THE ULTIMATE

SPRING CLEANING
HACK GUIDE
WELCOME
welcome.

Welcome...
to the Ultimate Spring Cleaning Hack Guide.

In this guide, you will find a list of items, many that I personally use,
to assist you with the thorough spring cleaning of your home.

This guide will also take you through each room of the house,
though some rooms may not apply to your home. If this is the case,
just skip them. In addition, if you don’t see a room listed that you do
have, feel free to duplicate a similar room in this guide as a template.

Happy cleaning!
amy bellgardt
HELPFUL ITEMS
get:
glass cleaner
all-purpose cleaner
dusting spray
toilet cleaner
laundry soap
washer cleaner
dishwasher cleaner
hand soap/refills
vacuum with attachments
mop or steamer
carpet cleaner
light bulbs
cord organizers
microfiber cloths
drain snakes
HOW TO TACKLE EACH ROOM
bathroom.

01: Bathroom.
Oh the bathroom. Probably the grimiest room in the house to tackle
during spring cleaning. It has to be done though or else you’ll live
with speckled mirrors and stinky toilets. And no one wants to live
with that.

Ever thought about cleaning out your hair dryer? Have you heard
about the latest way to wipe down your mirrors? Are you bored with
the way you store the extra rolls of toilet paper? Let’s get into all of
those things and more!
 bathroom.
Cleaning Out Your Bathroom Drawers

Throughout a year, there are so many things that can end up in your
bathroom drawers. We won’t ask why you still have a scrunchie from the
80s in there if you agree to finally ditch it this spring. Emptying the junk,
dusting and wiping them down with warm, soapy water, and donating
those things you just don’t need anymore will make the morning
bathroom routine clean and speedy.

BATHROOM DRAWER ORGANIZER HACK!

Ever wondered how you can keep your combs, hair ties, bobby pins,
toothpaste and assorted other bathroom drawer things in order? Use a
utensil organizer to keep everything in its place!

Tackle the Curtains

Whether you have a window with curtains or blinds in your bathroom, or

the only thing you need to concern yourself with is your shower curtain
and liner, now’s the time to toss that curtain in the washing machine,
replace your plastic liner and dust those blind slats if you’ve got ‘em.

The Nitty Gritty Jobs

The tub. The toilet. The sinks. The countertop. The floors. This is the
yucky gunk that no one wants to do but someone’s gotta do to keep that
bathroom sparkling. Since you’ll likely be working with harsher cleaners
and/or disinfectants for some of these jobs, be sure to buy yourself a pair
of rubber cleaning gloves. This makes it much less terrible when you pull
a clump of hair out of the shower drain. Trust me.
 bathroom.

SHOWER HEAD CLEANING HACK!

Create a cleaning soak by adding vinegar to a plastic baggie and

attaching to the shower head with rubber bands. Let soak overnight,
then wipe down with a sponge and/or brush the next day. Voila! A shiny
new, calcium free shower head!

Dust my Blow Dryer?!

Yes. Even your styling tools and brushes need a good, deep cleaning.
Using a vacuum attachment, easily clean out the filter to your hair dryer.
Wipe down your flat irons, curling irons, and combs with a warm, soapy
cloth. For any styling tools beyond a deep cleaning, toss or donate and
replace them.

The Little Things

You probably aren’t even thinking about vacuuming your bath mat. Or
that now is the perfect time to change out your light bulbs. Or taking your
vacuum attachment and doing a quick swipe or your bathroom vent is
long overdue. Now is the time to tackle those little things you never
would think of in a regular bathroom cleaning.
quick list:

BATHROOM

clean drawers & cabinets of

clutter, dust & donate
dust/steam clean/wash/wipe
curtains, blinds & windows
wipe sink & counters
clean tub & toilet inside & out
clean all drains (try this tool)
clean mirrors
refill/replace hand soap
containers
mop/steam clean/vacuum floors
& shake out/vacuum/steam clean
rugs
wipe down
cabinets/backsplash/spots on
walls, switch plates & door knobs
dust light fixtures & change any
bulbs that are out
wipe down all small appliances
(hair dryers/flat irons/etc.) that
you plan on keeping
re-caulk grout
vacuum vents
bedroom.

02: Bedroom.
The bedroom may easily be the second most used room in your
house. And while some may say this room is where “the magic
happens”, the mess it can become in a year is far from magical.
Washing the bedding and a quick pass of the vacuum may seem like
the only things that a bedroom needs, but there are plenty more
things to clean and organize the space.
 bedroom.

Making Your Bed

Spring cleaning is the perfect time to do a full, bedding assessment.

