Today is Vernal Equinox, the official first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. Whereas the arrival of spring may be welcome news of warmer weather to some, for others it may mean allergic rhinitis. Still, whether you love, hate, like, dislike, or feel apathetic about the arrival of spring, most (at least in the West) would agree, it's time for some spring cleaning!
While some people in Japan do their annual "deep cleaning" (大掃除) at the start of the new year in January and Taiwan and other countries deep clean in time for the Lunar New Year, in the U.S. and much of Northern Europe, spring means some spring cleaning. Historically, this is because the start of spring meant slightly warmer weather, warm enough to dust and leave windows open. Yet, it wasn't too warm for insects to abound and fly or crawl into the home while the windows were kept open. The ideal in-between temperature of warm, but too cold for arthropods, seems to be one of the main reasons why deep cleaning is done in the spring.
Although modern window screens can prevent this problem from occurring nowadays, the practice and tradition of cleaning in the springtime remain to this day. Yet, one should remember, cleaning should be done regularly, not only once a year. There are some things that can be left for only once a year. The definitive, ultimate cleaning checklist is below!
How Often You Should Clean Everything in Your Home
DAILYMake bed
Wash dirty dishes
Clean the coffee maker (if you drink coffee every day)
Wipe down the kitchen counters & table
Do laundry, as needed
Sweep the kitchen floors
Wipe down bathroom surfaces
Squeegee the shower walls
Sanitize the kitchen & bathroom sinks
WEEKLY
Mop the kitchen & bathroom floors
Scrub bathroom surfaces
Clean mirrors
Dust furniture
Vacuum floors & furniture
Change bedding
Toss expired food
Wipe down kitchen appliances
Clean the microwave
Sanitize sponges
MONTHLY
Vacuum vents & woodwork
Dust & clean light fixtures
Dust blinds
Clean the dishwasher (if you have one), laundry machine, & vacuum cleaner
EVERY 3 - 6 MONTHS
Wipe down inside of the fridge
Clean range hood
Wash shower curtain liner
Clean under & behind furniture
Clean patio surfaces and furniture
Wash pillows & comforters
Vacuum mattress
Descale coffee maker (if you drink coffee)
Freshen drains & garbage disposal
Clean inside of the oven
Wash your car (if you have one)
Clean our the freezer
ANNUALLY (ONCE A YEAR)
Deep clean carpet & upholstery
Deep clean windows
Clean around dryer & vents
Clean drapes & curtains
Clear out gutters
Clean chimney & fireplace (if you have one)
So, do you clean often enough?
Comments (0)