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Natural Cleaning and Organizing with Checklist
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My Natural Home Cleaning Checklist (for Spring Cleaning!)

Katie WellsMar 13, 2019Updated: Jul 30, 2019
Reading Time: 6 min

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Wellness Mama » Blog » Natural Home » My Natural Home Cleaning Checklist (for Spring Cleaning!)

I’ve written many times about all-natural cleaning methods without the use of chemicals. Now to check off something that’s been on my list for a while: a complete cleaning checklist for the whole house!

Sometimes it’s hard to get the motivation (or time) to take on deep cleaning, but the one time of year most of us feel like tackling it is when spring finally arrives and the weather warms up.

So throw open the windows, print out this list, and let the dirt, dust, and toxins be gone!

My Spring Cleaning/Deep Cleaning Checklist

To get started, I created a room cleaning checklist and printed it out to keep in protective binder sheets (tape the top closed). I use these for reference (nothing motivates like checking something off!) and the kids can also use them to clean each room. In case you want to do this too, I’ve shared a free printable at the bottom of this post.

Living Areas

  1. Pick up everything on floors and move to appropriate areas.
  2. Open windows for some ventilation or turn on an air filter if you have one.
  3. Starting with the highest points (top of door and window frames) and moving down, dust furniture with a damp rag or microfiber cloth. Remember to dust lights and fan blades.
  4. Spot clean any spots on furniture using baking soda and water or a natural all-purpose cleaner and a damp rag.
  5. Wash any blankets or throw pillows if needed.
  6. Clean lamps with microfiber cloths or a damp rag. A hydrogen peroxide spray works to clean white lampshades.
  7. Wash windows and windowsills with microfiber or 50/50 vinegar/water solution.
  8. Remove blinds and wash in bathtub with vinegar and water or use some old rags and straight white vinegar.
  9. Wipe down electronics and electronic screens with microfiber or rags with just plain water.
  10. Use a damp rag with all-purpose spray or microfiber cloth to wipe down walls and switch plates.
  11. Wipe down doors and door handles (use hydrogen peroxide if anyone has been sick).
  12. Mop floors with microfiber or with a cup of vinegar in a gallon of water and a wet mop.

Note: Vinegar is a natural and economical cleaner, but if you don’t like the smell of vinegar (confession: I really don’t!), substitute with a pre-made natural cleaner. Branch Basics is my current favorite because it’s very safe, ultra-concentrated to cut down on plastic packaging, and works for everything in the house (bathrooms, glass, walls, wood floors, hand soap, and even laundry). I’ve included some other products I like in the resources below.

Now back to the list…

Bedrooms

  1. Pick up everything on floors and move to appropriate areas.
  2. Open windows for some ventilation or turn on an air filter if you have one.
  3. Starting with the highest points (top of door and window frames) and moving down, dust furniture with a damp rag or microfiber cloth. Remember to dust lights and fan blades.
  4. Spot clean any spots on furniture using baking soda and water or an all-purpose cleaner and a damp rag.
  5. Wash any blankets or throw pillows if needed.
  6. Remove clothes from drawers, wipe down drawers, and return clothes. (This may not be the time to start KonMari folding, but I highly recommend checking it out!)
  7. Refresh drawer freshener sachets if you have them.
  8. Clean lamps with microfiber cloths or a damp rag with all-purpose cleaner. A hydrogen peroxide spray works to clean white lampshades.
  9. Wash windows and windowsills with microfiber or 50/50 vinegar/water solution.
  10. Remove blinds and wash in bathtub with vinegar and water or use some old rags and straight white vinegar.
  11. Wash sheets.
  12. Hang pillows and mattress pads in the sun for 2-3 hours to remove bacteria and air out.
  13. Replenish lavender pillow/linen spray.
  14. Dust, sweep, or mop under bed.
  15. Use a damp rag or microfiber cloth to wipe down walls and switch plates.
  16. Wipe down doors and door handles (use hydrogen peroxide if anyone has been sick).

Other tips for creating a sleep-inducing natural bedroom here.

