Spring Cleaning Checklist
Updated for 2021
Hopefully after a long, cold winter, you’re ready to stretch the cleaning muscles and spruce up your home. Use this Ultimate Spring Cleaning Checklist and you’ll hit all the essentials you need to deep clean every room in the house to to get your home feeling refreshed and ready for the new Spring season.
Spring Cleaning Checklist by Room:
- In Every Room
- Entryway
- Living Room
- Kitchen
- Dining Room
- Bathrooms
- Bedrooms
- Kids’ Rooms or Areas
- Office
- Laundry Room
- Basement
- Garage
- Outdoor & Yard Areas
In Every Room
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Vacuum all carpets and floors
Clean baseboards with a vacuum hose extension
Clear cobwebs in ceiling corners with a vacuum hose extension
Dust or polish every surface
Dust the ceiling fan and light fixtures/bulbs
Wipe down walls and baseboards
Wash the interior windows
Clean light fixtures
Dust the blinds and window sills
Change light bulbs and/or batteries
Pro Tip: For tough dirt on plastic blinds, remove and place them in a bathtub with warm water. After soaking, give them a wipe with a microfiber towel. Any dirt will come off much easier.
Entryway
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Clean the door and sanitize the handle
Declutter hooks or coat hangers
Organize shoes and outerwear
Clean mirrors
Clean door mats and/or entry rugs
Sweep and mop floors
Pro Tip: After cleaning, help your entryway stay clutter-free by adding storage solutions for organizing shoes, gear, and outerwear.
Living Room
Take advantage of the new season and consider rearranging your living room entirely. Nothing feels fresher than a new layout.
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Vacuum and deodorize sofas, seats, and cushions
Dust off mantels and shelves
Wipe down fixtures and pictures
Clean center tables
Clean and shampoo rugs
Organize toys, books, and other clutter
Carefully clean entertainment screens, controllers, and surfaces of consoles
Pro Tip: A great way to deal with toys kept in your living room is to get a basket or bin that can store everything conveniently.
Kitchen
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Remove expired foods from the fridge, freezer, and pantry
Clean out the refrigerator, remove and wash shelves and drawers
Replace or add a new deodorizer inside the fridge
Clean the dishwasher, remove any debris at the bottom
Clean the microwave
Clean the stovetop
Wipe down the outsides of your trash cans
Wash any cloth towels or dish rags
Throw out old sponges and replace them with new ones
Clean off soap dishes or sponge holders
Clean and deodorize the sink, pour some bleach down the drain
Wipe down and sanitize countertops
Wipe down cabinets, sanitize the handles
Remove everything from the cupboards and wipe down shelves
Empty out drawers, wipe the insides, put down a liner before replacing everything
Dust down the tops of the fridge and high cupboards
Wipe down backsplash and walls with degreaser
Wipe down and sanitize all switches
Organize cookbooks or recipes and store them neatly in the same location
Organize the spice rack and bottled seasonings, wipe down each container
Declutter and organize your food storage containers, match lids
Clean the oven. Do this last if you use self-cleaning mode
Wipe down baseboards
Sweep, mop, and polish the floor
Pro Tip: Kitchen organization can be overwhelming, so use our Kitchen Organization Guide to get started in 5 simple steps.
Dining Room
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Clean and dust any light fixtures first
Clean and polish table tops and chairs
Clean or shampoo any rugs
Sweep and mop any hardwood or tile flooring
Clear off the table and declutter surrounding areas
Wipe down or wash any placemats
Dust or clean any blinds or curtains before replacing them
Wipe down and sanitize all switches
Bathrooms
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Dust light fixtures and replace old bulbs
Deep clean the bathtub and shower
Remove all your shower products and scrub tile for grout
Throw away any old or expired products, makeup, or prescriptions
Consolidate liquids from almost empty bottles into new ones if possible
Run a snake down your sink and shower drains
Deep clean the toilet and sanitize the outside
Declutter and organize areas under the sink
Clean toothbrush holders
Clean and refill soap dispensers
Wash all dirty towels
Empty and wipe out drawers and cabinet shelves, add a liner before replacing
Clean the mirrors and vanity area
Wipe down and polish sink fixtures
Clean and wash any rugs or drying mats
Sweep and mop the floor
Replace the curtain liner with a new one
Replace any old sponges or wash any shower cloths
Bedrooms
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Sort and organize your clothes, donate anything you no longer need or use
Sort and organize your closet and use laundry baskets for dirty items
Wash all bedding, including sheets, pillow cases, and covers
Freshen and deodorize your mattress
Flip your mattress
Wipe down any furniture surfaces and shelving
Clean out any drawers and add a liner before replacing
Dust off any electronics
Dust and organize any books or items you have on shelves
Clean and organize the space underneath your bed
Vacuum, shampoo, or wash any rugs
Sweep and mop any hardwood or tile flooring
Pro Tip: Use our Ultimate Home Organization Guide to help you sort through and organize every room in the home!
