Ultimate Spring Cleaning Checklist with free printable

Ultimate Spring Cleaning Checklist

We are about to start a major house cleaning overhaul. It takes a lot of work to maintain a home, and frankly, cleaning the nooks and crannies isn’t at the top of most people’s lists.

Just doing the everyday basics can tire ya’ out!

I try and corral my family (no eager hands flying into the air, you get the picture haha ) into helping me spring clean most years. Even though it is a big job, breaking it down into steps can help you tackle the job with confidence.

Don’t feel pressured to do it all at once!

There is a deep satisfaction that comes after this kind of work.  Especially after a cooped-up winter of sickness and recirculating air.

Open up those windows, let in the fresh air after a long winter, and crank up the music.

What should be on my spring cleaning list?

Here is a free printable copy of my master  Spring Cleaning Checklist

You can use it to get started and customize it to your needs. Remember NOT to compare yourself in any way here, just do what works for your family based on your home, ok?

Lists are guidelines to give us some direction, not taskmasters.

One last thing, we have a ton of cleaning supplies to use up, but over the last few years have been learning more about making our own.

It is amazing what you can do with a few simple ingredients for less than a dollar, that’ll clean your whole house! Let’s start with some basic cleaning recipes if you want to DIY your spring clean.  General, Floors,  and  Carpets.

Even though the list is shown here below, don’t forget to download and print off a copy!

(Decluttering at the Speed of Life is a great resource for more in-depth  purging later. Also check out Clutterbug on Youtube for great tips)

What is the history behind spring cleaning?

Spring has become synonymous with cleaning.

Historically, people needed to refresh their homes after long winter closures. Dust, soot, and smells needed to be let out, and the sunshine let in.

Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management is a fun peek into the mindset of homemakers 100+ years before us. It sure makes me appreciate modern conveniences!

Spring cleaning room-by-room

Hello entryway!

• Remove furniture pieces, wipe them down, and clean
• Wash mirrors/ wipe down frames with a damp rag
• Wipe down any wall décor
• Organize and label keys
• Wipe switch plates  as well as the doors

“Homemaking is surely in reality the most important work in the world”–C.S. LEWIS

Tackle the living areas

• Move things and wipe down all baseboards with a damp rag (Take note of any areas that need touch up work)  These work great for scuffs as well
• Change rags often to keep from spreading dust
• Wipe all wall frames with a damp cloth
• Vacuum ceiling fans well and dust with pledge, check light bulbs if replacements needed
• Wash interior window- Start by vacuuming sills, and washing them with soapy water. Use vinegar and water solution to clean windows, drying with crumpled newspapers or rags
• If needed, lubricate window tracks
• Take down outer screens, clean with a fine hose spray and soapy water (Note any areas that need to be patched)
• While screens are drying, clean outer windows
• Clean wood floors, here is a recipe
• If there is carpet, use a steam cleaner
• Wipe all switch plates down with cleaner
• Vacuum and clean out between and under furniture cushions
• If needed, spot clean or wash cases for throw pillows
• Dust lampshades with a fresh damp cloth, and (unplugged) the lamp fixture
• If leather, wipe the couches with conditioner
• Dust shelves completely, removing items and getting the tops
• Vacuum behind the entertainment center, carefully wiping down the TV on the front and back
• Empty out and vacuum and baskets/containers
• Take curtains outside, shake well, and put in the dryer on tumble dry for a few minutes. Spray with Febreze, and rehang
• Clean out any drawers, organize easily and cheaply with ideas from here

Don’t forget the hidden closets

• Pull all the stuff out and vacuum
• Sort shoes and coats, get rid of outgrown things, and organize what’s left
• Wipe down the baseboards
• Organize and label supplies, here is what I did (Another big job but was worth it)

Our kitchens are the hub

• Clean and vacuum tops of cabinets
• Wipe out and organize cupboards, purge where necessary
• Wipe down the cupboard fronts
• Empty drawers and clean out crumbs
• Clean the inside of the microwave, here is an easy tip
• Wash down appliance fronts
• Empty and clean out the inside of the fridge
• Check the freezer, and organize it with these ideas
• Organize pantry, check food dates
• Wipe down all baseboards
• Vacuum behind fridge
• Clean light fixtures
• Wash interior window- Start by vacuuming sills, and washing them with soapy water. Use vinegar and water solution to clean windows, drying with crumpled newspapers or rags.
• If needed, lubricate window tracks
• Take down outer screens, and clean with a fine hose spray and soapy water (Note any areas that need to be patched)
• Wipe down any vents
• Take curtains outside, shake well, and put in the dryer on tumble dry for a few minutes. Spray with Febreze, and rehang
• Wash trashcans
• Clean out the dishwasher, ideas are here
• Wipe all switch plates down with cleaner
• Mop, making sure to get the corners under the cabinets
• Clean disposal

The forgotten spots

• Clean out the water heater closet, check for needed maintenance
• Check light bulbs, take note of what is needed
• Notice areas that need touch-up paint or minor repair work
• Wipe computer keyboards and phones with an antibacterial wipe
• Empty closet if possible, *I know this is a big job, I was overwhelmed but really glad once I saw how dirty it was 
• Vacuum well,  and wipe down any shelves
• Organize clothes and donate what doesn’t fit, doesn’t match, etc.

