The Four Week Spring Cleaning Challenge

An interactive calendar by Bin There Dump That to get you through your Spring cleaning! You can download the full guide here. We have broken down the main points below, which you can use to keep yourself on track for a clean home!

The first week is for big-picture decluttering! This includes getting rid of things you don't need or use, to cut down on time when it comes to deep clean everything.

Day 1: Heavy Lifting	Walk through your home and start organizing the large items you don’t need anymore. The simplest way to organize them is to set three categories:  Donate Replace Toss
Day 2: Kitchen/Mudroom	Take stock of your dishes by emptying your cabinets and shelves. Make a plan for optimizing your kitchen. This may include getting rid of items you have too many multiples of, old or broken cookware.
Day 3: Livingroom, Family Room and Office	Any clutter you can remove from these high-traffic areas will make your life easier. If the room needs a refresh, it may even be worth rearranging the furniture and decor of the space.
Day 4: Bedrooms	Remove any bedroom furniture that is broken or doesn’t serve a purpose. This is also an excellent time to check your mattress to see if it needs replacing. Purge unwanted clothing and accessories from dressers and wardrobes.
Day 5: Bathrooms	Bathroom products tend to accumulate under bathroom sinks,  or buried in cupboards. Take this opportunity to declutter items you don’t use or are expired.
Day 6: Bonus Rooms and Closets	If there’s anything in your closets that you haven’t touched in several months, consider whether it’s really worth hanging onto.
Day 7: Let Go	Wrap up items you are ready to donate and take them to your local thrift store. You can breathe easier knowing that the rest of your deep-cleaning will be much easier without the clutter.

According to a study done by The National Sleep Foundation, the cleaner and more comfortable your bed is, the better you'll sleep. This week we aim to tackle the coziest rooms in the house.

 

Day 1 Living Room	Vacuum / sweep floors thoroughly. Be sure to get the hard-to-reach places that you wouldn’t bother cleaning on a regular basis (e.g. corners of vaulted ceilings). Clean baseboards and trim, and wash windows.
Day 2 Master Bedroom	Give your floors a well-deserved deep-cleaning, clean windows, trim, ceiling fan, recessed ceilings and other architectural features. Wash all bedding and pillows, then scatter baking soda on your bare mattress, let it sit for a couple of hours, then vacuum it up to freshen it up. Rotate mattress if needed.
Day 3 Other Bedrooms	Same procedure as the day before! Clean all surfaces, bedding, and freshen up mattresses. Remove any decor you don’t like and rearrange furniture to reduce clutter.
Day 4 Office or Bonus Room(s)	Take a day to deep-clean all furniture, flooring, windows, and details in your office, craft room, or bonus room.
Day 5 Closets	You may be surprised by the dirt and other debris that can accumulate in closets. Empty out closets, sweep and mop the floors, wipe down shelves, and dust in corners.
Day 6 Fixtures and Other Features	Use a rag and your favourite all-purpose cleaner to sanitize features like hindles, doorknobs, shelves, towel racks, and light switches. Also clean light fixtures to improve brightness in all rooms.
Day 7 Down Low, Up High	Break out the ladder to dust or vacuum up high. Then go low and clean baseboards, crown moulding, and other details that are normally out of view.

This week, it's time to get down and dirty in the rooms most likely to have attained the most mud, gunk, and microscopic matter. Even if you do a pretty good job of keeping your kitchen, bathroom, and garage clean, these are undoubtedly the rooms that need the most attention when it comes to deep cleaning time.

Day 1 Kitchen	Deep-clean the oven, stove top, inside and outside of your fridge, microwave, and dishwasher. It is best to save cleaning the fridge for a time when you are low on food.
Day 2 Kitchen Continued	Wipe down walls, and behind & under movable appliances. Clean the flooring, windows, light and door fixtures, and don’t forget the top of the cabinets!
Day 3 Bath	Soak your shower head in a plastic bag filled with vinegar overnights and wipe it down the next day. Soak your toilet, shower floor, and any other grimy areas with baking soda and white vinegar to break down mildew. If you have a shower curtain, now is a great time to run the cloth through the wash and soak the plastic curtain.
Day 4 Bath Continued	Empty out cabinets and clean shelving, walls, following, windows, fixtures and do any high-up dusting (e.g. skylights). This is also an excellent opportunity to reseal grout if necessary.
Day 5 Garage	Use an old broom to clear out dirt, dust, and cobwebs from walls, floors, and corners.
Day 6 Mudroom or Laundry Room	Move the washer and dryer away from the walls and clean the floors around them, then clean the inside of both appliances (including the dryer vent). Dust and wipe down all shelves, windows and surfaces.
Day 7 Your Pick!	Spend some more time on whichever of the previous rooms you couldn’t quite finish. Or if you’re happy with your progress so far, take a day off!

The last week focuses on the miscellaneous rooms or tasks that may be unique to your home. It will also have some preventative maintenance tips for keeping your home cleaner all year

Day 1 Basement	Clean flooring, light fixtures and storage areas. Don’t forget about basement window wells!
Day 2 Attic	Wear a mask and gloves before you clean your attic. Walk only on joists as you work. Dust, vacuum, and sweep wherever necessary. Check your attic fan for dirt buildup, and clean it thoroughly.
Day 3 Hallways & Other Rooms	Have a room that didn’t make the list above? Take some time today to clean it thoroughly.
Day 4 Carpet Cleaning	Carpets require their own type of maintenance: both regular vacuuming sessions and deep cleans once or twice a year. Use a carpet shampooer or hire a carpet cleaning service to rid your flooring of deep-seeded stains, dust, and debris.
Day 5 Special Maintenance	Clean marble countertops or hardwood floors that require turtle wax or other sealants to protect from the elements. Repair any grout that needs re-grouting.
Day 6 Safety Checks	At least twice a year, a proper check of safety tools is necessary. This includes: Check batteries in smoke & carbon monoxide detectors Check the pressure on fire extinguishers Optimize outlet usage to prevent fuse defects
Day 7 Outdoor Equipment	Outdoor furniture and equipment can accumulate dirt and webs. Rent a dumpster to get rid of your yard waste and broken outdoor items. Also be sure to clean out your shed!