Kid Play Area
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Sort and organize all their clothes and toys, donate anything no longer needed or used
Wash any blankets or linens before folding and putting away
Wash any stuffed animals or toys, air dry
Wipe, sanitize, and organize toys and place them into bins or cubbies
Dust off and wipe books
Wipe down any furniture surfaces and shelving
Dust and polish any hard surfaces
Clean and shampoo any rugs
Pro Tip: Make cleaning and organizing for kids easier by using hooks, buckets, baskets, bins, or cubby-style shelving units for them to put their things away neatly.
Office
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Sort and organize all loose papers, shred or recycle anything old or no longer needed
Dust off any standing or overhead light fixtures
Dust all electronics, use compressed air for optimal dusting
Wipe down and sanitize your keyboard and mouse
Wipe down and sanitize desk mats
Clean and polish desk surface areas
Dust off books
Clean out any cabinets, organize items, and replace them neatly
Clean out any drawers, get rid of anything you no longer need, and replace items neatly
Clean and shampoo any rugs
Pro Tip: Toss out old papers safely and securely. Invest in a paper shredder so dumpster divers don’t get a hold of your old financial statements or paperwork.
Laundry Room
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Organize and throw out any old or expired products
Organize any laundry supplies, consolidate liquids if possible
Wipe down and organize shelving
Clean out the lint trap of the dryer
Use a cleaner to give your washer a deep cleaning
Open and empty out the washing machine drain pump
Wipe down the surfaces of your washer and dryer appliances
Use a hose extension to vacuum and dust behind appliances
Wipe down and organize any hanging or drying racks
Clean and sanitize any counter surfaces
Clear out any cabinets, wipe them down, and add a liner before replacing
Pro Tip: Accessing the drain pump is different for every washing machine. Front loaders typically have a drain pump near the bottom front that catches spare change etc. Top loaders typically have a drain pump on the back.
Basement
This section applies to those with basements that are finished or unfinished, but are dedicated to storing recreational and miscellaneous items. If you have a finished basement with rooms or living spaces, other sections earlier in this checklist are most applicable for spring cleaning those areas.
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Go through items and sort out what you want to keep, throw away, donate, or need to be stored elsewhere.
Dust any standing or overhead light fixtures, replace bulbs as needed
Wipe down and sanitize switches
Vacuum and dust any cobwebs from top to bottom
Clear out anything in cabinets or drawers, wipe the surfaces down, and add a liner before replacing neatly
Remove any vents and vacuum them out
Dust any surfaces and polish if possible
Sweep and mop any hard flooring
Pro Tip: If you keep seasonal or holiday decor in your basement, invest in clear storage bins so you know exactly what’s inside while keeping everything stored away neatly.
Garage
This section might be a larger project for some. We recommend assessing the deep cleaning and organization of your garage with the garage door open (fully or partially) to allow better airflow as you go about cleaning.
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Clean and dust any standing or overhead light fixtures, replacing bulbs and batteries as needed
Go through items and sort out what you want to keep, throw away, donate, or need to be stored elsewhere
Go through your tools, wipe them down, and store them neatly organized in a tool box, peg board, or tool chest
Wipe down any tool chest and clean off any workspace surfaces
Clean out anything in cabinets or cupboards, adding a liner before replacing neatly
Dust off items on shelves if you plan to use them in the future
Vacuum and dust any cobwebs from top to bottom
Wipe down the garage door, dusting the inside and frame
Clean any windows, both inside and outside
Sweep the floor or lay down and old rug you no longer use
Pro Tip: For optimal organization and garage storage, use hooks and hang up your tools, bikes, and other equipment to maximize space.
Outdoors & Yard Area
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Clean the grill and cover it when you’re done
Check your yard tools: Sharpen blades, clean off any debris or rust, and make any small fixes or maintenance tweaks so they’re ready to go
Remove any rust from handheld yard tools, store them all in the same area or in a bucket for easy access
Prune and weed walkways and garden beds
Check your irrigation system and assess any sprinkler head fixes
Trim down any overgrown areas
Clean and rake up any areas with dead or rotting leaves/branches
Clean your rain gutters, make sure they’re clear of any debris
Check for any pest issues along the outside perimeter and set traps if needed
Pressure wash sidewalks, driveways, and sidings of the house
Clean up any pet droppings if needed
Rake away any debris on your lawn
Trim any branches in prep for spring growth
Rake and smooth out any gravel areas
Check any wooden structures and take note of their structural integrity in case you need to replace or reinforce them for spring
Dump out any standing water, clean out water features to remove any mold or algae build up, and replace them with fresh water
Pro Tip: A pressure washer is about 100x better than a normal hose and can give you a brand new looking surface area. You can rent one for less than $50 for a day from Home Depot or Lowes.
