After a long winter, spring cleaning can kind of feel like an overwhelming and never-ending task. In fact, just creating a spring cleaning checklist can be a bit much at first.
But it’s not as bad when you realize that there are helpful spring cleaning tips that’ll make sure everything gets done, and you save yourself a lot of time.
So while your home might need to be freshened up and you have your to-do list ready, these time-saving hacks will make the process just a bit easier on you.
And whether you’re trying non-toxic homemade cleaners, reorganizing, or dusting hard-to-reach places with a broom and a cloth, these spring cleaning hacks have got you covered this year. Just grab your cleaning supplies and keep these cleaning tips handy as you go along!
1. Clean Dishwasher With Vinegar and Baking Soda
To keep your dishwasher running at its best, place a cupful of vinegar on the top shelf and let it run on its hottest cycle. After the first cycle is done, add a cupful of baking soda by sprinkling it over the bottom shelf and let your dishwasher run once more.
Having this major home appliance taken care of is honestly such a great way to start off your spring cleaning.
2. Wash Your Bedding
I know you wash your bedsheets every two weeks, but it’s a good time to take those heavy comforters and pillows off the bed for a good wash.
After a long winter, your comforters and pillows can accumulate a lot of dust, sweat, and dirt, so it’s good to give them a good deep cleaning. And depending on how heavy your comforters are, you may need to let them air dry.
It’s time to give them a refresh this spring!
3. Disinfect Sponges in the Dishwasher
Sponges can easily absorb a lot of dirt and bacteria that we don’t want sticking around the area where we make meals. So, place them in the dishwasher for a good cleaning each time you run your dishwasher. And even better, just make sure to replace them frequently!
4. Clean the Fridge and Wrap Shelving in Plastic Wrap
This is a great time to remove all of your fridge shelves and drawers and give them a good cleaning.
There may even be some spills and stains leftover from Christmas; whoops. And once you’ve cleaned your fridge, wrap the shelves with plastic wrap for an easy cleanup the next time there’s a spill or a leaking container.
5. Kool-Aid Toilet Cleaner
Yep, that’s right! That old Kool-Aid packet that’s been sitting in the back of your pantry can clean your toilet. Before going to bed, flush your toilet, pour in the packet of kool-aid, and let it sit overnight.
When you wake up in the morning, flush your toilet and it’ll be clean!
6. Use Newspaper to Clean Glass Surfaces
Using newspaper is best when cleaning glass surfaces like windows and mirrors. It’s non-abrasive and won’t leave streaks or lint behind. Plus, it’s a good way to use up all of those newspapers you have sitting around the house.
7. Dust with Dryer Sheets
Here’s a good little tip for you. Use dryer sheets to dust around your home. They’re coated with an anti-static layer that will transfer to whatever you clean, meaning that the next time, there should be less dust to take care of. Very useful!
8. Use White Vinegar and Baking Soda in the Kitchen
For a super-duper extra sparkling clean kitchen, make your own cleaning solution with white vinegar and baking soda (mix enough until it’s a thin paste). This little trick will really bring the shine back into your stainless steel fixtures and fittings and save you money at the same time.
9. Store Bedding in Pillow Cases
If you’re on the lookout for some good spring cleaning tips and tricks, then I think you’ll really like this one.
Keep all of your bed sheets together and organized by folding them neatly and stowing them inside pillow cases. This is a great way to keep your drawers tidy and decluttered.
10. Use Lemon for Cleaning Your Cutting Boards
Cut a lemon in half and scrub it over your chopping boards to get rid of all those food stains. For an extra shot of power to the process, use salt or baking powder as well.
11. Clean Grease Stains Off the Wall with Chalk
This is a great little trick that’ll come in handy if you have kids at home. And the chances are that if you do have children, then you know that greasy little fingerprints are to be expected. So just simply rub over the marks with white chalk and wipe away with a damp washcloth.
12. Get Rid of Garbage Odours With Newspaper
Nobody likes stinky trash bins. Fact. So crumple up a few sheets of newspaper and put them on the bottom of a fresh bag. This will help absorb all those bad odours and keep things smelling a lot fresher.
This is honestly the kind of spring cleaning help that’ll keep things feeling so much fresher all season long.
13. Remove Rings From Furniture
Use a hairdryer to remove those rings that were left when people didn’t use a coaster. Simply hold the hairdryer near the marks and dry on a high setting. After a few minutes, you should see the rings start to disappear (you can also add a bit of olive oil to recondition the spot!).
14. Lint Roll Your Lampshade
If you’re enjoying these tips for spring cleaning, then I think you’ll like this one.
Lint rollers work like magic when it comes to removing dust from your lampshades. Just roll it over the shade (or any other fabric surface really) and it’ll instantly collect the dust.
15. Apply Shaving Foam to Your Mirror
Whether it’s in the bathroom or in your bedroom, shaving foam is a great way to remove smears and smudges easily. Just squirt some shaving foam on your mirror and wipe clean with a cloth.
16. Clean Faucets Around Home with a Lemon
To quickly get rid of hard water stains on your home faucets, try rubbing a sliced lemon over the stains. It’ll make them shiny and clean again.
17. Remove Pet Hair with Rubber Gloves
If you have pets at home, then there’s probably a lot of fur on your furniture, carpets, and well… everywhere. So to easily get rid of it, wear a pair of rubber gloves and wipe your hand over places that have gathered plenty of hair. The hair will stick to the gloves and help get your place looking nice and clean.
18. Clean Your Microwave in Seconds
We’ve all had microwaves that had a ton of hard to clean spots from leftovers. But if you just heat a bowl of water in the microwave for 1-2 minutes (or until steam is rising), and leave for a minute, you can start scrubbing those spots off and have them gone in seconds!
19. DIY Citrus Garbage Disposal
Making frozen citrus and vinegar garbage disposal ice cubes is the easiest way to get rid of those bad smells. All you have to do is put a few citrus peels into a muffin tin or ice cube tray and fill with vinegar. Pop in the freezer until solid and toss a few into your disposal. The bad smells will be replaced with a lovely citrus scent!
20. Clean Your Screens Using Coffee Filters
Did you know that you can use a coffee filter to clean up your television and computer screens? They’ll catch the dust and get rid of static cling, all without leaving behind any fibers (or scratches). Pretty impressive right?
21. Use a Magic Eraser for Your Window Sill
Compared to any other cleaner, Magic Erasers are one of the best cleaners when it comes to getting rid of all the grime and dirt that builds up over time on your window sills. They’re super easy to use so definitely stock up on them this spring!
22. Cloth and a Broom Dusting Hack
If you can’t get your vacuum to reach hard-to-clean areas that are getting dusty or gathering cobwebs, then cover a long broom with a microfiber cloth, secure with a big rubber band, and clean. Probably one of the simplest spring cleaning ideas I’ve ever seen that’ll get the job done
Grace Moser is the author and founder of Chasing Foxes, where she writes articles to help women create a life they love in big and small ways. She's been a full-time traveler since 2016 and loves sharing her experiences and exploring the world with her husband, Silas. Her lifestyle and travel advice can also be seen on sites such as Business Insider, Glamour, Newsweek, Huffpost, & Apartment Therapy.