The thing about living in Southeast Asia is that there isn’t really a proper spring. At least not one that resembles what you see on HGTV when they’re talking about spring cleaning. However, that doesn’t mean now isn’t a great time to tidy up around the house.

We’ve compiled some spring cleaning tips to help you along the way. By the time you’re done, your home will look as good as they day you first moved in.

7 spring cleaning tips

1) Give yourself enough time to clean the whole house

Of all the spring cleaning tips we list here, this is the most important. Use this time to clean your entire home, not just a room or a few areas here and there. Clear your schedule for an entire day and don’t stop until everything is done and dusted. Some people start scrubbing and then get preoccupied with other things. Eventually they never return to cleaning and they’re left with one or two clean rooms and a bunch of dirty ones too.

2) Starting donating stuff

Spring cleaning is a great time to take inventory of what’s in your house and clearing out items you don’t need. This could be anything from clothes and shoes to old appliances and even books. Any items that are still good but just don’t fit into your plans anymore should be donated.

3) When in doubt, start in the bedroom 

Starting is the biggest challenge for most people. While there is no bad place to start cleaning, just begin in the bedroom if you find yourself struggling. This is especially good for families since everyone can hit the ground running in their individual room. Once you start cleaning the bedroom, usually the momentum will take you to other rooms in the house.

4) Tie a towel to the end of a broom for hard to reach places

Chances are your house contains a few places that happen to be hard to reach. Ceilings or narrow spots, such as the space between the refrigerator and counter, aren’t made for human hands and arms. Never fear, all you have to do is tie a towel to the end of a broom. This tool should help you get to those once unreachable spots.

5) Meet lemon juice and baking soda, your new best friends

Sure, you could buy fancy cleaning products, but baking soda and lemon juice, or just plain old lemons, usually suffice. For example, lemon juice is great for cleaning faucets and countertops. Meanwhile, baking soda is perfect for stainless steel and tiled surfaces. Look online for more uses. You’ll probably be surprised just how versatile these household items are when it comes to cleaning.

6) Vacuum the couch and mattress

A lot of dust makes its way into your mattress, couch and fabric chairs. When you vacuum, be sure you hit these items as well.

7) Wash the washing tools

The broom, mop, towels, dusters and all those other cleaning tools need love too. Wash them after you’re done cleaning. Leaving these dirty can attract mold, awful smells and a bunch of other stuff you probably don’t want around the house.

Did these spring cleaning tips fail to create more space? Maybe it’s time for a new home. Dot Property has thousands of properties for sale and rent. Start your search today!