Spring Cleaning Checklist

Spring Cleaning List

Updated for 2021

Hopefully after a long, cold winter, you’re ready to stretch the cleaning muscles and spruce up your home. Use this Ultimate Spring Cleaning Checklist and you’ll hit all the essentials you need to deep clean every room in the house to to get your home feeling refreshed and ready for the new Spring season.

Spring Cleaning Checklist by Room:

In Every Room

    Vacuum all carpets and floors
    Clean baseboards with a vacuum hose extension
    Clear cobwebs in ceiling corners with a vacuum hose extension
    Dust or polish every surface
    Dust the ceiling fan and light fixtures/bulbs
    Wipe down walls and baseboards
    Wash the interior windows
    Clean light fixtures
    Dust the blinds and window sills
    Change light bulbs and/or batteries

Pro Tip: For tough dirt on plastic blinds, remove and place them in a bathtub with warm water. After soaking, give them a wipe with a microfiber towel. Any dirt will come off much easier.

Entryway

    Clean the door and sanitize the handle
    Declutter hooks or coat hangers
    Organize shoes and outerwear
    Clean mirrors
    Clean door mats and/or entry rugs
    Sweep and mop floors

Pro Tip: After cleaning, help your entryway stay clutter-free by adding storage solutions for organizing shoes, gear, and outerwear.

Can we pay you to store vehicles?

List your unused space

People are earning $1,000s per year from their garages and outdoor space.

Approve your renters

You're in control. Approve who rents and the hours of access.

Get paid monthly

Sit back and collect automatic payments each month.

Living Room

Take advantage of the new season and consider rearranging your living room entirely. Nothing feels fresher than a new layout.

    Vacuum and deodorize sofas, seats, and cushions
    Dust off mantels and shelves
    Wipe down fixtures and pictures
    Clean center tables
    Clean and shampoo rugs
    Organize toys, books, and other clutter
    Carefully clean entertainment screens, controllers, and surfaces of consoles

Pro Tip: A great way to deal with toys kept in your living room is to get a basket or bin that can store everything conveniently.

Kitchen

    Remove expired foods from the fridge, freezer, and pantry
    Clean out the refrigerator, remove and wash shelves and drawers
    Replace or add a new deodorizer inside the fridge
    Clean the dishwasher, remove any debris at the bottom
    Clean the microwave
    Clean the stovetop
    Wipe down the outsides of your trash cans
    Wash any cloth towels or dish rags
    Throw out old sponges and replace them with new ones
    Clean off soap dishes or sponge holders
    Clean and deodorize the sink, pour some bleach down the drain
    Wipe down and sanitize countertops
    Wipe down cabinets, sanitize the handles
    Remove everything from the cupboards and wipe down shelves
    Empty out drawers, wipe the insides, put down a liner before replacing everything
    Dust down the tops of the fridge and high cupboards
    Wipe down backsplash and walls with degreaser
    Wipe down and sanitize all switches
    Organize cookbooks or recipes and store them neatly in the same location
    Organize the spice rack and bottled seasonings, wipe down each container
    Declutter and organize your food storage containers, match lids
    Clean the oven. Do this last if you use self-cleaning mode
    Wipe down baseboards
    Sweep, mop, and polish the floor

Pro Tip: Kitchen organization can be overwhelming, so use our Kitchen Organization Guide to get started in 5 simple steps.

Kitchen spring cleaning checklist

Dining Room

    Clean and dust any light fixtures first
    Clean and polish table tops and chairs
    Clean or shampoo any rugs
    Sweep and mop any hardwood or tile flooring
    Clear off the table and declutter surrounding areas
    Wipe down or wash any placemats
    Dust or clean any blinds or curtains before replacing them
    Wipe down and sanitize all switches

Bathrooms

    Dust light fixtures and replace old bulbs
    Deep clean the bathtub and shower
    Remove all your shower products and scrub tile for grout
    Throw away any old or expired products, makeup, or prescriptions
    Consolidate liquids from almost empty bottles into new ones if possible
    Run a snake down your sink and shower drains
    Deep clean the toilet and sanitize the outside
    Declutter and organize areas under the sink
    Clean toothbrush holders
    Clean and refill soap dispensers
    Wash all dirty towels
    Empty and wipe out drawers and cabinet shelves, add a liner before replacing
    Clean the mirrors and vanity area
    Wipe down and polish sink fixtures
    Clean and wash any rugs or drying mats
    Sweep and mop the floor
    Replace the curtain liner with a new one
    Replace any old sponges or wash any shower cloths

Earn $1,000s per year with your unused space

Bedrooms

    Sort and organize your clothes, donate anything you no longer need or use
    Sort and organize your closet and use laundry baskets for dirty items
    Wash all bedding, including sheets, pillow cases, and covers
    Freshen and deodorize your mattress
    Flip your mattress
    Wipe down any furniture surfaces and shelving
    Clean out any drawers and add a liner before replacing
    Dust off any electronics
    Dust and organize any books or items you have on shelves
    Clean and organize the space underneath your bed
    Vacuum, shampoo, or wash any rugs
    Sweep and mop any hardwood or tile flooring

Pro Tip: Use our Ultimate Home Organization Guide to help you sort through and organize every room in the home!

