Where did Spring cleaning come from?

I truly thought this was a made-up time of the year invented by advertisers from cleaning supply companies, but upon further research I was wrong!

Spring cleaning originated from the Iranian Nowruz, the Persian New Year that falls on the first day of Spring. Typically March 21st (my birthday!). It became a tradition to deep clean the house right before or during the first week of Great Lent. AKA Clean Week!

Over time it became a well-known tradition in almost every household even though we never understood the origin. For many of us, we don’t follow this tradition because of the Great Lent, but for other reasons.

So, what exactly is the point of Spring cleaning?

Dust. Yep, that’s the truth. Throughout the cold months of winter, the windows stay closed and dust finds its way into everything!

If you skip Spring cleaning you may find yourself suffering from bad allergies, respiratory issues, and other possible illnesses. That’s why with a good thorough Spring cleaning, you’ll improve the air quality in your home and make the rest of the year feel so fresh and clean.

So do not skip it!

(This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Some of the amazing following photos are not my own, click on them to head straight to the source!)

What should you include in your Spring cleaning?

01 | DUST EVERYTHING. Dust is the number one enemy in your home. Do your normal dusting duties but add some of these extra steps to your routine.

• Ceiling fans and regular fans.
• Air vents. (Replace every 3-4 months)
• Window screens, blinds, and window tracks.
• Light fixtures & lampshades.
• Home decor items such as books, vases, picture frames, & figurines.
• House plants, faux or real!

02 | VACUUM EVERYWHERE. Once you’ve dusted it will all settle on the floors. Now is the time to roll up your sleeves and get vacuuming.

• Curtains.
• Rugs.
• Furniture, underneath cushions, pillows.
• Floors; move furniture including washers, dryers, and fridges.
• Baseboards, door frames, air vents.

03 | WIPE IT DOWN. You normally wipe down surfaces all the time, but once a year it’s a good idea to go above and beyond with wiping things down. Be weary of what types of cleaners will work on certain surfaces to avoid damages.

• Baseboard and doors.
• Walls, use a dry microfiber cloth to remove dust and magic erasers for scuffs.
• Cabinets & drawers inside and out.
• Door knobs, handles, light switches, remotes, railing.
• Clean windows inside and out.

Related Read

The Most Helpful Decluttering Guide Ever

04 | DEEP CLEAN APPLIANCES. Our appliances work hard for us and in return, we need to make sure we take care of these items so they will last.

• Clean small kitchen appliances; mixers, blenders, coffee makers, toaster ovens, etc.
• Fridge & freezer inside and out.
• Oven inside and out.
• Microwave inside and out.
• Dishwasher inside and out.
• Washer & dryer inside and out.
• Vacuum cleaners.

05 | BATHROOMS. These places get cleaned often but sometimes they need a deep clean to feel fresh and new again.

• Toilet, inside and outside.
• Shower and tub deep scrub. Don’t forget to tackle the limescale build-up on showerheads and faucets.
• Wipe down and disinfect walls, baseboards, doors, and even the trashcan.

There are a few things to add to your Spring cleaning checklist that may be outside the norm.

• Check fire extinguishers.
• Replace batteries in smoke & CO2 detectors.
• Rinse driveways & walkways.
• Remove grease stains from the garage.
• Declutter & remove items you no longer need out of your home.
• Shake out doormats.
• Clean patio furniture.
• Launder bed sheets, comforters, blankets, pillows, & rugs.
• Replace linens that are very old or have a mildew smell such as old towels, or heavily used bed pillows.
• Dust computer keyboards, air vents in gaming systems, and/or TVs.
• Disinfect purses, wallets, keys, phones, chargers, remotes, controllers, or any other daily used item that rarely gets cleaned.

How are you supposed to handle all of this Spring cleaning?

Ok, I know Spring cleaning feels a bit overwhelming… and just because it’s created for this time of year, doesn’t magically mean we have the time to do it all!

Well let me tell you unless you are a superhero with unlimited strength and energy, the reality is you are going to get tired of trying to fit everything in one or two days.

So I have created a very simple free Spring cleaning checklist that is broken down into 14 days.

What’s great about this simple Spring cleaning checklist is that it’s structured to help you stay on track, but spread out enough to ease the overwhelming feeling of deep cleaning your entire home!

Depending on your schedule maybe you can complete all 14 days in a row, or maybe you have to spread the 14 days over a month to get it accomplished.

What works for you is the right way to do it!

Every single day starts the same and that is to declutter the area you are about to clean.

Decluttering your home and spring cleaning go hand in hand. Maybe you need to consider giving your home a major purge before you start to utilize your Spring cleaning checklist.