Spring Cleaning Your Home In A Weekend

It’s spring in Ottawa! The birds are chirping, plants and trees are all reviving, and we’ve opened all the windows throughout the house to feel that fresh spring air blowing in. Whether you love it or not, a good spring cleaning is something we all must tackle as we prepare our homes for the warmer summer months to come.

Now, let’s not drag it out … we’ve put together a checklist of items to get all your spring cleaning items done in one weekend, yup that’s right, quick and easy.

Ready? Put on a fun music playlist (try this one we created with some great summer tunes) and let’s get started!

Cleaning Tools + Organizing

For the maximum spring cleaning experience, we recommend that you start with the right equipment – and look no further than your own kitchen pantry! Homemade, DIY cleaners are easy to make and all you need are everyday items you can find in your kitchen including lemon juice, vinegar, baking soda, water and you can even add in some essential oils.

Oh, and don’t forget the garbage bags and sorting bins for top organization, spring cleaning is the perfect time to clean out your closets, and sort through all the clothes and household items you don’t need anymore. Try breaking them up into 4 sections – sell, donate, re-gift/give to a friend and recycle.

Saturday | To Do: Main Floor

  • FRIDGE: Outside AND inside. Spring cleaning means going the extra mile, so pull out all of your fridge’s interior shelving, drawers and wash them down with soapy water. Then wipe down all the surfaces on the inside before putting shelves back in their place. By taking everything out, it’s a great opportunity to throw away old foods, and re-organize for better efficiency.
  • STOVE: If you ever start to smell something burning when you turn on your oven, it might be time to give it a deep clean. Chip off all the loose pieces from inside to start, and then sprinkle baking soda and a few drops of white vinegar on the bottom, let it bubble up, then whisk away the grime with a sponge. This is a good way to clean without using harsh oven-cleaning products.
  • DISHWASHER: To make sure that your dishwasher is getting all the stains off your dinner plates, it needs a good clean, too! Start by removing any bits of food from the bottom and run a cycle with a specialty dishwasher cleanser pod – this should be done more than just spring cleaning time, we recommend once per month or so.
  • CABINETS: Dust build-up and kitchen residues can collect on your kitchen cabinets over time — especially if you don’t run the exhaust hood over your range while you cook. To remove this, there are special cabinet creams you can purchase to cut through the dirt and grease, and leave the wood moisturized.
  • FLOORING: Since you likely wash your floors on the regular, spring clean it to the next level by including a deeper clean of the floorboards, under the area rugs, and in the little corners. As a friendly tip, use saucers under your plants to avoid water damage on the floor and furniture protectors to avoid scratches.

Sunday | To Do: Bedrooms/Second Floor

  • BEDDING: Since you’re washing pillowcases and sheets every week or so, spring cleaning your bedding should include your pillows and comforter. These accessories should be thrown into your washing machine – simply read the label first – a couple times a year.
  • BATHROOMS: Cleaning your bathroom tiles can be super easy with a simple mix of baking soda and water for a homemade cleaner. For grout, use the same baking soda and water mixture but tough stains might need the stronger stuff.
  • WINDOWS: Instead of just wiping down the inside of the windows, make sure you also take the time to get in all the cracks and the outside, too! Get a clear view of all the outdoors and remove all the spots and smudges you don’t usually have time to tackle.
  • WASHING MACHINE: This is something a lot of people forget! You don’t want to wash your clothes in a smelly machine, right? Disinfect it with white vinegar and baking soda to keep it fresh and high functioning. You can also run the machine with hot water, add a washing machine cleaner product, let it run for 30 to 60 minutes, and wipe it dry afterwards.

Bonus Points | To Do: Outside

Before it gets too hot, spring is the best time to take out all your outdoor furniture, wipe down your chairs, fluff the cushions, and arrange the outdoor dining table! Wipe everything down with a mixture of warm water and dish soap. Then hose off the solution with water from your garden hose and let them air dry.

Now you’re ready for indoor and outdoor entertaining this spring! Let us know what other items you tackle in your spring cleaning checklist.