Our Expert Shares How to Tackle Spring Cleaning in Three Easy Steps (2025)

Spring cleaning typically involves scrubbing every inch of the house, getting rid of clutter, and organizing everything from your basement and garage to closets and pantries. While we're all for rolling up your sleeves and getting to work, not everyone has time for a monthlong cleaning frenzy—especially if you're someone who's itching to get going on tasks in the yard and garden.

If you're like us and just want to give your living space a good once-over, it's possible to finish your spring cleaning checklist over a weekend with the right items. This includes everything from traditional mops and vacuums to garage storage shelves, along with the right cleaning solutions.

We wrote this spring cleaning guide to help you tackle what can easily be an all-consuming task. Here's our checklist of three steps to get the job done, plus editor-tested and researched appliances, storage solutions, and extra tools that may come in handy.

At the most basic level, cleaning off tables, countertops, and desks is probably the easiest and most noticeable difference you can make. Dust, stains, and spills accumulate on these heavy traffic surfaces and keeping them clean requires more than just a light once-over from time to time.

All cleaners lift away stains or grime, and some are formulated to kill germs. The latter should be used in places like kitchens and bathrooms when bacteria tends to grow. But for the majority of messes and upkeep we recommend buying a good all-purpose cleaner. These sprays and solvents are meant to be compatible on multiple surfaces including granite, wood, plastic, and more.

However, for cleaning windows and other glass, consider buying a separate window cleaning solution. While some all-purpose cleaners list glass and windows as a part of their options, others may leave a slightly streaky finish. For cleaning windows, make sure to wipe off any dust with a rag or handheld vacuum and use a water and dish soap solution for caked-on dirt. After that, spray down the window with your cleaner of choice and wipe away with a paper towel or microfiber cloth. Keep at it until the window is dry and there are no discernible streaks.

Consider opting for a more powerful cleaning gel as opposed to a traditional spray for stovetops and bathroom surfaces with stubborn stains. This, in combination with a scratch-free scrub brush or pad, pulls up grease and grime easier than the spray bottle and paper towel.

Freshen up carpets and area rugs.

Carpets, along with tile and hardwood floors, all face similar problems to one another: dust and hair accumulation, spills, and everyday foot traffic. For carpet cleaning, the answer is still the same as it has been for generations: vacuums. A good vacuum has powerful suction, effective bristles that lift out dust and hair, easy maneuverability around corners and furniture, and quality attachments that improves cleaning power in different parts of your home.

Canister vacuums typically offer the most power and are a great choice if you live on one floor. Upright vacuums offer good suction power and are a bit easier if you live on multiple levels, plus there are several models specifically designed for lifting pet hair.

Cordless stick vacuum don't have the same oomph as corded models but they're relatively lightweight and come with multiple attachments for cleaning upholstery and even ceiling corners. If you buy a budget cordless model with only a couple of attachments, a handheld vacuum is a good addition to your arsenal for getting into small corners and cleaning upholstery. If you have no time, consider a robot vacuum to do the cleaning for you.

While vacuums are effective for getting out dirt and pet hair, if there is a stain in your carpet or rug, you'll need a carpet cleaner. They have suction power just like a regular vacuum paired with water, cleaning solution, and sometimes steam. The appliances shoot liquids directly into your carpet and then use built-on bristles to scrub out any set-in stains. Afterward, vacuum suction pulls the water (and stains) out and into an internal tank. Carpet steam cleaners have a very similar cleaning mechanism but replace the water and cleaning solution with high-temperature steam.

For area rugs, we recommend that if you use a carpet cleaner with a water or cleaning solution formula, to do it on tile or a different waterproof surface so that no liquid leaks through and ruins unfinished wood or your carpet underneath. Area rugs can also be taken outside and shaken off for any loose particles of dirt or sediment. This approach can also be supplemented with an old-school carpet beater which can help dislodge more set-in dust.

Tile and Hardwood Floors

Tiles and hardwood don't require the same suction and power that carpet needs. Because the surface is flat, dirt and pet hair cannot burrow into the material the same way it can with carpet. However, this also means that if there is any accumulation, it'll be far more apparent.

For most tile and hardwood cleaning, we recommend mops. These days there are way more options than the basic handled sponge or cotton strings, with disposable heads or pads that you attach to the stick, use once for a quick clean, and then dispose of. There are also models with removable bottoms that are machine-washable.

Mops should handle the majority of messes, but for stuck on grime or stains, you may need some extra power. Steam cleaners and floor scrubbers take the basic features of a mop and add additional power through the use of cleaning solution sprayers, steam, and motorized cleaning heads. Steam cleaners, as the name suggests, use hot steam to both break down set-in stains and disinfect the floor. This is great for flooring that is more sensitive and could be damaged by using harsh cleaning chemicals.

Floor scrubbers work best for surfaces that require heavy cleaning and can handle a bit of extra elbow grease—think concrete, linoleum, tile, durable finished wood, and stone. Scrubbers typically come with mechanized spinning bristles or coarse material that digs deeper into the flooring to break down caked-on food stains, grime, and layered dirt. These devices are often used in tandem with a cleaning solution or just regular soap and water for a deeper clean.

Pack off-season items in boxes.

Storage boxes and shelves help reduce clutter in your home and help keep track of items you won't need every day but definitely don't want to get rid of. For direct storage options, clear plastic storage bins are a solid choice, especially for their long-term reusability. In combination with a label maker, every item can be stored and categorized so you never end up losing keepsakes in an endless collection of boxes. If you want something a little cheaper though, classic cardboard moving boxes will do just fine as well.

Install shelving in your garage and basement.

Once you've packed up whatever you want to store, it's time to stow them away. Unless you want those boxes piling up in a corner of your home or garage somewhere, we recommend using heavy-duty shelving. Big garage shelves reduce the overall floor space that your storage boxes take on their own. If you want to completely open up your garage, consider overhead shelves. These are massive basket-like shelves which install on the roof and store your things from above.

Heavy duty shelving also works well as a way to protect your boxes. In spaces like basements and cellars which are underground, these shelves lift your boxes off the floor. In the event of a heavy storm or flood, these shelves will keep your belongings elevated and above the water, significantly reducing the risk of water damage.