Check on your pillows to see if they’re still living up to the support you
require for a good night’s rest. Don’t forget to replace sheets that may
have been in rotation for quite some time, with regular laundering. Now
may even be the perfect time for you to splurge on those fancy pillow
cases you’ve been eyeballing for a less frizzy mane. Send off all of your
quilts and duvets to the dry cleaner for a deep cleaning as well.

BEDLINEN STORAGE HACK!

To keep your linen sets all in the same place, tuck the fitted and flat
sheets, shams and/or duvet cover into the coordinating pillowcase.
Bonus hack to keep things smelling fresh? Place a fresh, scented dryer
sheet inside the pillowcase as well to combat odors.

Purge Your Dresser and Closet

The bedroom closet is up there on the list of places in the home that end
up being a stuff catch-all. I suppose the idea of out of sight, out of mind
applies here. Take out the contents of your dresser and lay it out onto the
(freshly cleaned) bed. Toss the socks with holes in them, create a pile of
clothing and accessories to donate, and wipe down the drawers
themselves. You’d be surprised how dusty it gets in there!
 bedroom.

Wipe All of the Things

Make it a point to do a solid, thorough wipe down of all of the surfaces in

your bedroom. Dust the tops of dressers, vanities, and nightstands. Take
a few sprays of window cleaner to your mirrors. Using the vacuum
extension, suck the dust out of lamp shades and window coverings. Don’t
forget those window sills and air vents while you’re at it! Using a
microfiber cloth, give your electronics and their accessories a proper
swipe as well.
quick list:

BEDROOM

clean drawers & cabinets of

clutter (minimize!), dust & donate
strip bed & wash/replace all
linens
dust/steam clean/wash/wipe
curtains, blinds & windows
mop/steam clean/vacuum floors
and shake out/vacuum/steam
clean rugs
assess bed pillows (it may be a
good time to replace bed pillows
& possibly mattress, if past 8 year
mark)
wipe down cabinets, spots on
walls, switch plates & door knobs
dust light fixtures & change any
bulbs that are out
wipe down tv & electronics –
organize cords
wipe down/vacuum chairs
clean mirrors
clean out clothes/closets
vacuum vents
dining room.

03: Dining Room.

The dining room is where we come together with friends and family
over delicious food. It’s where we sit down to do homework or fun
crafts with the kids. With all of that activity buzzing around, it
deserves to be more than tidy, wouldn’t you say? A good, deep
cleaning is what the dining room deserves to keep in tip top, working
order.
 dining room.

Get The Table in Order

The dining room table, in most cases, is a piece of furniture used every
single day. It serves many purposes: eating, crafting, working, and
chatting. Decluttering what’s on the table is the first step. Collect
anything that doesn’t belong on the table itself and give it a new home.
Having a sideboard or small piece of storage in the dining room helps out
a ton. This makes the things that end up on the table more accessible
without having to be the center of attention. Wipe down the tabletop,
table legs, and dining chairs to keep them shiny and new.

Wash & Store the Kitchen Linens

Run tablecloths, cloth napkins, placemats and curtains through the wash.
Take the time to run a warm iron over those pieces whose fabric can take
the heat. Using a beautiful basket or small piece of storage furniture,
create a space for seasonal or extra table linens to live when they’re not
on display or in use. Some ideas include a slinky woven basket, small side
table or, if space allows, a hutch that can also display fine china.

Spruce Up Your Light Fixture

If you’re able to take your light fixture down without much fuss, do so to
really get into all of those nooks and crannies you might not otherwise be
able to reach when it’s attached to the wall or ceiling. Be careful here!
Replace all of your light bulbs to keep the room bright, fresh and inviting.
Of course, be sure to dust and wipe down the fixture itself.
quick list:

DINING ROOM

clean drawers & cabinets of

clutter (minimize!), dust & donate
dust/steam clean/wash/wipe
curtains, blinds & windows
mop/steam clean/vacuum floors
& shake out/vacuum/steam
clean rugs
wipe dining table & chairs
wipe down cabinets, spots on
walls, switch plates & door knobs
dust light fixtures & change any
bulbs that are out
dust shelves/hutches
wash tablecloths/napkins
vacuum vents
living room.

04: Living Room.

The living room is where the living happens. Between entertaining
guests, binge-watching your favorite shows and reading a good
book, the living room is a place that can be a canvas for your time.
Let’s tackle things like carpet/rug care, cleaning your sofa and
organizing the room and all of its many things.
 living room.

Entertaining the Contents

Stacks of books. Piles of throw blankets. Scattered pieces of board

games. These things are a common occurrence in most, well-loved living
rooms. Entertaining a space for the bits you use to entertain yourself,
your family and your guests is a smart move to keep everyone sane.
Whether that’s a clever art installation of your book collection, a trunk
or coffee table with storage for all of the games or a basket for all of
the blankets, give these things a home. This will give you much more
room to stretch your legs and enjoy your living space if you’re not
fighting a best-seller for foot space on the coffee table.

