8 Important Places To Deep Clean This Spring

While looking at my backyard, noticing the buds on the trees, the flowers emerging from the ground, and the grass turning bright green, I was reminded that spring would be here soon and it was time to do some deep cleaning.  To do this, each year I have specific places to deep clean during springtime.

These areas are places that don't need a lot of cleaning or decluttering. Once a year is usually enough for us to get rid of the mess.

You may be asking why do I need to do deep cleaning this time of year. I find it helps clear the home of items that may be stuck from the winter. So, making a point once a year to go through these areas will bring attention to them and allow me to decide if I need the items or if they can go. Doing this allows me to see my home differently and freshen areas that were just not being looked at. Below I am sharing the areas I deep clean this time of year. Follow along and make your own spring cleaning task list.

Visit our How to Awaken to Clutter in Your Home three-part blog post series for help finding clutter in your home.

Now, let's begin!

Places to Deep Clean and Organize Before Summer

Bedrooms and Closets Places to Deep Clean

Clean Out your closet (and the kids' closets) and replace the items with your lighter spring clothing. Get rid of anything that was faded, torn, or that doesn't fit anymore. When in doubt, put it in a box marked "Clothes to get rid of," then place it in another room or garage. If you do not go in the box for at least two months, you can donate or give away the entire box of items - done and done!

Changing bedding to lighter ones and then wash the thick blankets. The purpose of spring cleaning is to get rid of the excess dust in your home.  Blankets trap a lot of dust, so cleaning them every few months works well. But, if you can't make this time to clean your bedding, this time of year is great for this task.

Shared Spaces to Deep Clean (Living Rooms / Dining Rooms / Kitchen)

Living Room Deep Cleaning Areas

Dust the floor under furniture and move furniture around your rooms. Then get your carpets cleaned. You may be surprised that you may find something you had lost. My mom and I would do this task each spring, and we found it very therapeutic. It allowed us to let go of the winter woes and make room for the new springtime change.

Take books and knick-knacks off bookshelves and decide if you should keep them. Ask yourself, "Have I used this book in the last year or even three years?" If the answer is no to this question, donate to the nearby library or used bookstore. Ask yourself, "do I really need this knick-knack or item out all year long?" If not, consider getting rid of it by donating or recycling it.

Clear cobwebs in corners and around recessed lights.  I find a damp cloth works nicely.  I particularly like the telescoping cleaning brushes. 

Dining Room Deep Cleaning Places

Clean Out the china cabinet by taking out everything and then wipe the shelves. Mismatched dishes or serving utensils you just don't use anymore are great things to get rid of in your china cabinet.

Below are some dusters and cobwebs tools I found on Amazon.com(affiliate).

Kitchen Deep Cleaning Areas

Clean Out the upper cabinets in your kitchens. Be honest with yourself; how often do you reach above your fridge or in the top cabinet space? Not often, right? This area is a great place to get rid of the clutter.

Empty the refrigerator and reorganize the space.  Sort all the items by tasks. Use trays, lazy susans, and containers to help you keep the space organized and easy to clean.  If you can place all the items in one bin, it is much simpler to clean the shelves.

Clearing out the pantry is another area that needs to be looked at closely, especially if you have a deep pantry.  I find it is best to make meals from the pantry after finding items in the back of your closet. You can make some interesting dishes too.

Dust and clean the pictures on the walls. Take them down and dust the frames top, bottom, sides, and back too.

NOTE: The bathroom areas are usually cleaned frequently, so they are not needed to do this time of year unless you have large amounts of clutter in cabinets and linen closets.

Basement and Attic Places to Deep Clean in Your Home

Empty and purge items in your basement storage space. We tend to forget this place because it becomes the catch-all area that we do not visit often. So, going here will make an impact on your home. You will probably find items you never knew you still had. Check behind doors and on shelves behind boxes for items you can revisit and get rid of.

Windows to Deep Clean

Change out curtains or remove them altogether. If you have curtains up for several months, they get quite dusty.  Taking them down and popping them into the dryer will freshen them up a bit. Washing them works even better to get rid of the dust if the fabric instructions recommend it.

Cleaning windows. I like doing windows when I take down the curtains. Doing this on a sunny day helps us see the spots.  But, no direct heat please, it will get streaky.

How to clean windows easily

Here's how we do it. After spraying the glass from the top down and saturating it, use a squeegee and start from the top left corner going across to the right corner. When you reach the right corner, turn the squeegee and move down the window, making a tight zig-zag pattern while overlapping the rows. Then, at the bottom, use a paper towel, whip off the excess drips around the window and the bottom. It works well, and you don't need to work your shoulder too hard.

Below are products you can use for deep cleaning your windows to make the job easier.

Check out Good Housekeeping's The Best Way to Clean Windows, According to Our Cleaning Lab article for tips.

Kid Play Areas to Deep Clean

Clearing out the kids' toys, especially the gaming area.  No one wants to do this too often, not even the kids. So, cleaning it out right before the kids finish school is an excellent time. They get to remember what they had, and you don't need to deal with it every few months.

And, you can also visit their clothing. If your kids are growing, this is also a great time to visit their clothing to purge and donate to others in need.

Laundry Room Areas to Deep Clean

Empty and clean the laundry area. Go through cabinets and remove any detergent or free samples you haven't used. Schedule to have your dryer vent cleaned out as well. Search on your Search Engine "Dryer Vent Service Near Me" to find someone near you.

Outdoor Places to Deep Clean

Clear out your shed space. Make a list of items that need to be repaired, replaced, or if you need to replenish supplies.

Bring out items used only in the spring and summer, like hoses, water barrels, etc... Uncover lawn furniture and clean off the dirt.

Office Spaces to Deep Clean

Go through papers that were left out and make a decision on them.

Clean Out the drawers that may be overstuffed with papers that are going back years.

I know it sounds like a lot. Here is a free image to share if you want to remind yourself and others what needs revisiting this spring.

Now that you purged your stuff and your home is refreshed and cleaned, click here for places to donate items. I hope this post helps you stay on top of your spring cleaning tasks, so you don't get overwhelmed in the process of deep cleaning.

It is a good idea to do a little bit of these tasks every weekend, and by the time summer arrives, you will have cleared out and cleaned all the areas of your home.

If you still feel overwhelmed in what needs to be done, visit our 30 Days to Spring Clean Your Home challenge that will give you tasks for each day, keep you focused, and help you get through your tasks quickly.

Please leave a comment below if you have any questions while doing this process. I would love to hear from you.

Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon and at no additional cost to you, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.

Visit our other spring cleaning posts.

HOW TO CREATE A CUSTOMIZED SPRING CLEANING CHECKLIST

30 DAYS TO SPRING CLEANING YOUR HOME CHALLENGE