Get Ready for Your Spring Clean

Spring is on its way, and the world is starting to feel bright and new. Bring that fresh feeling indoors with the time-honoured spring clean.

How do you approach this annual task without feeling daunted? The answer is to prepare – you can get organised this winter for your spring clean with a bit of forward planning. Here’s the Hopkins Homes guide to a satisfying and stress-free spring clean.

How to prepare for your spring clean

The first thing to plan is when you’re going to spring clean. It might not be the most exciting use of a day off; however, spring cleaning is far less disruptive to everyday living if you can devote a block of time to it.

It’s too easy for cleaning to fall mainly on one household member. Assemble your spring clean team, especially for any jobs that need two adults (yes, we’re talking about a full-on, furniture-moving level of spring clean). Get the whole family involved: what kid-friendly tasks are there? Sorting out their own Lego collection or bookshelves encourages younger children to get involved (while feeling very grown-up for helping).

Do you have a cleaning timetable planned? Should you clean one room at a time, or carry out one task at a time? Whatever approach works for you! Some people like the satisfaction of seeing a room completed before moving on, while others prefer finishing a task (such as cleaning all the windows) so they can put the tools and materials away.

House-cleaning heroes

You can also get organised for your spring clean by making sure you have everything you need. Here are a few things that might help:

• Soft cloths, for both wet and dry use (microfibre cloths are great for dusting)
• A duster with a handle for ceilings and light fittings
• Plenty of bin bags, so you can separate recycling as you go
• Spare vacuum bags, if needed
• Bicarb and white wine vinegar
• Old toothbrushes for tricky-to-reach corners
• A playlist. Music or a podcast can really help to motivate you

Declutter

Get ahead of your spring clean by decluttering your home. It’s much easier to top-to-bottom a room if there’s not a lot of stuff getting in the way. There are various ways to approach decluttering. Some people make lists, while others use the “three piles” method (sort things into keep, donate and recycle).

Where’s the best place to start? Decluttering can feel like one of those old sliding puzzles, where you have to keep finding a new space to slide a piece into. Start by creating more storage space, which can mean that your first port-of-call is the loft, larder or wardrobe. Make this the first space you declutter, creating room to move things into.

Decluttering is also a great opportunity to invest in some exciting new storage solutions. Find out more about bedroom storage ideas in our handy guide.

Surfaces

Cleared of clutter, it should be easier to clean down all those empty (or emptier) surfaces. However, as we all know, the surfaces themselves aren’t the problem – it’s the books, photos, lamps, ornaments…! It’s a great chance to gently dust and inspect everything for signs of wear or damage (yes, even books).

Windows

Let the light stream in by giving the windows a good clean, both outside and in (you may need to engage a pro for higher windows). You can’t beat lightly soapy water and a squeegee for the best results. Don’t simply clean the glass: windowsills (both sides), trickle vents and curtain poles can all do with a wipe after the winter.

Walls

Depending on what your walls look like, this could be simply a flick with a long brush to remove cobwebs or a spray with a paint-friendly mould remover. Even the walls in new homes can benefit from a dust occasionally. While you’re cleaning the walls, dust picture frames and clean mirrors (as you would the windows).

In the bathroom and kitchen, give the tiles a good buff, and check the grout for signs of mould or discolouration. Gently clean the grout with an old toothbrush and bicarb.

Floors

Leave the floors until last, as they’ll gather the dust and dirt from your other cleaning. A good vacuum or brush, followed by a mop and buff, is perfect for hard floors (always research the best technique for your particular flooring). If you have carpets, this is a great time to hire a carpet cleaner for fluffy results. A thorough floor clean includes giving the skirting boards and any panels a wipe, too.

Soft furnishings

It’s amazing how dirty curtains and blinds can get without us noticing. It’s generally easier to take them down to clean, even if they simply need a good dust. It’s worth popping rugs outside on dry days – they really capture that zesty fresh air, bringing the natural scent of spring into your home. Make the most of a sunny day to machine wash any suitable sofa, chair and cushion covers and hang those outside to dry, too.

Appliances

Keep your white goods and other appliances running at their most effective by giving them a good clean.

• Washing machine – you can run a cleaning programme in the background while the other housework is going on. Give the drawer and seals a bit of extra attention
• Dryer – clean out the filter and condenser, and give the rest of the appliance a gentle wipe around
• Dishwasher – again, run a cleaning cycle with an approved cleaning product
• Fridge – empty it out, clean the drawers and shelves in the kitchen sink and spray the sides with an antibac
• Freezer – if your freezer isn’t a frost-free model, defrost it before cleaning. Otherwise, it’s the same process as the fridge
• Cooker – run a self-cleaning programme or grab the gloves and get scrubbing. Cookers work very hard over the festive period, and deserve a good spring clean
• Microwave – hand-wash the plate separately and wipe out the cavity. Make sure the vents at the back are dust-free
• Extractor fans – some panels can go in the dishwasher, which makes light work of this greasy job

(Always check the manual before embarking on an appliance clean.)

Details and fiddly bits

A spring clean is a great chance to tend to those hidden corners and forgotten details that get overlooked during regular housework.

• Electrical equipment needs dusting much more regularly (blame the static electricity). Dust every little bit, right down to the wires, and treat your screens to a clean with a proper screen wipe
• Door and cupboard handles
• Light switches can get really grubby (but please be super careful when cleaning anything electrical)
• Lamp shades and feature light bulbs are real dust magnets
• Behind the telly and under the desk. Give these areas a good dust and disentangle all that spaghetti
• External door furniture, such as the letterbox and cat flap

Move into a fresh, clean new build…

How’s this for a radical spring cleaning solution? A new build home is fresh and spotless, just waiting to be lived in. If you’d like to spring into action and move into a new home this season, please contact us at Hopkins Homes.