Plump Up the Sofa

Vacuuming the sofa is one of the quickest ways of keeping it clean.

Simply use the attachment to any standard vacuum cleaner to suck up
the crumbs and miscellaneous things that get trapped between the
cushions. You can also use the brush attachment to dust the cushions
themselves if your sofa does not have removable cushion covers. If it
does, take those puppies off and toss them through a quick rinse cycle.
Bonus tip: Don’t forget to move that sofa or armchair and vacuum
underneath the piece of furniture. Of course, after you pick up any
rogue toys or that other flip flop that went missing ages ago.
 living room.

Give Your Rug a Clean Hug

Most of us will vacuum the living room rug regularly, but now is the time
to really show it that extra TLC. Using a freshening powder that you can
simply vacuum up after letting it sit for some time is a great way to
breathe new life into your carpet or rug. If it really needs some lovin’
invest in a portable carpet shampooer or hire a professional to come out
and spruce that thing up. It sees a lot of smelly feet, grimy shoes and the
occasional spill.
quick list:

LIVING ROOM

clean drawers and cabinets of

clutter (minimize!), dust & donate
dust/steam clean/wash/wipe
curtains, blinds, windows
mop/steam clean/vacuum floors
and shake out/vacuum/steam
clean rugs
wipe spots on walls and switch
plates/door knobs
dust light fixtures and change any
bulbs that are out
wipe down tv and electronics –
organize cords
wipe down/vacuum couches and
chairs
vacuum vents
kitchen.

05: Kitchen.
The kitchen is going to be the biggest beast of them all. There are so
many moving parts to a kitchen that we often don’t even realize.
From the cabinets packed with spices to the pantry overflowing with
cans to the small appliance we use to bring our recipe creations to
life, there are plenty of corners to tackle so let’s get to it!
 kitchen.
Everything Around the Kitchen Sink

The kitchen sink sees (and smells) a lot. If you have a stainless steel sink,
use a high quality steel cleaner on the basins of the sink to remove water
spots, stuck on gunk and any lingering stains. Polish the faucet and knobs
so they shine. It’s a good idea to have a clean space to clean the dishes.
Speaking of clean dishes, run your empty dishwasher with a dishwasher
cleanser to sterilize and clean off any calcium deposits or build up.
Replace any hand soap dispensers that may have yucky soap build up on
them. Also spring for new sponges, cleaning pads or dishwands.

FRESHEN YOUR DISPOSAL HACK!

The garbage disposal is something that we often don’t think about

cleaning, which is probably why it gets oh so stinky! Freshen up your
garbage disposal in a jiffy by slicing up a fresh lemon into fours,
dropping into the disposal, running water, then grinding up!

Spice, Spice Baby

There is a place in every kitchen that can humbly be referred to as The

Abyss. We’re talking about the spice cabinet/rack. For whatever reason
this cooking staple seems to get or stay in a state of disarray, more than
we’d like to admit. Spend some time going through all of your spices to
see which have expired because, yes, spices expire.
 kitchen.

Especially when you keep buying a spice you already have three other,
once used jars of in the rack. Once you’ve pared those down to the
essentials, invest in a few cabinet shelf risers. These will optimize the
space in your cabinets as well as make it easier for you to find the spice
you need for that delicacy. (TIP: Shelf risers are also a great way to
organize canned or pantry goods!) If you’re feeling really ambitious, load
up on food-safe, glass spice jars and a label maker of your choosing and
streamline the look of your spice collection.
 kitchen.

Small But Mighty Dirty

Blenders, food processors, stand mixers, juicers. You name it, you’ve
probably got it hidden away in a jumbled mess in a lower kitchen
cupboard. Before you take on the task of organizing that hullabaloo, take
on the task of deep cleaning all of your small appliances. Wipe down the
exterior of the appliance and focus on the little bits of them. For those
appliances that use metal blades, check for rust and order new parts from
the manufacturer if they can be easily replaced. Disassemble those that
come apart to chip away at any lingering food bits. If you can’t recall the
last time you used an appliance, give it a test to see if it works and then
place it in a donation pile to pass it along to someone who will get good
use out of it.

Take it to the Base

Your backsplashes and baseboards go through the ringer during the year.
Between dust being kicked up and anytime you cook with oil, build up on
these two spaces in the kitchen are inevitable. Spend time wiping away all
of the gunk for the year to come.

BASEBOARD CLEANING HACK!

