Spring Cleaning Task Sheet

Spring Cleaning: the annual deep-clean of one’s home in preparation for warmer weather and a fresh clean start after the long, cold winter. Apparently Spring cleaning is not supposed to last the entirety of Spring…but it can in our house (mostly due to procrastination) haha!

To avoid becoming overwhelmed with the multitude of jobs at hand, I recommend making a list of cleaning tasks that need completing, then choosing one or two items to tick off at a time. Some days you’ll may be super-efficient and get lots done, and some days less. That’s what happens when you have kids and the key learning lesson here is being flexible.

Spring Cleaning Task Sheet.

Below I have created a Spring Cleaning Tasks Sheet that you can print and use to cover some of the key spring cleaning tasks. Tick them off as you go to gain satisfaction for tasks completed. Once completed not only will you feel better, your house will look great too. We have broken the tasks down into living areas to make it easier and by doing certain areas at a time, your cleaning efforts may be more effective.

Total House Tasks

Light Fittings: Clean bugs from all light fittings and wipe dust off light bulbs. (You’ll be surprised how much difference this can make to the lighting in your home!).
Windows: Be sure to clean both inside and out. I use white vinegar diluted in a water sprayer and paper towel to clean my windows: it’s cost effective, efficient and environmentally friendly. Where possible, remove flyscreens, taking them outside for a quick brush and hose off. Ensure they dry completely before putting them back on the windows.
Carpet: The vacuum can only clean so well! It’s good to give them a good clean by a professional carpet cleaner or by one of the hired steam cleaners from places like Bunnings or Woolworths, etc. every second year or so! For the year in between, spot cleaning with a spray carpet cleaner and drying with the hair dryer if it’s not a hot sunny day does the job.
Skirting Boards: It seems like a big job, given they follow all the inside walls of the house, but it’s only really dust that you’re wiping up so little effort is required. I use an old wet toothbrush to go along then follow by a dry rag to dry them. Tip: Give each child an anti-bacterial wipe and ask them to do this job – I give each child a room and a treat at the end for a job well done.
Drains: I do this more than once a year, but it’s nice to do them and have everything nice and clean at the same time! Simply pour 1/4 cup Bicarb Soda down the drain, then follow with 1 cup of white vinegar. The kids love watching the yucky stuff bubble up and disappear back down the drain! This cleans the walls of the drain pipe to avoid excess build up which in effect avoids blockages.
Walls: Ideally, I should wipe down all the walls to get rid of dust and grime. But I don’t have the time nor inclination to do that, so I spot clean all the hand marks off the walls with a CHUX dipped in a bucket of warm soapy water, then wipe over with clean water. Tip: Depending on the state of your walls, you may be better off painting them and giving your home a new, refreshed look.

Kitchen

Kitchen Cabinets: Build up tends to accumulate, and dust sticks to the grime on the cupboard doors that tends to come with cooking meat (and cooking in general!). Warm soapy water does the trick!
Stainless Steel: Wipe over your stainless steel with a damp cloth to remove excess food or grime. Follow with a paper towel damp with white vinegar to leave your stainless steel shining and streak-free.
Dishwasher: (I don’t have a dishwasher; this is for the majority of households out there who do have one!). Remove excess food out of the bottom, then run a cycle with special cleanser formulated to clean the entire system.
Appliances: Just a little maintenance goes a long way. Empty your toaster of crumbs, wipe the outside and give the cord a wipe over. To clean the inside of your kettle, add 1 cup of white vinegar to half a kettle of water and boil it. Tip it out, boil a full kettle of water to remove any lingering vinegar, tip out and it’s done! I love a clean kettle, as the water level becomes clearly visible again through the indicator window.
Fridge: Wipe down the outside, including the handles and seal. Empty contents of fridge, clean shelves & drawers with a cloth dipped in warm soapy water. Dab some vanilla essence on the seal to maintain a fresh scent.
Oven: Scrape off excess food. Sprinkle baking soda on the floor of the oven, followed by a few drops of white vinegar: allow to foam, then wipe away the loosened remaining grime.

Bedroom

Closets: Sort clothes, putting winter clothing to the back and bringing out the brighter, lighter clothing to the front. Toss anything that you no longer need (to the op shop, for friends, to sell, or if your favourite t-shirt has fallen apart, like some of mine, put aside for *sniff* cleaning cloths).
Mattresses: Sprinkle Bicarb Soda evenly over the mattress and leave for a few hours to draw out moisture and odours. Then vacuum the mattress using the crevice attachment, and spot clean any stains with an upholstery cleaner then allow to air dry.
Bedding: Whilst your mattress is airing, why not give your bedding a good wash! Doona inserts need to be washed in accordance to the individual tag, then once it’s completely dry, you may as well give your bedroom a whole fresh look by putting on a different cover! Don’t forget to wash your mattress protector too! And pillows can be aired by removing all pillow slips and placing on top of the washing line wires for at least an hour in full sun each side.

TV/Lounge Room

Lounge Chairs: Vacuum surfaces of lounge, run a lint roller over it and spot clean any stains in accordance to your lounges’ fabric. If you have a leather lounge, using a leather cleaner and conditioner (protector) quickly clean and wipe the conditioner into the lounge.

Bathroom & Laundry

Grout: Clean grout with grout cleaner and an old toothbrush, then rinse.
-Washing Machine: Run an empty machine load on hot with 1 cup of white vinegar to keep it fresh and high functioning. If you have a front loader, wipe the inside of the door and around the seal to get any grime away.
Brooms & Dusters: Vacuum broom & duster bristles, then swish in warm soapy water and allow to dry in the sun.

Outside

Outdoor Furniture: Wipe down table & chairs with warm soapy water, then hose and allow to air dry.
Outdoor Areas: Using a high pressure gurney you can clean paths, driveways and fencing to look fantastic.
House: Using a cobweb brush, wipe away all the cobwebs from around the house. Following this, you can hose the house down or use a cleaning solution to spray on the house and wash off.

Whilst the list seems long, some of these tasks are quick and easy to do and others can be done by home maintenance professionals to save time. I suggest setting aside a day where the weather is nice and sunny. Ideally a day where the whole family can help is useful as although the children will help in varying degrees most are happy to complete certain tasks. For those a little older, this day could represent a great opportunity to earn some pocket money.