Spring cleaning may seem like an insurmountable task, but once you get started, you will see how all the pieces start to come together until you have a sparkling clean home. Of course, there are many ways to clean a house. You can clean your home from top to bottom, from one complete room to the next, or from one task to the next. You can do it by yourself, with the help of your family, or by hiring a professional cleaning service to come out and scrub your home to perfection.

As with anything, you’ll find lots of different ways to do each task. Most come down to a matter of personal preference. Here are a few spring cleaning do’s and don’ts to ensure the deep cleaning of your home goes as smoothly, swiftly, and safely as possible.

Young girl dressed in purple sneakers and a red cape, holding cleaning supplies ready to tackle cleaning her room

Spring Cleaning Dos

  • Make a cleaning checklist. Having a spring cleaning checklist on hand helps you to stay organized and motivated as you work to clean the whole house from top to bottom.
  • Divide and conquer. Get the whole family involved if possible. Little ones can tackle easier tasks like sorting the laundry and picking up toys so older children and grownups can get into the real chores.
  • Break up the tasks across the weekend. Give yourself enough time to accomplish the whole job rather than stressing over a too-short timeline.
  • Always read the directions on home cleaning products. Potentially deadly interactions can occur if products containing bleach and ammonia are mixed or used at the same time. Use extreme caution in reading the ingredients of your favorite cleaning chemicals and avoid mixing products.
  • Audit your pantry, cupboards, and freezer for castaways. Toss what’s expired or too old to use. Wipe everything down and start fresh in each space.

A woman kneeling next to her open oven preparing to clean it

Spring Cleaning Don’ts

  • Don’t run your self-cleaning oven’s cleaning cycle until everyone is out of the house. If you have pets, try to bring them outside as well. Some reports show that the oven’s cleaning cycle can emit dangerous fumes that shouldn’t be breathed in by anybody. When in doubt, you can just use a regular oven cleaner instead.
  • Don’t wash the windows on a sunny day. Cleaning the windows on a cloudy day allows them to dry more slowly for a crystal-clear finish, avoiding those annoying streaks and smears that are so common when the sun’s shining.
  • Don’t forget to change out the curtains and drapes. Bring the old ones over to the dry cleaner and then safely pack them away until next year.
  • Don’t keep all of your seasonal clothing out at all times. Store clothing you aren’t currently wearing in labeled, airtight bins for a later time.
  • Don’t settle for a cluttered home. Look into secure and affordable personal storage units so you can enjoy your home for all the space it offers you and your family.
  • Don’t feel like you have to get it all done at once. Rejoice in each win to keep you feeling motivated as you spring-clean your home. Give your inner perfectionist a little break and be happy with each task you accomplish.

As you prepare to spring clean your home, remember that every house is different and may have special needs. After you’ve tackled the biggest spring cleaning chores, consider making a house cleaning schedule for the future. Use this schedule every week to ensure your home stays as squeaky clean as possible long into the summer, fall, and winter months, getting as much mileage as possible out of your deep spring cleaning. Remember, when it comes to spring cleaning, the biggest “do” is to just do it!