Dryer sheets are magic for water stains and dusting, but you can also
use these handy helpers to clean baseboards, too. Use scented sheets
to add a fresh smell to your home, too.
quick list:

KITCHEN

clean drawers, cabinets and

pantry of clutter (minimize!), dust
& donate
clean oven (inside, behind, under,
stovetop)
clean fridge, organize, toss out
old food, clean behind and under
wipe microwave inside and out
dust/steam clean/wash/wipe
curtains, blinds, windows
wipe sink/counters
run a dishwasher cycle with
cleaner
refill/replace hand soap
containers
mop/steam clean/vacuum floors
and shake out/vacuum/steam
clean rugs
wipe cabinets/backsplash/spots
on walls and switch plates/door
knobs
clean appliance coils
light fixtures/change any bulbs
that are out
wipe down all small appliances
re-caulk grout
vacuum vents
laundry room.

06: Laundry Room.

Barely remembering to switch the laundry from the washer to the
dryer is hard enough. How can one be expected to keep up on the
laundry room itself too?!

It’s remarkably simple to keep your washer and dryer up to snuff and
all of the detergents and softeners in their place.
 laundry room.

Clean the Cleaners

Washing your washing machine sounds like an oxymoron. This is an

essential part to keeping your machine running at top notch speed.
Running a few cycles of hot water, bleach, and vinegar, you can disinfect a
top-loading washing machine in an afternoon. It will kill mold and mildew
build-up (if any exists) and remove most rust spots from the washer basin.
Using the trusty vacuum attachment again, remove your dryer’s lint
catcher and give it a good pass. Don’t forget to check the back of your
machines to be sure there is no dust or lint build up around vents, wires or
tube connections.

Shelve the Soaps

One of the easiest ways to move about your laundry room is to have a
command center for the products you use most. Keep cleaning pods,
detergents, softeners, dryer sheets or balls, and spot treatment removers
on an easily accessible shelf either above or to the side of the washer and
dryer. This helps to keep them out of reach of the little ones as well if
there are tiny hands around. If you’re feeling extra organized, transfer
your soaps into labeled, glass containers for a streamlined look.
quick list:

LAUNDRY ROOM
clean drawers and cabinets of
clutter (minimize!), dust & donate
dust/steam clean/wash/wipe
curtains, blinds, windows
mop/steam clean/vacuum floors
and shake out/vacuum/steam
clean rugs
clean dryer and washer of dirt,
grime and mold – use a washer
cleaner
change dryer and washer filters
refill/replace hand soap
containers
wipe spots on walls and switch
plates/door knobs
light fixtures/change any bulbs
that are out
re-caulk grout
vacuum vents
 office.

07: Office.
It’s not an uncommon practice these days to have one or both
spouses working from the home. Technology is awesome for making
this a reality, but building and maintaining an inviting workspace can
often be a challenge. A clean and organized workspace is the key to
productivity so let’s cover a few ways to get ready to rock your
work!
 office.

Set Up for Success

Arranging your office furniture is so important to having productive days.

Cleaning the clutter off of your desk, tossing old papers or donating
tchotchkes (we all go through that phase of a new home office…), is the
first step. Create room for only the everyday essentials on your desk.
Some of these may include: pen cup, computer, notepad, planner, small
file organizer and a printer. Have a small drawer unit nearby to place all of
the extra things like sticky notes, tape, staplers, etc. into for easy access
but tucked away, out of sight or distraction.
quick list:

OFFICE
clean drawers and cabinets of
clutter (minimize!), dust & donate
dust/steam clean/wash/wipe
curtains, blinds, windows
mop/steam clean/vacuum floors
and shake out/vacuum/steam
clean rugs
wipe spots on walls and switch
plates/door knobs
light fixtures/change any bulbs
that are out
wipe down tv and electronics –
organize cords
wipe down/vacuum couches,
chairs
vacuum vents
PRINTABLE CHECKLIST
printable.

Print out a nifty checklist below.

 about amy.

About Amy Bellgardt.

Amy Bellgardt dove into the blogging world in 2008 as a way to connect
with other moms in the online space. Fast forward to 2017 and she’s the
award-winning blogging powerhouse and media strategist behind
[Link] — a trendy blog for moms that includes articles on food,
fashion, travel, diy, decor and social good initiatives.

Along with her business partner, Jessi Sanfilippo of Shuggilippo, Amy is

also the co-founder of Totally Profesh, a Facebook community geared
toward the advancement and encouragement of bloggers and influencers.
Totally Profesh provides valuable training, thought-provoking conversation
and resources to its members.

Learn more about Amy, as well as more of her eBooks, by visiting

[Link].
contact me.

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amybellgardt@[Link].

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