Kid Play Area

    Sort and organize all their clothes and toys, donate anything no longer needed or used
    Wash any blankets or linens before folding and putting away
    Wash any stuffed animals or toys, air dry
    Wipe, sanitize, and organize toys and place them into bins or cubbies
    Dust off and wipe books
    Wipe down any furniture surfaces and shelving
    Dust and polish any hard surfaces
    Clean and shampoo any rugs

Pro Tip: Make cleaning and organizing for kids easier by using hooks, buckets, baskets, bins, or cubby-style shelving units for them to put their things away neatly.

Office

    Sort and organize all loose papers, shred or recycle anything old or no longer needed
    Dust off any standing or overhead light fixtures
    Dust all electronics, use compressed air for optimal dusting
    Wipe down and sanitize your keyboard and mouse
    Wipe down and sanitize desk mats
    Clean and polish desk surface areas
    Dust off books
    Clean out any cabinets, organize items, and replace them neatly
    Clean out any drawers, get rid of anything you no longer need, and replace items neatly
    Clean and shampoo any rugs

Pro Tip: Toss out old papers safely and securely. Invest in a paper shredder so dumpster divers don’t get a hold of your old financial statements or paperwork.

Laundry Room

    Organize and throw out any old or expired products
    Organize any laundry supplies, consolidate liquids if possible
    Wipe down and organize shelving
    Clean out the lint trap of the dryer
    Use a cleaner to give your washer a deep cleaning
    Open and empty out the washing machine drain pump
    Wipe down the surfaces of your washer and dryer appliances
    Use a hose extension to vacuum and dust behind appliances
    Wipe down and organize any hanging or drying racks
    Clean and sanitize any counter surfaces
    Clear out any cabinets, wipe them down, and add a liner before replacing

Pro Tip: Accessing the drain pump is different for every washing machine. Front loaders typically have a drain pump near the bottom front that catches spare change etc. Top loaders typically have a drain pump on the back.

Basement

This section applies to those with basements that are finished or unfinished, but are dedicated to storing recreational and miscellaneous items. If you have a finished basement with rooms or living spaces, other sections earlier in this checklist are most applicable for spring cleaning those areas.

    Go through items and sort out what you want to keep, throw away, donate, or need to be stored elsewhere.
    Dust any standing or overhead light fixtures, replace bulbs as needed
    Wipe down and sanitize switches
    Vacuum and dust any cobwebs from top to bottom
    Clear out anything in cabinets or drawers, wipe the surfaces down, and add a liner before replacing neatly
    Remove any vents and vacuum them out
    Dust any surfaces and polish if possible
    Sweep and mop any hard flooring

Pro Tip: If you keep seasonal or holiday decor in your basement, invest in clear storage bins so you know exactly what’s inside while keeping everything stored away neatly.

Garage

This section might be a larger project for some. We recommend assessing the deep cleaning and organization of your garage with the garage door open (fully or partially) to allow better airflow as you go about cleaning.

    Clean and dust any standing or overhead light fixtures, replacing bulbs and batteries as needed
    Go through items and sort out what you want to keep, throw away, donate, or need to be stored elsewhere
    Go through your tools, wipe them down, and store them neatly organized in a tool box, peg board, or tool chest
    Wipe down any tool chest and clean off any workspace surfaces
    Clean out anything in cabinets or cupboards, adding a liner before replacing neatly
    Dust off items on shelves if you plan to use them in the future
    Vacuum and dust any cobwebs from top to bottom
    Wipe down the garage door, dusting the inside and frame
    Clean any windows, both inside and outside
    Sweep the floor or lay down and old rug you no longer use

Pro Tip: For optimal organization and garage storage, use hooks and hang up your tools, bikes, and other equipment to maximize space.

Outdoors & Yard Area

    Clean the grill and cover it when you’re done
    Check your yard tools: Sharpen blades, clean off any debris or rust, and make any small fixes or maintenance tweaks so they’re ready to go
    Remove any rust from handheld yard tools, store them all in the same area or in a bucket for easy access
    Prune and weed walkways and garden beds
    Check your irrigation system and assess any sprinkler head fixes
    Trim down any overgrown areas
    Clean and rake up any areas with dead or rotting leaves/branches
    Clean your rain gutters, make sure they’re clear of any debris
    Check for any pest issues along the outside perimeter and set traps if needed
    Pressure wash sidewalks, driveways, and sidings of the house
    Clean up any pet droppings if needed
    Rake away any debris on your lawn
    Trim any branches in prep for spring growth
    Rake and smooth out any gravel areas
    Check any wooden structures and take note of their structural integrity in case you need to replace or reinforce them for spring
    Dump out any standing water, clean out water features to remove any mold or algae build up, and replace them with fresh water

Pro Tip: A pressure washer is about 100x better than a normal hose and can give you a brand new looking surface area. You can rent one for less than $50 for a day from Home Depot or Lowes.

     

Related Posts