“A true home is one of the most sacred of places. It is a sanctuary into which men flee from the world’s perils and alarms. It is a resting-place to which at close of day the weary retire to gather new strength for the battle and toils of tomorrow. It is the place where love learns its lessons, where life is schooled into discipline and strength, where character is molded.

Few things we can do in this world are so well worth doing as the making of a beautiful and happy home. He who does this builds a sanctuary for God and opens a fountain of blessing for men. Far more than we know, do the strength and beauty of our lives depend upon the home in which we dwell. He who goes forth in the morning from a happy, loving, prayerful home, into the world’s strife, temptation, struggle, and duty, is strong–inspired for noble and victorious living.”–J.R. MILLER

Our stairs and landings  need attention

• Vacuum well, especially along the edges
• Wash banisters and railings
• Wipe baseboards and switchplates
• Check for carpet stains that need attention

Pee Yewwww Bathroom time

• Sanitize  cabinets fronts
• Empty and vacuum out cabinets, organize
• Scrub toilet, (Borax works great), check seals etc. for needed repairs
• Wash trashcans
• Scrub the tub and wipe along the shower inset, check for needed caulking
• Wipe down décor with a damp cloth
• Wipe switch plates
• Wash down baseboards
• Clean mirrors and wipe light fixtures
• Clean air vents, here is an idea
• Wash the shower curtains, and replace liners if needed

Thanking the laundry for cleaning for us

• Check for leaks
• Wash appliances
• Run refreshing cycle for washer
• Check the lint trap and the hose connected to the wall (ours had MAJOR lint, the potential for fire, and we empty the trap often)
• Wipe baseboards
• Organize cleaning supplies
• Wipe down any vents

“The humblest tasks get beautified if loving hands do them.”—LOUISA MAY ALCOTT, LITTLE WOMEN

Bedrooms deserve extra cleaning love

• Wipe down and clean ceiling fans, dust
• Clean carpets with a steam cleaner
• Vacuum and dust all shelves
• Wash interior window- Start by vacuuming sills, and washing them with soapy water. Use vinegar and water solution to clean windows, drying with crumpled newspapers or rags.
• If needed, lubricate window tracks
• Take down outer screens, and clean with a fine hose spray and soapy water (Note any areas that need to be patched)
• For kids, get rid of toys that aren’t used. Sanitize their play areas with kid-safe cleaners
• Shake out rugs
• Vacuum under beds, and between mattresses
• Wash all bedding. Consider whether linens need refreshing
• While you are here, is it time to add a little less practicality, and a little more restoration? Whether this is through romance or self-care, invest in the place that refreshes your each night

 ‘Whether we do a lot of housework or a little of it, whether we keep house only for ourselves or for other people as well, housework forms part of the basic patterning of our lives, a pattern that we might identify as a kind of ‘litany of everyday life.’ —Margaret Kim Peterson

Spring cleaning your house refreshes your spirit

Break things into time blocks that fit well for YOUR family. Keep it manageable, and customize to your needs, not to fit a Pinterest scroll of someone’s best showcase moments.

Trust me, those are curated. Inspirational? Definitely, but not intended to make you feel less.

This is just a tool, remember that! A checklist is only to remind you of places we forget to do upkeep, and a paper to check them off as we go.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor, you deserve it.

Have a blessed day refreshing your sanctuary!

P.s. Check out 5 simple ways to spring clean your life (not your house) too! Want to take it a step further? Consider lessons from Swedish Death Cleaning.

Spring cleaning resources I like:

• E- cloth set ( I intensely dislike the feel of microfiber, but the work great)
• Having a Martha Home the Mary Way: 31 Days to a Clean House and a Satisfied Soul
• Glass bottles
• The Home Edit Life: The No-Guilt Guide to Owning What You Want and Organizing Everything 
• Mrs. Meyers basics
• Zep hardwood and laminate cleaner ( my husband’s fave for years)
• I haven’t tried this one, but am hearing rave reviews of The Pink Stuff
• Disclosure: I only recommend products I do/would use myself. These affiliate links add NO additional cost to you, and may earn me a tiny commission to help support this blog. Read full privacy policy here.