How to spring clean your home in 8 hours

While the term 'spring cleaning’ brings in mental images of dreary, never-ending house chores, a major cleaning session of your home should be undertaken every few months. Spread out over one day on a weekend, the task doesn’t get as tiresome as you probably imagine it to be. Have all your cleaning supplies handy before you start and jot down a checklist for each room so you don’t miss out anything.

Tips Before You Start:

Clean from top to bottom so you don’t get dirt spots on areas you have already cleaned.

• Before you start, take a look around the house for anything that needs a wash– clothes, towels, linen, doormats, etc. Let the machine run while you tackle cleaning your home.
  
• Order food instead of adding to your work by cooking.
  
• After the cleaning is finished, give your whole house a quick mopping with a solution of vinegar diluted in a bucket of warm water.

To tackle individual areas, read the tips below:

1. Bathroom:

Estimated time:  1.5 hours

Apply a solution of baking soda and water to your toilet bowl and tiles. While that is soaking, empty and clean the bathroom cabinets. Chuck anything that is empty, old or you don’t use anymore. Next scrub and rinse the sink, faucet and shower fixtures before cleaning the mirror and window with a micro-fibre cloth and glass-cleaner solution. Now rinse the toilet bowl and tiles, using a toothbrush on stubborn grout stains. Mop up excess water and hang clean towels.

2. Bedroom: 

Estimated time: 2 hours

Start with sprinkling a generous amount of baking soda on the mattress and airing your wardrobe and shoe cabinet. Get rid of junk papers and unnecessary items on your dresser, night stand and work station. Then wipe down the blades of the ceiling fan and dust all surfaces like table tops and items on the dresser and your work table. Wipe the windows, mirrors, door knobs, light fixtures and switch plates with a damp cloth and multi-surface spray and follow up with a thorough vacuuming session. Tackle the walls, window furnishings and areas behind your furniture. Don’t forget to vacuum the baking soda from the mattress and make the bed again with fresh bed linen.

3. Living/dining room: 

Estimated time: 2 hours

The living/dining room follows a similar process like the bedrooms. Start with getting rid of junk papers, then tackle the fans, followed by dusting the tables, curios and electronic appliances. Wipe down windows, light fixtures, switch plates and mirrors followed by a thorough vacuuming of the entire room paying special attention to the curtains, sofas and carpets. Use a damp cloth to wipe down the front door and bell switch.

4. Kitchen:

Estimated time: 2.5 hours

Start with removing stove grates and soaking them in detergent and warm water. Then thoroughly clean your refrigerator. Remove the contents and wipe down the shelves and doors paying special attention to food spills. Throw away expired food and restock the fridge. Next tackle the pantry and crockery cabinets in the same manner, remembering to wipe down the shelves, doors and door knobs. Rinse the stove parts and give your stove and oven a good clean with a grease remover. To clean the microwave, place a bowl of water with lemon juice and heat to boiling point for a few minutes. Then wipe the inside with a small amount of oven cleaner. Now wipe down the windows, walls, and counter tops with a multi-surface cleaner. Wash the sink and cabinet that stores the trash bin and spray with antibacterial cleanser before mopping the floor.    

While this entire process will take you around half a day on a weekend at least, we think the end result should make up for all the hard work. Until the next round of spring cleaning, of course.