There’s nothing quite like springtime: blooming flowers, twittering birds, and, of course, that annual date with every cleaning product you own. Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to shake off the dust of a long, gray winter and keep your dream house feeling like home — but don’t go for the mop just yet.

Like everything else, spring cleaning habits themselves can get a little dusty. To make sure yours are as fresh as spring flowers, you’ll want to have all the latest tips, tricks and hacks up your sleeve.

Here are a few stress-free ways to make sure you’re winning at spring cleaning.

Spring cleaning 101

What’s so important about spring cleaning, anyway?

When the sun is out and the plants are in bloom, cleaning rooms and dusting furniture may be the last thing you want to spend your time doing. However, this is one tradition you shouldn’t leave by the wayside.

Spring cleaning is important because it gives you the chance to dust, wipe down or disinfect any places you tend to avoid during your quick cleans throughout the year — like under the couch, behind those picture frames, inside the blinds or even that rarely visited corner of your closet. According to Medical News Today, a thorough cleaning can help prevent spring allergy symptoms, too.

The spring cleaning process

Don’t tackle spring cleaning without a game plan. Your goal is to keep your house cleaner with less effort — and to do that, you’ll want to start by making a list of everything you want to dust, scrub or wipe.

Once you’ve made your list, you can organize tasks in whatever way feels best to you. Maybe you’d love to start cleaning rooms one by one — or maybe you’re thinking it makes more sense to get to work cleaning floors throughout your house while you’ve got the mop out.

To simplify your process, take these things into consideration:

• How big is your house?
• How regularly do you perform quick cleanings?
• What is your biggest obstacle (dust, pet hair, mud tracked in from shoes, etc.)?
• How much time do you have to devote to spring cleaning?

Remember, spring cleaning shouldn’t take all spring. Although larger spaces like kitchens and high-traffic areas like living rooms will take more time, HGTV says you might just be able to get spring cleaning done in 48 hours (although a week is probably a more comfortable timeline).

Also keep in mind that different house styles, as defined by Better Homes & Gardens, can pose different cleaning challenges — for example, Victorian homes have a lot of angles, while craftsman-style houses have lots of built-in woodwork to contend with. It also matters what condition you bought your house in, which is why it’s important to look for guarantees like the Bungalo® home certification.

Key spring cleaning equipment and supplies

What you’ll need

To do spring cleaning the right way, you’ll need the right tools. Here are the best spring cleaning supplies to help you dust and wipe every last thing in your home:

• Microfiber cloth
• Rubber gloves
• Extra sponges
• Old toothbrushes
• Feather dusters
• Your favorite spring cleaning playlist

You’ll also want to brush up on the latest spring cleaning techniques to help you get the job done in less time and with less work. Here are some house cleaning and home care tips to get you started:

• Don’t push yourself. Although you may want to tackle everything on that to-do list, it’s not always good for muscles and joints to spend the whole day cleaning — especially if you do a lot of bending, reaching or scrubbing.
• Keep kids, pets or the spouse busy. If your family has a tendency to get in the way of spring cleaning, plan ahead and send them outside for the day to enjoy the nice weather — or, better yet, get them to help out.
• Open the windows. Even the most environmentally friendly spring cleaning supplies can have a strong smell, so let a breeze in whenever possible.
• Be savvy about the sun. Spring sun makes it easy to dry oversized rugs or a freshly power-washed front porch, but according to Good Housekeeping, it can also be your enemy, causing streaks while you wash windows. Wait for cloudy days to grab the glass cleaner.

Can you spring clean without using harsh chemicals?

The simple answer is yes.

Although harsh chemicals are readily available at supermarkets and convenience stores, they’re far from your only option. Sustainable spring cleaning solutions are just as easy to come by — as long as you know where to look. In fact, you might already have one of the best spring cleaning supplies at your disposal, and it doesn’t even come with a long list of ingredients nobody can pronounce.

You’re about to become best friends with your vinegar.

Why vinegar is the ultimate cleaning solution

Vinegar as a cleaning agent

According to Healthline, vinegar is made from acetic acid, the organic compound responsible for everything that gives vinegar its unique personality — from its distinct taste to its colorless appearance. However, acetic acid is also responsible for vinegar’s real claim to fame: its ability to dissolve and remove everything from grease to mineral deposits, all while killing bacteria.

The best option for spring cleaning tasks is white vinegar, which should be easy to find at your local supermarket or even in your pantry.

Your spring cleaning checklist, vinegar style

Now that you know about the ultimate spring cleaning hack, it’s time to put it to good use. Here are a few ways vinegar can help you knock tasks off your spring cleaning checklist one by one.

Clean the glass

Nobody likes grimy windows. Let the spring sunshine in by combining water and vinegar in a spray bottle, and Healthline says your windows will be streak-free in minutes.

Keep surfaces shiny

If your home’s shiny surfaces aren’t so shiny anymore, a little vinegar can do wonders. The Spruce recommends spraying vinegar directly onto surfaces to get rid of fingerprints and other unpleasant marks.

Unclog stubborn drains

Remember baking soda volcanoes? You can use the same basic concept to clean out your sink or bathtub drains. According to Green Matters, baking soda and vinegar will bubble up, bringing stubborn clogs to the surface.

