There's no exact rule on when you should start your spring clean; however, a good date to set in your calendar is the 20th of March, the first day of spring! If you’re reading after the 20th of March, the rest of March, April or May is still as good a time as any to begin cleaning.
Why do we spring clean?
Spring cleaning is a tradition in which we deep clean our homes in preparation for springtime. It’s seen as a time to create a fresh beginning, wipe away the winter blues and get excited for the warmer weather to come.
The act of spring cleaning normally involves a range of deep cleaning and organisational tasks that go beyond the regular cleaning routine. This can include anything from decluttering and organising wardrobes to deep cleaning the carpets and jet washing the patio – areas of the home that become neglected throughout the year.
How long should it take to spring clean?
This all depends on many factors – the size of your house, current cleanliness, the amount of decluttering needed, and how many people are cleaning.
For small houses or one-bedroom flats, you may find that you can get all your spring cleaning done in less than a day. For an average-sized family home, we recommend setting out a full day to deep clean the home. For larger homes, or homes that require a thorough deep clean, we recommend splitting the tasks between people or through a couple of days to make sure you don't get burnt out.
The health benefits of spring cleaning
There are even some health benefits associated with spring cleaning. According to Healthline, spring cleaning can:
Strengthen your immune system
Spring and summer months are when seasonal allergies are strife. By keeping your house clean, this removes allergens from your home to improve air quality and reduce respiratory issues. To further improve air quality in your home, investing in an air purifier with a HEPA filter is perfect for hay fever sufferers.
Decrease stress and depression
Living in a clean environment can also have positive psychological impacts – you know what they say ‘messy room, messy mind’, and it’s true! Living in a cluttered environment can leave you feeling scatter-brained, disorganised and distracted. This is because a messy room overstimulates your brain leaving us stressed and triggering a small fight-or-flight response, which in the long run, impacts digestion and ability to fight off illness.
The act of spring cleaning itself can have therapeutic effects on mental health. Cleaning can provide an opportunity to be mindful and promote a positive attitude and clear mindset.
Prevent illness
High traffic areas and high touch items can be a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses if not cleaned regularly. By cleaning the items you use most or regularly come into contact with your eyes, mouth or nose you can significantly decrease your rate of illness.
Key spring cleaning tasks that come to mind include:
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Deep cleaning your kitchen including fridge, freezer, counter tops, cupboards and sink. A steam cleaner can also be a great way to deep clean hard floors, especially in your kitchen.
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Deep clean easily neglected areas of your kitchen such as the microwave and oven.
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Deep cleaning the bathroom including the shower, bath, toilet and towels
- High touch areas in your office including mouse and keyboard
Promote healthy eating and exercise
Studies show that keeping a clean home can have knock on effects on your lifestyle habits including exercise and healthy eating. The act of spring cleaning itself can motivate us to live a healthier lifestyle, similar to new year’s motivation.
Some key spring cleaning tasks to facilitate a healthier lifestyle include:
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Sharpening knives to make home cooking more appealing.
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Reorganising your spice cabinet and food cupboards and pots and pans to make sure everything is visible and accessible. You could even go a step further and place healthier foods at eye level and unhealthier foods out of sight.
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Organise and declutter your activewear and create a designated space for workout clothes so they're more easily accessible.
Reduce risk of injury
Strips and falls are one of the leading causes of A&E visits in the UK. A clean home can prevent these injuries caused by slips, trips, bumps and falls by removing obstructions from high-traffic areas of your home.
Some key areas to watch out for are:
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Make sure high-traffic areas are obstruction-free including stairs and hallways.
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Repair loose floorboards and secure carpets to the floor to reduce tripping hazards.
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Incorporate cable organisation around areas like your TV, office and even hair appliances such as hair dryers and straighteners.
At Direct Vacuums, we want to make spring cleaning as easy and accessible to you as possible. That’s why we stock a wide range of vacuums and other floorcare products from top brands including Vax, Hoover, Numatic and Vytronix. We also stock a range of brand new and refurbished vacuum cleaners so you don’t have to break the bank to clean your home.
We wish you a happy spring clean from Direct Vacuums!
