good washing of both the exterior and interior side of the window can really help your home shine again, increasing natural light exposure.”
  3. Wash curtains – “Wash, vacuum, or spot clean your curtains (whatever is appropriate given the material),” Hales advises.
  4. Clean gutters – “If you have trees near your home, you'll want to clean your gutters at least annually. This helps protect your roof and home from water damage.”
  5. Clean tile grout – “You might be surprised to find out you don't actually have black grout once you clean your tile grout! If you aren't sure what colour your grout is, check a portion of the tile grout that doesn't get very much foot traffic. If it's a different shade, it means your grout is dirty.”

Get the Kids Involved

Spring cleaning often coincides perfectly with spring break, so why not put the kids to work?

“Getting the kids involved can be a bit of a double-edged sword, especially with young children. However, kids of any age can be helpful,” Hales says.

To make sure they don't end up making more work for you, give them tasks and time limits that are appropriate for their age, he suggests. And if you can turn any of the spring cleaning chores into a game or competition, that will no doubt help motivate the kids – especially if there are prizes involved.

Bonus Tips

Hales offers these additional tips to make the most of your spring cleaning this year.

  1. Declutter – “In addition to cleaning, the spring is a great time to get organized and declutter your life,” he says. “My family and I use the ‘one year rule’. We go room by room looking at all of the stuff of life that has accumulated and ask ourselves, ‘Have we used this in the last year?’ If the answer is no, we donate it to a local charity. It's hard at first, but you'll be amazed at how good decluttering your life feels!”
  2. Prioritize – “Focus on the biggest cleaning tasks first, and work your way down to easier and less important ones.” 
  3. Tackle one room at a time – “Don't spread yourself out over the entire house,” he says. “Tackling one room at a time can help you feel more accomplished much earlier, as you'll have an entire room 100 per cent done, which feels much better than having three rooms just 33 per cent done.”

For help staying on track with your household chores all year long, check out Hales’ printable infographic house cleaning schedule. Happy cleaning!