Our Top Spring Cleaning Tips

The weather is warming up, the clocks have sprung forward an hour meaning the nights are lighter and daffodils are adding a pop of colour to the grass verges as we drive around our towns.

Spring is here which means you're probably wanting to get your home clean and tidy. The warmer weather means more play dates, BBQs and evening drinks with friends, and you'll probably want to have your home ready for anyone popping in.

But why do we actually spring clean?

Let's take a look at the reasons spring cleaning happens and a few tips on how to make the best of your home this season...

Where does the term 'Spring Clean' come from?

In modern terms, a spring clean is a deep clean of your home that involves going further than your normal cleaning regime. It could include you sorting out shelves that have needed a tidy for a while or organising your wardrobe to make everything easier to find. Basically, it's getting around to all those little jobs in your rooms that you've been putting off for a while until you find time to do them.

But why spring?

Well, it just makes sense!

Spring Cleaning in Eras Gone By

Before central heating, people used to heat their homes with coal, oil and wood, which obviously left smoke and ash clinging to the walls and furnishings. As the weather got warmer, and the heating was no longer needed, it was an opportunity to clean the mess that the winter had left. Doors and windows could be left open to air the rooms out, dust could be brushed into the outdoors and washed linen could be hung out to dry.

Ancient humans lack of exposure to light led their bodies and minds to become slower, so as the days got longer, energy levels began to recover. During the long sleepy days of the winter, dirt and grime gathered in huts and caves, and the warmer temperatures made bacteria grow. Ancient men took to spring cleaning to prevent infection and disease.

Spring Cleaning for Passover

Some people believe that the roots of 'spring cleaning' stem from the Hebrew tradition of cleansing the home for Passover. As one of the most important festivals in the Jewish year, it is a time to remember how the children of Israel escaped from slavery imposed by the Pharoah when Moses led them out of Egypt over 3000 years ago.

In the Jewish religion, people believe that Moses told the Pharaoh that God would send devastating plagues if he did not free the people. The festival is called Passover because before the final plague began, God told Moses his people should mark their front door with lamb's blood. Then plague would then 'pass over' their houses.

During the plagues, the Jewish people left Egypt so quickly that their bread did not rise properly and to this day, Jewish people eat a bread called Matzah to remember. No food or drink that has been leavened or fermented with yeast is consumed, and Jews spring clean their homes to ensure there are no remnants of any food containing yeast left behind.

Spring Cleaning in China

When looking for the origin of the spring clean, the people of China believe that it is great preparation for the New Year. Similarly to a lot of people in the UK, a deep clean before putting the Christmas decorations up means that our homes are ready to entertain over the Christmas and New Year period. In Chinese culture, the home is cleaned from top to bottom to remove any bad luck that may have gathered throughout the year.

The spring clean is thought to bring good fortune for the year into the home and once the floors are swept and the homes are clean, the Chinese refrain from sweeping for a number of days at the start of the New Year. This act is believed to prevent them sweeping away any good fortune that came into the house as the new year began.

Spring Cleaning In Iran

The day of the vernal equinox is March 21st, and is the first day of the solar system, meaning there are more minutes of daylight per day than of darkness. Iranians celebrate Now Rouz (Persian New Year) on this day, and for two weeks, streets and homes are adorned with symbols of planting and burning to represent a time for refreshing and reinvigorating.

This process is part of the 'khooneh takouni' tradition, which means 'shaking the house'. Khooneh Takouni is a spring cleaning ritual were Iranians buy new clothes to wear and scour and clean every corner of the home. Rugs, upholstery, ornaments, furniture and floors are thoroughly cleaned and the scent of fresh flowers clears any stale odours. One the house has been 'shaken', the New Year can begin and Spring can start.

Are you yet to start your yearly spring clean?

If so, here are our top tips:

• If you're planning to spring clean, set aside a weekend in April or May to do it so that you're not rushed and can do a full deep clean of your home with no distractions.
   
• Organise everywhere before cleaning so that you're not going around different rooms moving junk out of your way.
   
• Clean out your kitchen cupboards of any old food that is out of date and replace any broken or old kitchen accessories, pots and pans. Remember to clean your kitchen cabinet doors too. Grime will be more noticeable if you have cream or pale wood doors, but dark wood can also collect dirt – especially if you don't run the extractor fan when you are cooking.
   
• Wash the inside AND outside of your windows to make sure all the smudges are removed.
   
• Stainless steel accessories look modern and attractive but pick up grease and fingerprints easily. Use a light mist of wax-based aerosol spray to make the surfaces sparkle again.
   
• Clean your dishwasher by removing bits of food that have gathered and putting it on an empty cycle with a cleanser.
   
• Vacuum your floors and carpets, along the skirting boards and in every corner. Use the upholstery attachment to vacuum your curtains, mattress and sofa.
   
• Clean your grouting with an old toothbrush to get all the built up muck out.

And one last thing – after all that hard work, you deserve to give yourself a spring clean pamper. Give yourself a bath, manicure and foot spa and relax in your new and improved home!

Do you have any spring cleaning tips that you'd like to share with people who haven't started yet? Let us know in the comments below!