Comprehensive Spring Cleaning Checklist

Despite Melbourne's current wave of hot days, we are already in the middle of Autumn and heading quickly towards Winter. This means more time spent under the heater or in front of the fire place, more time hiding under blankets and keeping windows closed to keep warm. What this also means is that your home may quickly start to become a haven for more dust to gather without the free flowing fresh air from opened windows, more muddy footprints and less motivation to do house cleaning in Melbourne.

The autumn months are a fantastic time to give your house a "spring clean" before the cold sets in so you get a head start to keeping your house clean in Melbourne during the winter months.

Over at Imperfect Homemaking we found a comprehensive spring cleaning checklist that will guide you through the key items that require spring cleaning in the home. We have provided this list for you below.

FOYER/ENTRY

1. Dust lighting fixtures.
2. Wash walls, architraves and skirting boards as needed.
3. Wash doors, handles and switch plates.
4. Wash and wipe down any furnishings
5. Empty out any closets and wash walls and floor, if needed.  Sort items as you return them to the closet.  Store out of season items, donate unneeded items. 
6. Clean or replace entry mat.
7. Sweep and scrub floors.  
8. Reseal grout lines, if necessary.

BEDROOMS

1. Open windows
2. Dust furniture.
3. For each drawer: remove items, wash drawer, place items back neatly.  Donate Items you no longer need. 
4. Remove everything from cupboards. Sweep and wash closet floor. Put everything back neatly.  Donate items you no longer need.  Try not to store things on closet floor.
5. Move Bed.  Sort and put away anything that was under bed.  Sweep or vacuum under bed.  Try not to store things under bed.
6. Put bed back.  Freshen mattress by sprinkling with baking soda, letting sit briefly, and the vacuuming it up.
7. Launder bedding and curtains.  Wash pillows and duvet in hot water.  Air out mattress pad, if you have one.
8. Dust lights and clean lamp shades
9. Wash windows and window sills.  Take out and wash window screens.
10. Wash switch plates.  Wash walls, architraves and skirting boards as required.
11. Wash mirrors or dust art.
12. Wash doors and doorknobs.
13. Wash floor vent covers
14. Sweep and wash floor or vacuum.

BATHROOMS

1. Open windows
2. Empty all cabinets and vanity unit.  Wash inside, replace items neatly.  Discard expired medications and cosmetics.
3. Wash outside of cabinets and vanities
4. Clean tub and drain.
5. Clean toilet, inside and out.  Remove seat and clean around seat bolts.
6. Clean sink and drain.
7. Shine faucets.
8. Clean mirror and frame.
9. Dust light fixtures. 
10. Wash windows and window sills. Take out and wash window screens.
11. Wash switch plates.  Eash walls, architraves and skirting boards.  Wash doors and door handles.
12. Wash floor vent covers.
13. Sweep and wash floors.  
14. Reseal grout lines if necessary.

KITCHEN

1. Open windows.
2. Remove and clean window coverings. 
3. For each cabinet or drawer: Remove items, wipe out drawer, place items back neatly.  Donate unneeded items.
4. Wash and sanitize cutting boards
5. Sharpen knives
6. Wash cabinet doors and handles, inside and out.
7. Clean and organise the pantry  Check food expiry dates.
8. Clean oven.
9. Clean stove top.  Remove elements and drip bowls, if applicable, wash and put back.
10. Clean and organise the fridge and freezer Defrost freezer, if necessary.  Check food expiry dates and discard anything old.
11. Clean under fridge and stove.
12. Vacuum refrigerator coils.
13. Clean the microwave inside and out
14. Clean crumbs out of toaster.
15. Clean and descale kettle.
16. Wipe down any other counter appliances
17. Wash counters and back splash.
18. Wash and shine the sink. Shine faucet. Clean drain.
19. Clean Dishwasher.
20. Dust light fixtures.
21. Wash windows and window sills.  Remove window screens and wash.
22. Wash switch plates.  
23. Wash walls, architraves and skirting boards. Be sure to wash skirtings underneath cupboards and near the sink as drips and spills may go un-noticed here.
24. Wash doors and door handles.
25. Wash floor  vent covers
26. Sweep and wash floor.  
27. Reseal grout lines, if necessary.

DINING ROOM

1. Open windows.
2. Wash curtains.
3. Wipe down table and chairs.
4. Wipe down or dust other furnishing.
5. Clean chair upholstery
6. Dust any displayed china or serving dishes.
7. Launder table linen
8. Wash windows and window sills.  Take out and wash window screens.
9. Wash switch plates
10. Wash walls, architraves and skirting boards
11. Wash doors and door handles
12. Wash floor vent covers.
13. Clean floors.

 LIVING ROOM/ FAMILY ROOM/ PLAYROOM

1. Open windows.
2. Vacuum sofas.
3. Spot clean sofas, if applicable.
4. Launder throw pillows and blankets.
5. Dust shelves, furniture and decor.
6. Clean lamps and lampshades.
7. Wash windows and window sills.
8. Take out and wash window screens.
9. Clean television screen.
10. Carefully dust electronics.
11. Tidy electronics wires.  Tuck nicely out of sight.  Label them, if practical.
12. Sort through music and DVD collections.  Purge things that no longer suit your families interests.  Organise what is left in an attractive manner.
13. Sort books and magazines.  Donate or recycle ones that no longer suit your families interests.
14. Wash hard plastic children's toys with warm soapy water. Rinse and dry.  Launder stuffed toys.  Donate or store toys that your children have grown too old for.
15. Wash switch plates.
16. Wash walls, architraves and skirting boards
17. Wash doors and door handles
18. Wash floor vent covers.
19. Clean floors.

LAUNDRY ROOM

1. Open windows.
2. Wash windows and window sills.
3. Take out and wash window screens.
4. Wash cabinet doors.
5. Wash inside cabinets.
6. Wash laundry sink.  Shine faucet.  Clean drains.
7. Wash outside of washer and dryer.
8. Wash inside of washing machine.
9. Wash lint trap with soap and water to remove filmy build-up from laundry soaps and dryer sheets. Let air dry thoroughly before putting back in place.
10. Wash switch plates.
11. Wash walls, architraves and skirting boards
12. Wash doors and door handles
13. Wash floor vent covers.
14. Clean floors.
15. Reseal grout lines, if applicable. 

STAIRWELLS

1. Sweep/vacuum stairs
2. Spot clean walls.
3. Wipe down handrail.
4. Dust art and light fixtures.

OUTSIDE

1. Sweep porches and walkway.
2. Wash thresholds.
3. Wash exterior doors.  Give front door a fresh coat of paint, if necessary.
4. Wash exterior windows.
5. Clean or replace welcome mat.

REMEMBER TO:

• Clean blades of ceiling fans.
• Sort through and organize family photographs (digitally or into albums).
• Sort and clean any extra zones such as linen closets, utility closets and office spaces

If you require the services of a house cleaner to assist, please contact us for a great price on spring cleaning!