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Spring-Cleaning Checklist

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A woman stands with her back to the camera wearing rubber gloves and holding two bottles of cleaning solution in this image from Shutterstock

Spring-cleaning may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. (Image: Shutterstock)

Spring has sprung, and with it comes the time-honored tradition of spring-cleaning. It's the perfect season to refresh and declutter your living space — giving your home a deep, rejuvenating cleanse after the long winter months. This comprehensive spring-cleaning guide, complete with a detailed checklist, will walk you through the most important steps and tips to efficiently tackle this yearly task. From dusting off the cobwebs in those hard-to-reach corners to sorting through clutter and organizing your space, our guide ensures you won’t miss a spot. Whether you're a seasoned cleaner or a first-timer looking to reset your household, follow along to make your home sparkle and shine — just in time for the brighter days ahead.

Jump to the Complete Spring Cleaning Checklist

Spring-Cleaning Tips

A mother and daughter go through their laundry in a bedroom in this image from Shutterstock
Spring-cleaning is the perfect time to go through your clothes and decide what to keep. (Image: Shutterstock)

Declutter Before You Deep Clean

Some spring-cleaning steps depend upon others — so make sure you do them in the right order! Before you dive into the nitty-gritty of deep cleaning, start by decluttering each room. Removing unnecessary items not only clears space but also makes it easier to clean surfaces and reach corners that might otherwise be skipped. Tackle one area at a time, sorting items into categories to keep, donate, sell, or throw away. This process can drastically reduce the amount of cleaning you have to do later and can help maintain a tidier home environment.

Focus on High-Traffic Areas

High-traffic areas in your home — such as the kitchen, bathrooms, and living room — often collect the most dirt and grime. Pay special attention to these areas by vacuuming carpets, mopping floors, and cleaning surfaces more frequently during your spring-cleaning. Don’t forget to disinfect doorknobs, light switches, and remote controls to prevent the spread of germs.

Don’t Forget About Outdoor Spaces

Spring-cleaning isn’t just for the indoors; your home’s exterior and outdoor spaces need attention, too. Sweep patios, clean outdoor furniture, and wash down decks to remove winter’s residue. If you have a garden or balcony, tidying up these areas can also enhance your home’s overall appeal; plus, it can make outdoor living spaces more enjoyable as the weather warms up.

Organize As You Go

As you clean each room, take the opportunity to organize. Assess the functionality of your storage solutions and consider if they still meet your needs. Use clear bins for visibility, label everything for ease, and try to keep similar items together. Organizing as you go not only helps you keep track of what you have but also makes maintaining cleanliness easier after the big spring clean.

Tackle One Room at a Time

To keep the task of spring-cleaning manageable, focus on one room at a time. This approach allows you to see progress without becoming overwhelmed. Start with the rooms that are most used or that might need the most work and move on from there.

This approach also means that if (Heaven forbid!) you should stop cleaning partway through your process, you’ll be left with some number of finished and clean rooms — rather than an entire house of half-cleaned ones in disarray.

A woman in headphones and rubber gloves smiles as she cleans out an oven in this image from Shutterstock
The oven and stove are some of the most difficult but important places to clean. (Image: Shutterstock)

Remember Professional Maintenance and Consider Upgrades

Spring-cleaning is a good time to think about the parts of home care that you don’t do yourself — things like maintaining your HVAC system or fixing your plumbing. Take this opportunity to inspect your home’s systems for problems and to double-check to see if you’re due for a routine maintenance visit from a technical professional. This will protect your home and save you money on things like your water bill.

Now is also a good time to consider upgrading and improving your systems and appliances; there’s no sense in cleaning your oven or washing machine if you’re just planning to replace it. You might as well think about that now!

Spring-Cleaning: The Complete Checklist, Room by Room

Throughout the house (including entranceway, halls, and other spaces)

  • Sweep or vacuum floors
  • Mop hard floors
  • Shampoo rugs and carpets
  • Wipe down baseboards and walls
  • Clean doors and polish door hardware
  • Dust curtain rods, window blinds, and fans
  • Clean drapes, curtains, and lighting fixtures
  • Wash windows and window screens
  • Clean or replace doormats
  • Update smart home devices

Living room

  • Clean furniture slipcovers and upholstered furniture
  • Polish and clean wooden and metal furniture
  • Organize and clean children's toys
  • Dust TV and entertainment devices

Kitchen

  • Defrost and clean freezer and refrigerator
  • Clear old food out of fridge and pantry
  • Dust refrigerator coils
  • Clean countertops, oven, toaster, and other small appliances
  • Dust cabinet shelving and wipe down cabinets
  • Polish cabinet hardware

Bathroom

  • Create or update your first-aid kit
  • Clean shower, grout, toilet, and sink
  • Wash bath mats
  • Replace shower curtain liner (and, if necessary, curtain)

Bedroom

  • Clean mattress
  • Wash pillows
  • Dust dressers
  • Clean out closet
  • Declutter and donate unused clothing

Outdoors

  • Scrub or powerwash deck and patio
  • Powerwash driveway
  • Wash outdoor furniture
  • Check light fixtures, sprinklers, and other outdoor systems for damage

Basement, garage, and other spaces

  • Clean out dryer vents and lint trap
  • Clean appliances (washer, dryer, etc.)
  • Check for mold, water damage, cracks, and other foundation issues
  • Sweep out garage