As the days become longer and temperatures begin to rise, you may be feeling that familiar urge to rid your house of all the dust and pet dander it accumulated over the long winter. But with so many parts of the house in need of a scrub, where do you begin? Here is a simple spring cleaning guide, broken down by room, to get your house sparkling.

Kitchen

• Clean all appliances. If you have stainless steel appliances, mix a solution of one teaspoon dish soap with one quart of tap water. Use a microfiber cloth to rub on appliances, rinse clean with hot water and then dry with a clean cloth.
• Scrub countertops. If you have granite countertops, you can polish them with granite polish.
• Empty crumb tray in the toaster.
• Empty, clean, and organize refrigerator shelves.
• Move your fridge to vacuum and mop behind and under it.
• Defrost freezer.
• Clean oven and microwave.
• Sanitize and clean the sink.
• Clean out and organize the pantry.

Bathroom

• Scrub the toilet and the tile around it.
• Scrub the shower and bathtub.
• Clean glass shower doors with vinegar and baking soda.
• Wash floor mats and shower curtains.
• Properly discard old and expired medications.
• Clean makeup brushes & discard old, expired, makeup.

Bedroom

• Wash all bedding and throw pillows.
• Rotate mattress.
• Declutter and organize closets.

Outdoors

• Clean the outside of your windows.
• Clean sliding glass doors and their tracks.
• Pressure wash your deck and outdoor furniture.
• Organize and sweep your garage.
• Hose off and air dry doormats.

All Rooms

• Dust ceiling fans and light fixtures.
• Clean windowsills and window tracks.
• Vacuum blinds and curtains.
• Wipe down baseboards.
• Vacuum under furniture.
• Declutter and organize cabinets and drawers.
• Vacuum and wash vents.
• Vacuum furniture.
• Vacuum and shampoo carpets.
• Test batteries in your smoke detectors.

Deep cleaning your home every few months is key to keeping your living space functional and healthy, but you don’t need to do every task all at once. Pick a few tasks or one room a day and work your way through the list at your own speed.