Now that spring has finally sprung, it's time to get ready for your annual deep clean. After all, the start of spring is the perfect time to refresh your space, especially after several months of staying indoors with limited airflow and sunshine.
While spring cleaning can be a daunting endeavor — and more people working from home might end spring cleaning altogether — it's possible to make certain tasks easier. Here, check out our favorite spring cleaning tips and hacks, which can easily make your spring cleaning checklist seem a lot less stressful.
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1. Remove pet hair with a spatula.
If you have a furry friend at home, you've likely struggled with removing pet hair from furniture. However, before you buy a special brush for your spring cleaning this year, you might want to use a rubber spatula instead.
As Brandon Pleshek demonstrates on TikTok, the inexpensive kitchen tool can easily remove pet hair from upholstery. Just be sure to keep the spatula separate from your actual cooking supplies!
2. Pick up dust with a damp duster.
After a long winter with the heat on, there's a good chance dust has settled in your home's nooks and crannies. One common solution is to use a duster or microfiber cloth, but these tools will simply push the dust around.
That's where a damp duster comes in as the perfect spring cleaning tip. The item, which looks like a sponge, is meant to be dampened with water and wiped along surfaces. The special material will pick up dust, which you can then rinse off in the sink.
Bonus: It's said to be amazing for removing dust and lint from velvet furniture too.
3. Wipe windows with coffee filters for a streak-free finish.
Whether you're letting in sunshine or admiring the great outdoors, having streak-free windows is a must during the spring. But luckily, you don't need fancy cloths or fabrics to prevent those pesky streaks.
On TikTok, Barbara Costello demonstrates how an ordinary coffee filter will get the job done. You can also use newspaper, a popular trick that has stood the test of time.
P.S. This spring cleaning tip can be used for mirrors as well.
4. Reduce mud with pine pellets.
April showers bring May flowers ... and muddy yards. If this sounds familiar, head to a farm supply store (like Tractor Supply Co.) and pick up pellet stall bedding. The product, which is designed for horse stalls, turns into sawdust when it's sprinkled on top of mud.
Not only does this sawdust improve the structure of your soil but it also won't mess with the growth of your grass. This way, you can enjoy your yard without getting stuck in mud and tracking those footprints indoors.
5. Refresh shoes with baking soda pods.
As the days get warmer, you might find yourself with shoes that are stinkier than usual. One common technique is to sprinkle baking powder or shoe deodorizer in the shoes, but this can get pretty messy.
Instead, add baking soda to a coffee filter and then tie it shut with a rubber band. This will create all-natural, mess-free freshener "pods" that can be placed in your shoes.
6. Use a hair dryer to remove crumbs from a toaster.
The toaster is one of those appliances that people rarely think about cleaning. If you're in that boat, consider this your sign that it's time to tackle the task in honor of spring. Cleaning the crumb tray, after all, is key to preventing fires and keeping pests at bay.
But why stop there? After you've removed and cleaned the crumb tray, use a hair dryer to clean your toaster by dislodging leftover crumbs. It's a clever and easy way to clear out any stubborn bits.
7. Get rid of water stains with wax paper.
This spring, you'll want to pocket this wax paper hack for removing annoying water marks on metal fixtures (think: faucets and shower hardware). Simply crumple up a piece of wax paper and then wipe it on the surface in question.
The texture of the wax paper will remove the water stains while the actual wax will leave a nice shine. That's two boxes checked on your spring cleaning checklist!
8. Clean wool coats in the washing machine.
Before packing away your wool coat for the season, freshen it up in the washing machine. This way, you can be sure that your storage area stays fresh while preparing for next winter.
To try this dry cleaning alternative for wool coats, turn the garment inside out and place it in an old pillowcase. Next, wash it on the delicate cycle with mild detergent and cold water. Then, remove any pilling with a fabric defuzzer. Done and done.
9. Use cotton swabs to clean small spaces.
Cotton swabs are surprisingly useful for spring cleaning. More specifically, they're perfect for getting into tiny crevices, like the space between the stovetop and counter. You can also use cotton swabs to clean the spouts of appliances (like the water dispenser on your refrigerator) or the area between keyboard keys, as demonstrated by Skylar Toth on TikTok.