Spring cleaning: a plan for a weekend or a whole week

Spring cleaning is a thorough clean after winter: airing out and drying the home, washing and storing winter textiles, washing the windows together with their frames, clearing out and sorting belongings, tidying the balcony and disposing of waste properly. You can manage it in one focused weekend, or spread it over a week at one to two hours a day. Below you will find both plans and advice on what not to forget after winter.

How spring cleaning differs from regular cleaning

After the heating season there is more dust on and behind the radiators, moisture has condensed on the windows during winter, and your wardrobes have filled up with things you no longer need. Besides thorough cleaning, spring cleaning therefore also includes swapping winter items for summer ones, checking damp spots and tidying the balcony or terrace.

For a detailed list of tasks room by room, from the oven to the grout, see the article deep cleaning of a flat: a room-by-room checklist. Here we focus on how to organise the work and what is typical for spring. Whichever plan you choose, stick to the rule of working from top to bottom and from dry to wet, so the floors always come last.

Airing out and moisture after winter

Start by airing the flat thoroughly and going through the places where moisture may have lingered during winter: window reveals and sills, corners by external walls, the space behind wardrobes and beds, the bathroom and the pantry. Dark patches or a musty smell are a signal that the cause needs to be found.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends keeping indoor relative humidity below 60%, ideally between 30 and 50%, and drying damp materials within 24 to 48 hours so that mould cannot take hold (EPA: A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home). The same guide advises switching on a fan or opening a window when showering and using the extractor hood when cooking. A simple hygrometer will show you whether you are airing enough.

Weekend plan

The weekend option suits you if you want to have everything done at once. Allow two full days and prepare your equipment and bags for sorted waste in advance.

Saturday: belongings, textiles, kitchen and bathroom

1. In the morning, air the whole flat and put the first load of curtains or winter throws in the washing machine.
2. Clear out the wardrobe and the shoe cabinet: set aside winter items for washing, and sort unwanted ones into donation and waste.
3. Remove dust throughout the flat from the top down, including radiators, light fittings and the tops of wardrobes.
4. Clean the kitchen: fridge, oven, extractor hood, cupboards and tiles.
5. Clean the bathroom and toilet, including descaling and grout.
6. In the evening, hang the washed textiles where they will dry well.

Sunday: windows, balcony, floors and waste

1. Wash the windows, including frames, seals and sills.
2. Clean the balcony or terrace.
3. Vacuum upholstered furniture and mattresses, and wash the mattress protectors.
4. Vacuum and mop the floors, working from the furthest room towards the door.
5. Prepare waste for removal: sorted waste into containers, bulky and hazardous waste to a collection yard.

Plan for a whole week

If you do not have a free weekend or want to get the cleaning done without exhaustion, spread it over seven days. One area per day is enough.

Equipment and safe use of cleaning products

Before you start, check your supplies so that the cleaning is not interrupted by a trip to the shop. For spring cleaning you will find useful:

• a vacuum cleaner with an upholstery nozzle and a crevice nozzle for radiators,
• microfibre cloths, a bucket, a mop and a window squeegee,
• a mild all-purpose cleaner, washing-up liquid and a descaler suitable for your surfaces,
• rubber gloves, a stable stepladder and bags for sorted waste,
• breathable covers or boxes for storing winter items.

Read the label of every product, work in gloves and ventilate. Try a new cleaner first on a hidden spot. Never mix products containing chlorine with acidic cleaners, vinegar or products containing ammonia, as irritating gases may be released. Why this matters is explained in the article which cleaning products should never be mixed.

Winter textiles and clothing

Wash winter jackets, jumpers, hats and blankets, or have them cleaned, according to the symbols on the label before storing them. Dirty clothes in storage attract moths, and stains set over the summer.

Store items only when completely dry, ideally in breathable covers or boxes in a dry place. Dry down products thoroughly and according to the manufacturer's instructions, because damp feathers are hard to dry and start to smell. While you are at it, also wash the curtains and throws that have soaked up dust over winter.

Windows, balcony and terrace

After winter, wash not only the glass but also the frames, seals and sills. The profile manufacturer VEKA recommends wiping the frames with a soft cloth and lukewarm water, treating the seals with a product intended for the purpose, vacuuming the frame groove with the sash open, clearing the drainage holes with a thin wooden stick, such as a toothpick, and lubricating the moving fittings at least once a year with an oil or grease free of acids and resins (VEKA: Care and maintenance). According to the manufacturer, abrasive powders, wire wool, solvents and steam cleaners do not belong on the frames. The method for cleaning glass is described in the article how to wash windows without streaks.

On the balcony, first sweep up leaves and debris, clean the drain, wash the railing and paving, and finally wipe the garden furniture. Use water sparingly so that it does not run down onto the balcony below, and throw debris from the drain into the bin, not down the drain.

Sorting belongings and what to do with waste in Prague

Spring is a good time to get rid of things that just take up space. The Waste Act requires everyone to collect waste separately by type (Act No. 541/2020 Coll., on waste, Section 13), so paper, plastics, glass and metals belong in the coloured containers.

At the Pražské služby collection yards you can, according to their website, drop off the following (Pražské služby: Sběrné dvory):

• bulky waste, for example old furniture, free of charge for residents with permanent residence in Prague up to 5.5 m³ per person per year,
• hazardous waste, for example batteries, accumulators, medicines, paints, solvents and motor oil,
• discarded electrical appliances, from fridges to energy-saving light bulbs, free of charge for everyone,
• used cooking oil in a plastic container, accepted from individuals only.

To drop off waste free of charge, you must show proof of permanent residence in Prague at the yard; others and businesses pay a fee. Before you set off, check the opening hours and exceptions of individual yards on the Pražské služby website. Never pour leftover paints, thinners or cleaning products into the sink or toilet.

If you do not have time for spring cleaning

If you do not want to tackle the cleaning yourself, or mainly the windows and the kitchen would hold you up, you can have a deep cleaning done and devote yourself to sorting your belongings. You will find an indicative price in the price list.