Bathrooms

  1. Open windows for some ventilation or turn on an air filter if you have one.
  2. Starting with the highest points (top of door and window frames) and moving down, dust furniture with a damp rag or microfiber cloth.
  3. Take everything out of cabinets and closets and re-organize and refold. Wipe down shelves and inside with damp rag and all-purpose cleaner.
  4. Scrub down and clean shower and tub with a homemade bath and shower spray. Alternatively, vinegar and water works well along with homemade scouring powder for spots that need more than a little elbow grease.
  5. Clean outside of toilet with hydrogen peroxide and inside with vinegar or all-purpose cleaner and baking soda and a brush.
  6. Shine mirror and windows with microfiber or with vinegar and water (50/50) mix and a clean rag.
  7. Wipe down counters and sink with all-purpose cleaner or microfiber.
  8. Clean floor and grout (use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide for stained grout).
  9. Restock Epsom salts, shower melts, and other natural bath supplies.

Other bathroom cleaning tips and specific recipes here.

Kitchen

  1. Open windows for some ventilation or turn on an air filter if you have one.
  2. Starting with the highest points (top of door and window frames) and moving down, dust furniture with a damp rag or microfiber cloth. Don’t forget lighting fixtures and fans.
  3. Take everything out of cabinets and closets and re-organize and refold. Wipe down shelves and inside with damp rag and all-purpose cleaner.
  4. Wash cabinet doors and knobs with microfiber or all-purpose cleaner.
  5. Wipe down appliances.
  6. Clean inside of oven with baking soda and water paste (more info here).
  7. Remove food from fridge and freezer and clean inside with a 50/50 vinegar and water solution or microfiber. Return food to proper places.
  8. Pull out fridge and stove and clean underneath them with a vinegar and water solution.
  9. Dust refrigerator coils and clean out grate at front of refrigerator.
  10. Remove everything from counter tops and wipe down counters and backsplash. Wipe down each appliance and counter item before returning it.
  11. Clean dishwasher by running it empty with a bowl of vinegar (more info here).
  12. Clean sink and fixture with microfiber or undiluted vinegar on a wet rag.
  13. Sweep and mop floor and clean grout if needed.
all natural cleaning and organizing checklist

More specific kitchen instructions and cleaning recipes are here.

Laundry Room/Area

  1. Open windows for some ventilation or turn on an air filter if you have one.
  2. Starting with the highest points (top of door and window frames) and moving down, dust furniture with a damp rag or microfiber cloth. Don’t forget lighting fixtures and fans.
  3. Take everything out of cabinets and shelves and re-organize and refold. Wipe down shelves and inside with damp rag and all-purpose cleaner.
  4. Wash cabinet doors and knobs with microfiber or all-purpose cleaner.
  5. Wipe down washer and dryer with wet rag and all-purpose cleaner.
  6. Deep clean the washer.
  7. Remove dryer lint trap and wash with dishwashing liquid to remove film.
  8. Wipe down all walls, baseboards, and other flat surfaces to remove dust.
  9. Sweep and mop flour and clean grout if needed.
  10. Refresh laundry supplies including refelting or replacing wool dryer balls if needed.

You can also download this free printable reference sheet for treating laundry stains naturally. I keep it hanging next to my washing machine for reference.

My Minimalist Natural Cleaning Closet

Confession time: If you ever wonder how I do it all, well… I don’t. (Do any of us?) It’s all about priorities!

I routinely make my own elderberry syrup, cook almost all of our food from scratch, and am always itching to work on my latest DIY project… but I did stop making my own green cleaners long ago. Why?

Well, life is busier with older kids, a podcast, and a business. Plus there are so many better options on the market now than there were when I started blogging. (Thank goodness!) I’ve also worked hard on simplifying our belonging and systems and prefer to use one natural cleaner concentrate that works for the whole house.

