Put Forgotten Surfaces on the Spring Cleaning List

A useful seasonal checklist includes the edges, undersides and tracks that ordinary room cleaning tends to overlook.

Follow the dust into hidden places

Homes & Gardens' whole-house spring checklist calls attention to shelves, picture frames, baseboards and the undersides of furniture. Removing decorative items temporarily makes shelves easier to clean. Working from the top of a room downward reduces the chance of dust settling on surfaces that have already been finished, while a brush attachment can help with detailed edges.

Choose the right treatment for each area

The guide also covers window tracks, textiles and floors rather than treating every surface identically. It recommends beginning textile cleaning with a thorough vacuum to remove loose material. Wood floors need limited moisture and an appropriate cleaner, while other floor types call for different methods. Dividing the list into rooms or smaller sessions makes it possible to tackle neglected areas without expecting an entire home's deep clean to happen in one exhausting day.

A useful seasonal checklist includes the edges, undersides and tracks that ordinary room cleaning tends to overlook.