The history of spring cleaning dates back to a time when it wasn't just something nice to do, but a necessity. Use of kerosene lamps and coal burning stoves left a sooty, greasy film on everything.

 

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Housewives would have to empty their homes and spend about a week washing walls and floors as well as every item in the house. If you think dusting is a chore, imagine the work of cleaning soot and smoke from every surface and crevice!

In the book Never Done: A History of American Housework by Susan Strasser, Emily Dickinson is quoted as saying about spring cleaning, "I prefer pestilence." Strasser also quotes a household advice writer of the time who referred to spring cleaning as "a general housewrecking process." Still, it was an annual ritual that signaled the end of winter.

While spring cleaning is not the necessary evil it once was, now is still a good time to do those things that should be done on an annual or semi-annual basis, including:

• Wash windows inside and out (or hire someone to do it).
• Move your refrigerator and stove out so you can vacuum underneath and behind. 
• Replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Clean smoke detectors. Remove and wipe cover with a damp cloth; vacuum interior.
• Clean or change your air conditioning filter.
• Roll up large area rugs and vacuum underneath.
• Help clean and clear household drains by pouring boiling water down them.
• Clean out your dryer vents.
• Wash winter quilts and linens and replace with lighter ones.
• Turn your mattresses.
• Clean and rehang curtains or replace with spring/summer curtains.
• Clean carpets and rugs. 
• Add fresh mothballs or fresh cedar products to your clothes storage.
• Pack up clutter and donate it.
  

Victorian women started their spring cleaning by opening windows to let fresh air into stuffy rooms. If that's as far as you get, consider it a start.

 

About Donna Smallin

Donna Smallin is an organizing and cleaning guru as well as the bestselling author of eight books on cleaning, uncluttering, and organizing your life, including her latest, The One-Minute Organizer A to Z Storage Solutions. You may have seen her on the CBS Early Show or read her tips in Better Homes & Gardens, Woman’s Day, Woman’s World and other leading publications. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), Donna received the 2006 Founders Award for outstanding contributions to the industry. She lives in Mesa, Arizona. To learn more, visit www.unclutter.com.