Here’s a quick roundup of my current natural cleaning favorites:

  • Branch Basics all-purpose concentrate and oxygen boost (or make your own)
  • Microfiber and rags from old t-shirts
  • Glass spray bottles (Branch Basics provides re-usable plastic bottles, which are lighter and easier for the smaller kids to use)
  • Baking soda, washing soda, salt, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide for making homemade cleaners or treating stains
  • Sal Suds (back-up all-purpose concentrate)
  • Homebiotic spray for fighting mold and odors
  • A few essential oils for freshness and added cleaning power

And the printable Deep Cleaning Checklist I mentioned? Download it for free here, or check out my complete Home Organization Binder printables with blank room cleaning templates you can customize.

Happy spring cleaning!

What did I miss? Do you have a cleaning checklist? Share below!

Home cleaning checklist of natural ways to clean your house with natural ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, washing soda, borax and soap.
Category: Natural Home

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About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a wife and mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

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Reader Interactions

Discussion (57 Comments)

  1. Ron Cowgill

    November 14, 2013 at 11:22 AM

    I just want to give a big thanks to Katie because this really a great and helpful article about Natural House Cleaning. This true that more and more people every around the World are turning to natural household cleaning products as a solution to turn away from toxic chemical cleaners. Many cleaners advertise themselves as an “extra strong” solution and contain a mix of various powerful solvents that we have no control over. It is no wonder that so many are looking for an affordable and natural solution to this dilemma.

    Reply
    • Lauren

      December 30, 2019 at 2:05 PM

      Regarding the microfiber cloths…can you use them with all purpose cleaner and/or vinegar and water solution? Or can they only be used to clean with water? Thanks!

      Reply
  2. Ash Johnson

    February 5, 2013 at 9:31 PM

    How often do you do this?

    Reply
    • Wellness Mama

      February 11, 2013 at 9:20 PM

      Not as often as I should, but I try to rotate through the whole thing regularly…

      Reply
  3. Betty

    February 2, 2013 at 7:13 PM

    any tips on what to use in place of dryer sheets? tried some natural ones like 7th generation and my clothes are still static-y. Put a fleece pullover on my daughter after a load and her hair went straight up, lol, so static-y clothes = static-y hair. would love to get some tips that have worked!

    Reply
    • Wellness Mama

      February 2, 2013 at 10:19 PM

      I use dryer balls and they work well…

      Reply
      • Betty

        February 3, 2013 at 1:10 PM

        thanks for the tip! can you tell me what brand you use and how many do you put in for each load, and also approx how long they last for you before you switch them out? I will purchase the ones you have. thank you!

        Reply
        • Wellness Mama

          February 4, 2013 at 5:43 PM

          I have these: https://wellnessmama.com/go/microfiber/ and they last pretty much forever…

          Reply
          • Betty

            February 4, 2013 at 10:53 PM

            thank you!!!

    • Cheryl

      April 11, 2015 at 9:41 AM

      NO STATIC DRYING – *time* your dryer for each kind of load, you want to pull them out when they’re nearly very dry or regular dry, when they’ve been in TOO long, it sucks the moisture out & they’re bone dry & staticky. I wrote down my notes & set a timer. If it does go too long, flick a bit of water & run the dryer on no heat or low heat. 🙂

      Reply
    • Jessica

      July 15, 2016 at 10:28 PM

      Wash the load with a little vinegar then hang to dry. Dryers are terrible for the environment.

      Reply
  4. Erica

    November 20, 2012 at 3:01 PM

    Do you have any suggestions for cleaning microfiber couches? Everywhere I look it says alcohol. Any ideas?

    Reply
    • Sheila

      July 11, 2016 at 11:09 AM

      alcohol….. you can mix some citrus oils in, but a vinegar, alcohol mix will probably be your best bet. You can use vodka or everclear if you are worried about using rubbing alcohol. Another thing to try might be simple green. It is fairly environmentally friendly and less toxic than some things. I have used it in the past, and it works pretty well, but a little goes a long way.

      Reply
  5. Ony

    September 11, 2012 at 8:27 AM

    I just discovered this website and I love it !!!!

    Reply
  6. Rebecca McGrath

    July 23, 2012 at 3:41 PM

    What would be a good furniture polish and leather cleaner? I have always bought the Pledge multi surface and used it for wood and leather. Not sure what a good substitute would be.

