Your spring cleaning checklist — a room-by-room guide to deep cleaning your home with Aussie small business, Koh

The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, and the mercury is rising — yes, spring has officially sprung. And with the changing of the seasons comes signals that it's time for homeowners to dig out their cleaning supplies and to prepare a plan of attack for shaking off the winter dirt and dust.

Though it takes much more than clean surfaces and organised cupboards to make a household happy, a spring clean is highly conducive to household wellbeing. In fact, keeping a home clean helps cultivate a positive mindset, improve the general health of its occupants, and is scientifically proven to help reduce stress*.

But before you give your home a floor to ceiling scrub down, you’ll need the right kit. Enter Australian cleaning brand, Koh.

Created with the goal of making house work simple, Koh’s Universal Cleaner has been designed to trade the need for a cupboard full of cleaning products for just a single, multi-purpose cleaner, that can be used on every home surface and beyond. It’s also eco-certified!

And given that he’s made a career out of cleaning, when it comes to top spring cleaning tips and tricks, Koh co-founder, Adam Lindsay, is a go-to.

From freshening up fridges and deep cleaning ovens, to mattress makeovers and tidying up tap ware — read on for the cleaning guru’s room-by-room guide to Spring cleaning your home.

1.

Kitchen

Cleaning your kitchen is arguably the most time-consuming part of any spring clean, especially given the volume of messy foodstuffs that the surfaces and appliances come into contact with.
With that in mind, you might want to ease yourself into the task by sorting and cleaning drawers and pantry shelves (clearing out expired food while you’re at it) before taking on the most feared household chore of all: cleaning the oven.
“Ovens are the most dreaded cleaning chore,” agrees Adam. “With the prospect of baked-on grease and grime and dealing with harsh chemicals, it’s unsurprising that ovens are left off the cleaning to-do list for as long as possible."
“To give your oven a deep clean, pair a great quality cleaning solution — one that doesn’t contain nasties — with a quality scrubbing tool."
Another neglected area of the kitchen — one that is likely harbouring a host of forgotten food spills and odours— is the fridge.
“Make sure to empty the fridge of all produce and doing a declutter in the process,” advises Adam. “Then spritz doors and shelves with a cleaning solution. In addition to cleaning, the product will also help banish any lingering funky odours from spills and leaks.
“While you’re focusing on the interior, don’t forget about the grooves on the sides where the shelves rest, any grooves on the shelves or drawers are magnets for dirt! A grout brush is the ultimate tool for tackling these tricky areas.”
Lastly, apply the same products and techniques used on your fridge to your microwave too.
2.

Bathroom

Before even picking up a toilet brush or tackling the tub, it's important to take time to declutter a bathroom. Empty your vanity drawers and cabinets, discarding the rubbish as you go.
“A deep bathroom clean often calls for products with synthetic fragrances and lingering fumes as soap scum and mineral buildup can be a challenge to tackle.
To get rid of stubborn calcium and soap scum buildup in both the shower and bath, give the affected areas a liberal spray with Universal Cleaner, then bring out a durable scrubbing sponge, such as the Koh Diamond Sponge. For tricky spots, like the hard-to-reach areas around tap fittings, use a smaller grout brush.”
3.

Lounge room

Chances are, you’ve spent a lot of time in this room during the colder months. This also means you might need to pay your living room an extra bit of TLC during your spring clean.
Some people like to start out with the biggest and most noticeable piece of housework (the floors) however, given that the dust and grime from all surfaces will end up on the floor, a better strategy is to start at the top of a room and work your way down.
Give skirting boards, cornicing, walls and door frames a good dust and wash down, then clean your furniture, including your TV screen. Manufacturers will often include care instructions but if in doubt, use a clean and dry microfibre cloth, and avoid using too much pressure.
“Spring cleaning is the time to really focus on those areas in your home you may not get the chance to clean year-round,” says Adam. “In the lounge, enlist some help to move furniture so you can vacuum beneath sofas, tables and rugs — and give your sofas and rugs a vacuum too.”
4.

Bedroom

Unfortunately, there are often hidden hazards lurking around the house, and one of the worst can be found in your bedroom: dust mites.
The average bedroom offers the perfect environment for these critters to thrive in with higher humidity, moisture-rich bedding, and an all-you-can-eat food supply in the form of sleeping humans. And a consequence of living with these creatures is the dermatological and respiratory allergies that result from breathing in dust mites’ waste particles.
To further help tackle allergens give your mattress a mini makeover too.
“There's no better feeling than slipping into fresh sheets,” says Adam. “But your mattress can also get a spring clean. Firstly, give it a vacuum — making sure to use a clean head — to remove any dust, and then give the mattress a light spray and then a wipe down to remove any residue or grime.”
Another neglected area that’s crying out for an annual spring clean is the wardrobe. As temperatures climb it’s a signal for a seasonal wardrobe switcheroo, during which we pack away our bulkier, winter threads, and break out our spring-summer outfits. It’s also the perfect time to do a bit of a Marie Kondo-esque purge. Not only does it reduce clutter, but it also allows you to give your wardrobe a refresh.
“Spring is the perfect time to give your wardrobe a refresh,” agrees Adam.
“Clear some space by taking out your winter woolies and putting them into storage. Clean surfaces and cupboard corners and — for good measure — turn your attention to your footwear too."