Spring Cleaning : 5 Tips For A Fresh Home

Historically and culturally, people around the world welcome spring with a deep home cleaning. In times before furnaces and vacuums, the first months of spring were typically the earliest possible time to crack open windows and doors. You would let the wind in to help carry away dust, and air out the stagnant smell from an open fire or hearth. 

It was also common to white wash (a thin paint like mixture consisting of lime and chalk) to coat interior walls that had blackened with soot over winter months. This practise obviously became obsolete, and now with innovation home cleaning has never been easier.

Our homes still gather a layer of dust when they're sealed up for the winter months. A thorough cleaning refreshes our interiors, and significantly alters our mood by washing away any residual sign of winter gloom and welcoming spring. With the right tools, tips, and cleaning product the job is actually very pleasant. 

I think many of us learn our "cleaning styles" from our parents. As a child my mom was a dedicated user of Pine-Sol. I warmly associate the smell with Saturday mornings. I was delighted to discover that Pine-Sol had worked with the International Federation of Fragrance to develop a delightful new scent called Spring Blossom that still embodies the powerful clean it's known for. The timing couldn't be more perfect, and I was excited to give it a try. 

Once opening the cap, I was hooked.  It smells amazing. Am I in my kitchen or in a garden south of France? Also, the liquid itself is pink! The loveliest shade. It makes the cleaning process feel that much more appealing. Because really, why shouldn't cleaning be pretty and inviting too? I tackled my big spring clean over the days before Easter.... we were able to relax and enjoy a fresh home over the long weekend. 

Here's some tips on how I tackle the art of spring cleaning:  

1. First make a list and break jobs down by room and task. I start with areas needing the deepest clean --kitchen/bathrooms and work from there. Rarely used rooms, like a formal living or dining room need a less invasive cleaning than spaces used daily. I love the idea of one cleaning product being all I need for every job along with a soft cloth, sponge and mop. I made up a solution of my new Spring Blossom Pine-Sol with hot water and divided it into four buckets. Four buckets you may ask? Yes, four, a bucket for each member in my household. Secret side tip, children and husbands are excellent at cleaning too and it speeds up the process so everyone can enjoy a fresh home!
2. In the Kitchen, work your way from top to bottom. Wipe cobwebs at the ceiling line. With a soft cloth wipe cabinet fronts *don't forget the top surface of the door, top of fridge/hoodfan. I'm short, so I can't see the dust from below and I'm always amazed at how much there is. Use a storage bin to soak oven burners, fridge bins and anything else that needs a deeper clean (add more Pine-Sol to this solution to loosen up grime). From there, work your way down and scrub the backsplash and open wall spaces, lower cabinet fronts, toe kicks and baseboards before mopping floors. Lastly, once you're done rinsing everything in the bin you can clean the sink.
3. Don't forget lightbulbs gather dust too. A soft dampened cloth with a bit of Pine-Sol spring blossom will loosen any baked on dust and lightly scent the bulb.
4. Slightly dampen an old pillow case with the Pine-Sol cleaning mixture to clean fan blades. This was a trick my grandmother taught me to keep the dust from falling on your face.
5. Sharpen and disinfect your garbage disposal with ice cubes made of a 50/50 mixture of Pine-Sol and water.

This post was sponsored by Pine-Sol. All styling, advice and opinions are my own.