There’s just something so satisfying about cleaning when it comes to spring. Nothing compares to that feeling of opening the windows and letting the fresh air flow through the house, seeing the whites of the skirting boards when you walk up the stairs and having organised cupboards that are easy to navigate. It’s one of life’s simple pleasures.
Whilst we love sitting down and enjoying a clean home after, it can be hard to know what to tackle first on your spring-cleaning checklist. For easy spring cleaning and to help get you started, we’re sharing our favourite 10 cleaning tips.
1. Declutter every room in the house
This is probably one of the larger tasks at hand when it comes to spring cleaning, however, doing it first means you’ll remove any clutter that’s not needed, and it’ll help get the junk out of the way for when wiping down sides and reorganising spaces. We recommend tackling one room at a time and organising items into defined containers such as: Put away, Fix, Recycle, Donate or Rubbish.
With the kitchen being the heart of the home, we like to start here. It can be tough to keep the kitchen clutter free - it’s used for many different things. We recommend going through each cupboard and area of the kitchen, completely removing everything from the space and assessing what you no longer need and sorting them into your containers. Whilst the space is empty, you can give it a deep clean, scrubbing down each area. Use a utensil tidy and storage jars to keep your sides tidy and your draws clutter free. Repeat this throughout every room!
2. Dust the blinds, wash the curtains and spray down the windows
With the mornings and evenings becoming brighter, it makes spring a great time to give your windows a good clean and let the light shine through. Take down your curtains and blinds in every room and give these a clean. Always check the care guide first, as some may be dry clean only, whereas others, like roller blinds, can be easily wiped clean. Look to see if you have an upholstery attachment on your steamer. Looking to add country charm to your windows? Discover Sophie's timeless collection of Made to Measure Curtains and Blinds.
You can make your own window cleaner at home; all you need is distilled water and white vinegar – use a 50/50 ration for a nontoxic and antibacterial homemade cleaner. Use a microfibre cloth and a squeegee to ensure you have a streak-free finish.
Our top tips for cleaning your windows include:
- Always start at the top and work your way down
- Spray the window cleaner onto your cloth rather than the glass - this avoids any drip marks
- Buff your window to avoid any streaks with a light and fast approach
- Scrape off any thick or sticky residue first with a bit of plastic – this will ensure your glass isn’t scratched
3. Wipe down the walls, skirting and doorframes
Removing grubby fingerprints, stains, and dust from your walls, skirting boards and doorframes will instantly revive the home and make it appear brighter. Start by removing any dust and cobwebs first. For painted walls, you can use a dry floor mop or a duster to reach high-up corners or hard-to-reach crevasses. Check to see what attachment your vacuum cleaner has, looking for a soft dusting brush, this can be used on wallpaper and will ensure you don’t scratch or mark the paper.
Once you’ve finished dusting, wipe down your walls to remove any grease, grime and fingerprints. Focus on things like your skirting boards in the hallway, which might attract mud and dirt, and your light switches and door handles in your rooms, which frequently get touched. Use a mild dish soap with warm water and a clean cloth, however, always test it on a hidden spot on the wall to ensure it doesn’t strip off any paint. Leave to air dry.
4. Wash your reusable shopping bags
This can often be something that’s completely forgotten about but reusable shopping bags can get dirty over time if not washed frequently, especially if you often buy loose vegetables and fruit. It can be a good idea to give them a new lease of life by popping them in the wash!
Our folding shopping bags are made from 100% cotton and can be popped in the washing machine at 30 degrees, making this an easy and quick thing to tick off your spring-cleaning list. For any reusable plastic bags, you might have around looking cluttered, consider purchasing a carrier bag holder to keep them organised and tidy in your utility or laundry area.
5. Clean your oven
It’s not the nicest of jobs if your oven has been neglected for a while, but it’ll be worth it once it’s cleaned, as it makes cooking and baking much more enjoyable. Firstly, remove your oven racks and give the inside of your oven a quick dry wipe - this will help remove any loose food or debris. You can make your own oven-cleaning mix using white vinegar and baking soda. This creates a natural cleaning paste – simply apply it to the inside of your oven and leave it for 20 minutes, then wipe it away in circular motions with a clean microfiber cloth. The glass oven door can be tricky as it’s often splashed with food - we recommend removing the glass and soaking it in warm water with a dishwasher tablet.
Once finished, hang over your double oven gloves, roller hand towel or tea towel for a tidy country look. Top tip: use oven liners going forward. This will help prevent food from sticking to the bottom of the oven.
6. Remove stains from mugs
Set aside some time in your spring-cleaning schedule to focus on cleaning out all your mugs. Unsightly coffee and tea stains can develop in your favourite mugs, but this doesn’t mean they are ruined forever - they can be easily cleaned and brought back to life . With clean mugs, you’ll probably be more likely to invite people around for tea and cake too! Read our top tips for removing tea and coffee stains from mugs, including stubborn stains.
7. Embrace lemons
Lemons are great in many ways, perfect in an earl grey tea, cocktail or drizzled-over pancakes, but they also make an excellent cleaning product. The acid within a lemon can help break down limescale and rust, as well as remove dirt!
Try cleaning your taps with lemon juice, paying particular attention to the edges where limescale can build up. Lemons can also be used to clean the microwave - simply place a bowl of water with a few slices of lemon and cook for four to five minutes, then wipe clean!
8. Organise your bed linen
Save yourself time when it comes to switching over your bed linen on a weekly basis by keeping your bedding sets organised. We have a few different ways you can fold your bedsheets to keep them tidy. Top Tip, place a tumble dryer sheet between your folded sheets to keep them smelling fresh.
Folding Fitted Sheets: Fold your sheet in half and tuck the elastic corners into each other. Repeat this step, then lay out your folded sheet in a rectangle. Next, fold the sheet into thirds lengthwise, and then fold the other way into thirds.
Folding Bed Sheets: Simply fold your bed sheets so that they are the same size as your fitted sheet, then stack this together.
Folding Pillowcases: To finish your bedsheets, fold the pillowcase lengthwise to make the same width as your folded sheets, then wrap this around both your fitted sheet and bedding sheets to create a stylish display.
Unsure how often you should be washing your bedsheets? Read our guide on how to wash cotton bedsheets to keep them soft here.
9. Once you’ve tackled the inside of the home, focus on the outside
Remove any cobwebs from the corners of your front door and outdoor lights, sweep up any leftover fallen leaves from autumn and clean your outdoor doormat. This will make your home feel much more inviting on arrival. Whilst you are there, tend to any flower beds that have been neglected over winter, sprinkling some fresh compost and planting new flowers to add vibrancy and colour.
Why not treat yourself to new gardening tools and accessories to encourage you to be more green-fingered this year? We've got lots to discover in Sophie's timeless designs, including Rose, Dragonfly and Bees.
Do you have any cleaning tips you live by for spring? Let us know in the comments below.