The ultimate spring cleaning checklist: tips and tutorials

Kitchen cleaning

The daily use of the home kitchen means that it can quickly accumulate grease, grime, and strange smells.

Having a supply of bi-carb and vinegar can help with kitchen cleaning tasks like making your sinks sparkle, removing benchtop stains, and refreshing your microwave.

If your oven racks are discoloured and dirty, try soaking the racks wrapped in foil with a dishwasher tablet for a few hours before wiping off the grease.

Essential oils, such as orange and eucalyptus, can help remove grease around cooktops and rangehoods - and make them smell great.

Stinky kitchen bins? Deodorise using soapy boiling water and leave to steep for an hour. Pour out the water then repeat, this time scrubbing to remove any tough stains.

Once your kitchen is clean, consider an overall tidy of areas like your drawers and kitchen pantry.

If you’ve noticed appliances in your kitchen not working their best, you might be able to solve the problem yourself – for example, clogged dishwashers aren’t as daunting as they might seem.

Keep in mind that some household jobs – including those that involve electricity or gas – should only be performed by professionals.

Bathroom cleaning

Cleaning your bathroom is often loathed because of the physical labour and amount of chemicals required. If you don’t want to go down that route, there are eco-cleaning options available that utilise household products like vinegar, bi-carb and lemon.

As well as wiping and cleaning all surfaces, look to minimise your risk of mould by keeping areas clean and dry with enough natural air.

Decluttering and reorganising your bathroom space can make a world of difference. Throw out all those empty containers and reorganise your bathroom cupboards and counters in a way that prioritises the items you use the most.

If your toilet needs attention and isn't a self-cleaning Japanese toilet, you can freshen it up using shaving cream. Just apply the cream around and on the toilet, let it sit for about an hour, then wipe clean to remove lingering smells and stains.

Bedroom cleaning

Spring presents a great time to clear out and reset your wardrobe, allowing you to take stock of what you actually wear and reorganise the space. If you haven’t worn something in two years or more, that’s probably a good sign you should sell or donate the item.

Once you know what you’re keeping, look into updating your wardrobe to add more storage space. An additional hanging rail can double your horizontal space, while adding shelf dividers or even a shoe rack can make use of otherwise empty areas.

If you come across any clothes you haven’t worn due to stains, wear or tear, reacquaint yourself with the best practice for cleaning every type of material to extend their life.

More: How much are your clothes worth?

Kids' room cleaning

Any parent will attest that keeping their children’s rooms clean is something of a Sisyphean task. It doesn’t have to be, though.

The first step is to get little ones pitching in, with children as young as three able to help out and learn how to keep their space tidy. It might be worth reassessing the current division of household labour, and looking at where your kids can help out with general household chores.

If you’re doing a big clean out, it’s handy to keep three bags on hand (one to keep, one to donate and one to throw out) to sort through clothes, books and toys.

In addition to the vacuuming and dusting, spring also presents a great opportunity to tackle child-specific cleaning duties, like removing marks from the wall and disinfecting toys.

Living spaces cleaning

Every home has ‘that drawer’, full to bursting with bric-a-brac, dead batteries, random paperwork, stationary and miscellaneous cords. Overhaul your messy drawer (or drawers) by hauling everything out, sorting out what needs to be tossed, then reorganising. Start treating this drawer as a useful storage space for everyday items rather than a place to keep random items out of sight.

Dusting venetian blinds is another commonly forgotten task that is great to tackle in springtime. Make dusting easier by attaching a cloth to a pair of tongs and use this device to dust. Lampshades can be dusted using a lint roller.

Make sure your fireplace is regularly maintained and free from any hazards. Do an overall home and safety check as well.

After a good vaccum and mop, use a rubber squeegee to remove stubborn pet hair from the carpet or couch, or consider a robot vacuum for everyday use.

If you find the room still appears cluttered even after a good clean, consider some DIY home hacks to invigorate the space on a budget.

Outdoors cleaning

No one wants to tackle outdoor chores during a cold, wet winter, but it’s important to get on top of your garden before it gets too overgrown.

After giving your outdoor space a general tidy up, it’s a good idea to prune back any dead material, renew mulch and fertilise plants – particularly if you’re looking to encourage flower growth.

Consider installing a compost bin if you haven’t already, as compost can do wonders for your plants. You can even use leftover coffee grounds after cleaning your kitchen to make fertiliser and repel pests from your plants and outdoor furniture.

Gutters are an area that should be cleaned regularly to remove leaves and debris. As it includes ladder work, hire a professional to do this task safely and comprehensively, who can also advise on the integrity of your roof.

Car cleaning

It’s not just your home that needs a spring clean – your car deserves one too. 

Clean out all the clutter that's accumulated. Check the spots people often ignore, like under seats, in consoles and gloveboxes. Vacuum out dirt and dust before tackling more fiddly jobs, such as dusting your air vents and using a toothbrush to remove grit from cupholders and to remove marks from vinyl.

After tackling the interior, learn how to make your vehicle’s exterior look like it’s been professionally cleaned. Soaping the vehicle up and rinsing it off is fine, but if you want it to shine, make sure you’re also cleaning the windscreen wipers, scrubbing the door jambs and getting into all the nooks and crannies.

More: How to repair car scratches