Scrub sink fixtures

Faucets, handles, you name it — vinegar is a great choice for cleaning your bathroom and kitchen fixtures. It can even break through soap scum and get rid of every last hard water stain.

Get rid of that microwave smell

According to Healthline, you can pop one cup of water and ¼ cup of vinegar in your microwave for a couple minutes to eliminate odors. Once the microwave smells fresh and clean, you can give it even more TLC by using the same warm water solution and a paper towel to break through grease and other stains.

Say goodbye to mold

This Old House says that, when it comes to removing mold, vinegar is a safe alternative to bleach. Once the mold is gone, prevent future growth by properly ventilating damp spaces like bathrooms or laundry rooms, drying wet towels or shower curtains, and using the right paint or sealant for the affected area.

A vinegar caveat

Although using vinegar is an excellent way to win at spring cleaning without relying on harsh chemicals, there’s one big thing you’ll want to keep in mind.

Remember that vinegar is made from acetic acid, which breaks down mineral deposits. This means vinegar is not a good choice for cleaning granite countertops, according to Good Housekeeping. Over time, it will break down the minerals that give your countertops their longevity and shiny appearance, making them susceptible to further damage.

When it comes time to clean the counters, holster that vinegar and reach for the dish soap instead. Just a few drops of dish soap, a cloth and some warm water can get rid of stains, dirt, spills or grease marks without ruining your granite for good.

Spring cleaning dos and don’ts

To keep your house safer and healthier with less effort, there are a few “must-dos” — and, naturally, a few “certainly don’ts.” Here are some tips to inform your spring cleaning techniques all the way from the front door to the back fence.

Kitchen

Do use white vinegar on your stainless steel appliances. They’ll be bright and shiny in just a few minutes — and, after all, isn’t that why you chose them for your kitchen?

Do track down odors in your kitchen. The culprit is usually old food — so go through your pantry, cupboards and refrigerator and throw out anything old, expired or just unpleasant.

Do toss half a fresh lemon into your garbage disposal. This will clean the disposal and create a fresh scent every time you turn it on — plus, you can use the rest of the lemon to make yourself a glass of citrus ice water, which you totally deserve after all that cleaning.

Don’t keep using the same sponge or rag. Sponges and similar cleaning supplies can start carrying bacteria when you use them for too long, so stick them in a tub of warm soapy water to wash away the dust or dirt.

Don’t leave food out while you’re cleaning. That bowl of fruit or that pan of fresh-baked cookies? Set them aside so they don’t get covered in vinegar or other cleaning solutions.

Don’t forget to wash the dishwasher. According to Southern Living, it’s an easy spring cleaning task: just put a cup of vinegar in a dishwasher-safe container on the top shelf and run the hot water cycle.

Laundry room

Do use this chance to catch up on laundry. It’s not the grandest of spring cleaning tips, but it’s easy to toss wet towels in the dryer while you’re busy scrubbing and dusting everywhere else.

Do keep an eye out for mold. Laundry rooms can be damp, creating the perfect environment for growth — so keep your vinegar handy, and wear gloves and a mask if you spot anything.

Do wash your washing machine. TODAY recommends cleaning top-load and front-load machines by running one load with white vinegar and a second load with baking soda.

Don’t let cleaning supplies mix with detergents or laundry soaps. Depending on what supplies you’re using, this could create dangerous chemicals or fumes.

Don’t forget your utility sink. It may not be the star of the show like your kitchen sink, but it still deserves a little TLC.

Don’t dust or vacuum before you empty the lint trap. You’ll just make more work for yourself.

Bathrooms

Do put your shower curtain, bath mat or decorative towels through the wash. These items are easy to overlook, but they’re a trap for germs and odors.

Do use an old toothbrush and some baking soda to clean the grout on your bathroom countertops. This eliminates germs and keeps your bathroom looking good.

Do clean less-obvious areas, like heater vents, towel rods or baseboards. Although these places might not get a lot of use or traffic, they can still gather filth and take away from your bathroom’s overall appearance.

Don’t start cleaning the bathtub or shower until you’ve removed bars of soap, razors and body washes. If contaminated by cleaning supplies or detergents, these items could cause skin irritation.

Don’t scrub showerheads to get rid of hard water stains and buildup — soak them in vinegar instead.

Don’t forget to clean the trash can, even if you change it regularly. Scrub it inside and out (and use trash can liners if you don’t already).

Imagine spring cleaning in a new home

All the dusting and scrubbing in the world won’t make the wrong house into the right fit. If you’re pulling out all the stops to manifest your dream home, maybe spring cleaning isn’t enough — maybe it’s time to make a move.

Although moving can be quite a chore, it’s a whole lot easier when you can handle all the details without leaving the couch. Bungalo’s all-in-one home-buying platform makes every step stress-free, from finding your perfect property to finally taking the keys. Bungalo houses come guaranteed and certified, which means you won’t have renovations, repairs or maintenance to worry about — and even tasks like dusting, scrubbing, vacuuming and wiping will be less work.

If spring cleaning in a new home sounds more fun than spring cleaning in your current house, start searching Bungalo listings today.

This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as financial, tax, legal, real estate, insurance, or investment advice. Bungalo always encourages you to reach out to an advisor regarding your own situation.