Springtime means longer days, warmer weather, and — you guessed it — spring cleaning. While it’s not everyone’s favorite thing to do, it’s an important seasonal task to ensure that your apartment is clean, healthy to live in, and well-maintained. Below are our best tips and tricks for apartment spring cleaning.
Start With Supplies
If you’re pretty good about using the right gear to clean all year long, you may have these supplies on hand. If you don’t, it’s time to go shopping!
- Microfiber cloths
- A good vacuum cleaner with plenty of attachments
- Store-bought or DIY all-purpose cleaner
- Rubber gloves
- Wet and dry mops
- Bleach-based bathroom cleaner
- Squeegee
- Shower caddy
Get Rid of the Clutter
Deep cleaning your apartment is much easier if you get rid of the clutter before you begin. Go through each room of your apartment and sort out items to be recycled, stored, donated, or thrown out. Once everything has been put in its correct place, you can vacuum your floors and wipe down surfaces much more easily.
Take It One Room at a Time
Although your apartment may not be large, it can still seem like a daunting task to take on the whole thing. Break it down room-by-room and start with the spaces that you dislike cleaning the most. It will give you a greater sense of satisfaction to cross each room off the list, one by one.
Do It All in One Day
Who wants to drag out cleaning? Not us, so sticking to a schedule can have your apartment spring-clean fabulous in just eight hours. Try this:
9am-10am: Bathrooms
- Wipe down the walls with a damp microfiber
- Scrub the inside of the toilet, wipe down the seat, lid, and tank with bleach cleaner
- Clean the mirror(s) with streak-free solution
- Spray the tub/shower and wipe clean with a microfiber cloth
- Empty trash, sweep & mop the floor
10am-12:30pm: Bedrooms
- Dust surfaces like dressers, bedside tables, and any electronics
- Wipe down door frames and light switches/outlet covers
- Clean the windows and crack them open for fresh air
- Change your linens and make your bed
- Spot-clean and vacuum
12:30pm-2pm: Kitchen
- Clean out the fridge and toss old, expired food and wipe down crumbs
- Empty the dishwasher and load it with any dirty dishes
- Wipe down the countertops and stove surfaces
- Wipe the cabinet doors
- Clean the inside of the microwave and oven
- Sweep and mop the floors
2pm-5pm: Living and Dining Rooms
- Clean off tabletops, couches, and chairs to free them of clutter
- Dust table surfaces, wall art, light fixtures, shelves, and blinds
- Spot clean any stains on the carpet or upholstery
- Polish any wood furniture to protect and maintain it
Are you still feeling overwhelmed at the idea of cleaning your apartment? Ask your roommates if you have them. If you live alone, call on friends and family to help out — you can pay them in pizza!
After you’re done, organize all of your supplies in one area. Better yet, get a storage caddy to make carrying your supplies even easier.
When you’re done cleaning, give yourself a big high-five before you wash microfiber cloths in the washing machine and throw sponges into the next load of dishes. (If you don’t have a dishwasher you can microwave them for a minute to kill bacteria.)
Seasonal cleaning (on top of weekly cleaning) can keep your apartment looking nice, but more importantly, it will help you keep it in the condition it was when you moved in. This, in turn, can go a long way towards ensuring you get your security deposit back when you move out. Good luck with your apartment spring cleaning!