This may seem like a very interesting topic to cover on a health and fitness blog, but it can definitely uncover a few reasons you may not be feeling the best lately! Between what your shoes track in, your body removes, the dust in your vents…it can all add up to a pretty nasty concoction that, no doubt, can make you feel a little under the weather! That is why I want to cover the why, when and how of SPRING CLEANING!
Who doesn’t love the opening their windows to smell the spring air, turning on some music and sweeping the floor? hahahaha. Okay, maybe sweeping the floors isn’t that great, but you KNOW you can get on board with the other two things!
So today, while you sit down and read this blog about boring old cleaning…I want you to grab a glass of water (with lemon preferably), kick your feet up, take a few deep breaths and get ready to learn all about why those countless hours you spend cleaning your counters and floors is so important for your health!
Table of Contents
It is just what it sounds like…cleaning in spring. Did you know that spring cleaning roots back to the days when homes were heated by fireplaces. And spring cleaning was a way to open the windows, air out the house and clean the soot off of everything that built up over the winter?! Things are still much the same (depending on where you live) that we still close everything up for the winter, and then spring brings warmer temperatures to open the windows and smell the fresh air!
I know what you’re probably thinking…”what does spring cleaning have to do with health and fitness?” Well, nothing, besides the clean aspect having to do with limiting our chances of getting sick. What it does have to do with is Wellness. This means benefitting our well-being. Spring cleaning isn’t just to “have a clean house” or “start the spring off fresh.” There are also health benefits to spring cleaning! Not to mention the clarity you feel from a tidy house and refreshing feeling you get after you finish! Here are some underlying benefits of spring cleaning:
— helps you breathe better (cleaner air and surfaces)
— reduces symptoms of depression
— decrease risk of severe allergies
— improves mood and spirits (Check out my blog here to learn about the bodies response to stress)
— helps you to get rid of things that no longer hold value for you, and donating helps others!
— decreases stress and cortisol levels (being surrounded by piles and clutter can start to creep into our day to day mood)
— gives you feelings that get you excited about a fresh start and new perspective (try arranging furniture, it can be invigorating!)
Some of you might have already known about these benefits, and some not. But either way they are all reasons we should be deep cleaning our homes this spring. Not to mention the little benefits of MOVING OUR BODIES, while we do it. You know I am all about getting in that daily movement where ever we can!
Yes, spring. But…when exactly IS spring? When the weather turns? When the birds chirp? When the snow melts? My tip for you….tax season. Tax season means we start to clean up our financials and therefore, we might as well keep the cleaning go into the house! Realistically, there is not a right or wrong time to deep clean your house. There aren’t benefits of doing it sooner, rather than later. BUT, if you get a jump on it early enough, you won’t have to spend those really warm days inside cleaning! I also like to do it when its sunny and the air is a bit warmer. Because that means opening those windows, and airing out that shut in winter air. There is just something about the windows open, music playing and the smell of fresh/clean surfaces…am I right?
For me, my spring cleaning happens when I KNOW the cold is gone. This is because I rent an apartment that has very leaky windows (which we cover in plastic all winter). So I wait until I know I don’t need that plastic anymore to start my spring cleaning!
So I would say, get your cleaning in BEFORE the really good weather hits, but not too early that you may get shut in again!
Spring cleaning NEEDS to be more than wiping down your kitchen counters and sweeping the floors! There is SO MUCH dust/dander/dead skin cells that end up in the corners of rooms, under furniture and stuck in pillows that needs to be removed. Because THOSE things are what end up making us sick over time. Not only that, but spring cleaning also can mean starting fresh and organized…so getting rid of those old clothes you never use!
— Kitchen
– Clean out cabinets and wipe down outsides
– Scrub floors
– Wipe down appliances (inside and outside) refrigerator, microwave, oven, stove, coffee maker
– Clean sink and drain
– Clean windows
— Bathroom
– Scrub floors
– Empty cabinets/closets and wipe down
– Scrub bathtub and shower
– Wash/replace shower curtain
– Scrub toilet
– Scrub sink
– Wash mirror and clean out vanity
– Clean windows
— Bedrooms
– Empty closets
– Organize drawers
– Dust/disinfect surfaces
– Clean mirrors
– Clean carpets/floors
– Rotate Mattress and wash bedding
– Organize nightstands
– Clean kids toys
– Clean windows
— Home Office
– Wipe down desk
– Clean computer screen and keyboard
– Clean floors
– Clean clutter and organize files
– Throw away unnecessary paperwork/mail
– Clean Windows
— Living Space
– Wipe down TV
– Dust surfaces
– Clean picture frames
– Clean behind and under furniture
– Rotate rug
– Clean/vacuum furniture
– Wash pillows and blankets
– Wash windows
– Clean floors/carpets
If you do all this, I would say you are READY for summer and you smashed that spring cleaning chore! Remember, cleaning can be exercise too! So the more you clean, the more you move!!
And now, the most important part…what are you cleaning with. I know it seems like it makes sense to clean with chemicals to “kill” the germs, but really any cleaning products that has the right properties to it can be effective. This means it can be anything from a household product like baking soda, to an all natural cleaning brand like Method. What you don’t want to do is start rubbing bleach and chemicals all over your surfaces, to then be ingested via the air or surfaces from setting things onto the counter. Not to mention bleach can be extremely toxic if it is not diluted (I know first hand it can cause burns and scars, thank you High School toilet seat). Anyways, I thought I would also give you a list of all natural cleaners, just to complete this Spring Cleaning Guide to Everything You Need To Know.
• Lemons
• Baking Soda
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Essential Oils
• Vinegar
• Olive Oil
• Banana (polish silver)
• Ketchup (rust stains)
WellnessMama has great recipes using these products for cleaning your home!
This should be EVERYTHING you need to successfully spring clean your home this year! From a room by room list, to all-natural products, and even WHEN to do it! Remember, it is important not only to just have a clean house before the nice weather hits, but also for our overall well-being and mood. So next time you are feeling a little blah, do some cleaning! It’ll leave you feeling refreshed, happy, and you’ll have gotten some exercise in! For more random wellness tips (and health and fitness) subscribe to my newsletter below!
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