It’s spring cleaning season, and if you haven’t already started, you’re probably gathering up the energy to power through the biggest clean-up of the year. Although we can give our homes a deep clean at any time, our inherent instinct is to wait until spring arrives. Why do we spring clean at this time of year? It turns out, it’s all to do with removing a winter’s worth of soot from our homes when we relied on open fires for cooking and heating.
And it seems that it is still a tradition in many American homes, as an American Cleaning Institute (ACI) survey found that 80% of Americans plan to spring clean this year.
Fortunately, with HVAC systems, we no longer need to rely on coal to heat our homes, but despite this shift, many of us still make the most of the changing seasons by opening our windows and resetting our homes.
Cleaning up on allergies
But there’s another reason why this time of year prompts us to give our homes a deep clean. The ACI survey also found that 58% of people are driven to spring clean due to health concerns such as hygiene and allergies.
“As the weather warms and the days get longer, people are more likely to open up the home, put away heavy-season items, and notice dust, tracked-in soil, and allergy triggers that build up over time,” says Brian Sansoni, senior vice president of communications and outreach at the ACI.
Spring is also the start of seasonal allergy season, which means if you’re already prone to home-borne allergies, such as dust mites, you could be experiencing worse symptoms from outside, once you give your lawn its first cuts and pollen intensifies.
The ‘ABC’ method of spring cleaning
While I’d always recommend you have the right spring-cleaning tools to speed up your deep clean without interruptions, Sansoni shares a clever method to help you organize how you clean — and it’s as simple as 'ABC'.
A is for asthma and allergy triggers
“Start where people sleep by washing bedding and cleaning fabrics and surfaces that can trap allergens,” Sansori advises.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America advises washing bedding, uncovered pillows, and stuffed toys in water 130°F or hotter. They should then be dried in a clothes dryer to kill dust mites, rather than left to dry outdoors, where they can collect pollen.
It’s also a good time to steam-clean your upholstery, as this will help remove allergens and improve air quality, while it can also neutralize odors, leaving your furniture smelling fresh. It’s particularly worth doing if you are a pet owner. You could try Karcher’s Multi Purpose Steam Cleaner, $259 at Amazon.
B is for bacteria
While not necessarily limited to spring cleaning, Sansori recommends focusing on removing bacteria from frequently touched areas. “Clean high-touch surfaces regularly and follow product directions if disinfection is needed,” he says.
These ‘high-touch’ areas include light switches, door handles, and remotes — anything you touch regularly that can be a breeding ground for germs and bacteria to spread — yet these cleaning tasks are often forgotten.
Apart from including these high-touchpoint areas in your spring cleaning routine, it’s also important to ensure other areas of your home are deep-cleaned, such as the kitchen.
Use this time to focus on giving your fridge and refrigerator a thorough clean, disinfecting your food trash bins, and your cutting boards, which can all harbor bacteria. Most importantly, ensure your dishcloths and sponges are clean when you work, as otherwise you will be spreading germs rather than banishing them.
Besides your kitchen, tackle your bathroom and remove any signs of mold on the tile grout and bathroom sealant. And clean limescale off your shower screen and faucets to bring back the sparkle.
And don’t forget to clean your toothbrush holder. It’s often one bathroom item that’s overlooked and is a breeding ground for mold and bacteria.
C is for clutter
It’s not too hard to work out that the ‘C’ in the ‘ABC’ method of spring cleaning is ‘clutter’. It’s one thing that gradually builds up in my home, despite my best efforts to stick to the ‘moving out’ method, or the latest decluttering hack that’s gone viral.
Clearing your clutter is where Sansori recommends placing your focus when spring cleaning your home. In fact, I recommend decluttering before you even get out your best vacuum and cleaning clothes, and Sanori agrees. “A manageable spring clean starts with a simple plan. Pick one room or even one category, like closets, and make a short checklist. Declutter first, then clean from top to bottom, and finish with floors.”
I always start with my closet, and swap my heavy winter items for lighter spring garments. But instead of storing everything away without taking a second look, I ask myself a few questions. Does it still fit? Do I like it? Will I wear it again? This helps me decide whether a clothing item is stored away or goes in the donate pile.
Besides sorting through my closet, there are plenty of other items to declutter in spring that can help you achieve a cleaner, tidier home.
But be prepared for your spring clean to take a while. The ACI found that 78% of Americans spend an average of about six days spring cleaning. However, after all the exertions, it’s good to know that 72% say coming home to a clean, organized space is more relaxing than getting a massage! But, I’ll let you decide whether you are in the 72% or 28% category!