    Reply
    • Sari Dweck

      September 12, 2013 at 6:11 AM

      Did you ever find a good Pledge substitute? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Rebecca McGrath

        September 12, 2013 at 7:51 AM

        For leather I just use diluted water/vinegar and lemon essential oil. No fading or cracking from my leather sofa. As far as furniture I haven’t really made my own yet. I use Method furniture polish and cleaner. They work great and smell like amaretto :).

        If anyone knows a good homemade furniture polish please share!

        Reply
        • Sari Dweck

          November 18, 2013 at 6:20 AM

          Is there a reason you use lemon specifically, or would any essential oil work the same?

          Reply
  7. Revecca Panopoulos-Anthony

    July 23, 2012 at 2:48 PM

    You can also get an old pillow case spray it on the inside, put it on the blades individually of the fan, and slowly wipe them. that way the dirt stays inside the pillowcase. I hope I said this right. lol! Great list, will be pinning! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Leslie carrier

    July 18, 2012 at 9:24 AM

    Didn’t see the organizational tips? Am I missing something?

    Reply
  9. Amy Stadler

    June 10, 2012 at 10:17 PM

    Tried the baking soda and peroxide on my bath tub and i could not believe how easy it cut through the soap scum. my arms usually hurt from scrubbing the tub and there is still a rig around the tub but when i used the baking soda and peroxide it just wiped right off!!  awesome!!  

    I know this isn’t the laundry article but since i switch to all natural laundry soap and stopped using dryer sheets and fabric softener my husbands navy blue work shirts (the underarms) smell HORRIBLE!  i have tried soaking them in borax and rubbing the laundry soap in and letting them soak over night but its not working.  i’m hesitant on trying vinegar because the last time i used it on a dark load it really faded them.  any suggestions??

    Reply
    • Wellness Mama

      June 10, 2012 at 11:49 PM

      Not totally natural (but much better than regular) but try Dawn blue dish soap (add a couple tablespoons to the wash and soak for a while). This actually removes the grease/deodorant build up that holds the smell…

      Reply
      • Emily

        May 30, 2016 at 8:15 AM

        Norwex makes an all natural stain remover that works really awesome too!

        Reply
    • Bornish

      July 24, 2012 at 10:57 AM

      Wash them in HOT water. I washed my hubby’s black & white refereeing shirts in HOT, black didn’t fade and they smelled great. So simple. Did it this way for years. I wouldn’t hesitate to try this on navy blue work shirts.

      Reply
    • Banana

      January 4, 2013 at 10:22 PM

      Try soaking them in a mixture of pure soap flakes and a handful of bicarb soda dissolved in very hot water with two capfuls of Eucalyptus oil. I add Eucalyptus oil to all my washes, it’s great for removing grease and helps to keep whites white even when using non-whitening wash-powder (which I never use because it’s absolutely toxic to the skin, damaging to clothes and incredibly polluting to the environment.) Also, the best whitener and deoderizer in the world is absolutely free – sunlight. Hot wash with eucalyptus oil and dry in full sun.

      Reply
    • Devonna Klaassen

      November 7, 2015 at 12:45 PM

      Adding a few drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil to your laundry will help. It’s a powerful germ killer and great for addressing body odor.

      Reply
    • Sheila

      July 11, 2016 at 11:05 AM

      I make my own powder detergent with coconut soap and washing soda. I add several drops of eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, and a tablespoon of Rid-x septic tank powder. The enzymes in it help break down protein stains, and it helps boost stain removing power of the other ingredients. I also use vinegar as a rinse aid- about 1/4 cup. We have had no issues with odor or with fading in over a year of regular use. My husband is in construction, so he can work up a sweat, and this seems to work great!

      Reply
  10. Kortney Bewley

    June 2, 2012 at 12:54 AM

    Whoa my bathroom is so clean, I won’t ever buy another toxic cleaning agent ever again. Thank you Wellness Mama for sharing your recipes, tips, and lists!

    Reply
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