NOW CLOSED Currys want to know Mumsnetters' top spring cleaning tips. Post your best here and be in with a chance of winning a £100 Currys PC World gift card

[AlexMumsnet]

Spring's almost here apparently and many of us feel the urge to clear away the winter cobwebs and give the house a proper deep clean (or even just flick a duster round).

With this in mind Currys would like to find out Mumsnetters' top tips for spring cleaning. This could be motivation, how to find the time, what the benefits are, or tips relating to the products (or services of others) that you use at this time of year.

Currys say "We have a great line of products that we think make Spring Cleaning a breeze - we'd love to know your top tips, and what makes it easy for you?"

So what are your top spring cleaning tips?

Currys will be choosing their favourite 10 tips added on this thread to feature on the Currys pages on Mumsnet and possibly elsewhere. This page will also feature competitions over the next few weeks so make sure to check it out and enter!

Everyone who adds their tips to this thread will be entered into a prize draw with the chance of winning a £100 Currys PC World gift card.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

[BornToFolk]

oh yeah, soda crystals are excellent! I love them for removing burnt on food in saucepans. Just fill the plan with water, add a couple of table spoons of soda crystals and boil for a few mins. You should see the food lifting away in the water. Let it sit for until the water goes cold, then wash as normal.

[bluebump]

Open the windows, i've got mine open today for one of the first times this year and my house already feels brighter. Also on a day like today I like to put the washing out to dry, I hate having clothes drying all over the house.

A tip I found from the Fly Lady was to start in one corner of a room and to not move on until you've finished. Previously i'd just move stuff from one part of the room to another and still not seem to get a lot done!

[prakattack]

Ebay!! Declutter, get rid of all the excess "stuff" around the house, and make some money at the same time - what's not to love?!
Also second the tip further up the thread about what you can wash in the dishwasher - makes cleaning bins, scummy bath toys, hob parts, etc sooo much easier!

[gazzalw]

Do spring cleaning on a sunny day because then you see the months of dust and unattended cobwebs!

Do spring cleaning room by room, from top to bottom (better that way round) and have a set pattern of approach, starting with a thorough clear out of stuff for charity shop/E-Bay, followed by moving all furniture to the centre of the room (having stripped off all loose covers/bedding), and a full-on skirting board to ceiling approach. When you've finished make sure you get all the carpets cleaned and the windows too.

And don't forget that spring cleaning extends to the garden and garage/potting shed too.

And the best tip of all is to listen to some personally uplifting music - so you dance around (and get a work-out) as you are cleaning! It just makes it so much more enjoyable and the time goes by really quickly!

[Trills]

^Invite the inlaws down
(a visit from them makes me pull my finger out).^

I agree.

[almostanotherday]

Open the windows and De clutter

[Trills]

Leave The Bastard

(if he is a bastard)

then you'll have a nice new place, and only your own mess to worry about

[smokinaces]

Use wet wipes for everything. They are great for dusting surfaces especially as they are damp and collect the dust. A quick wipe on skirting boards and hand rails on satin and gloss paint works great too. And Mr muscle window cleaner - nothing has ever come close. Tis brilliant.

[gazzalw]

Forgot to say that of course a spring clean in the 21st Century should extend to technology too. Ensuring that all anti-virus software is up to date, emptying your mail box (and setting up folders as appropriate if there are emails you need/want to keep), getting rid of unnecessary downloads, defragmenting the computer as appropriate. Get rid of unused/unwanted technology via Curry's/PC World too, so they are disposed of properly rather than dumping them in the bin so they end up in land-fill!

[whattodoo]

Cleaning my windows really gets me in the mood for spring cleaning.

Throw open the windows and hang the washing outside. All that sunny fresh air gives me mop-enrrgy.

I use old baby muslins as cleaning cloths - they are huge, hard wearing and easy to bung in the washing machine for next time.

I love my steam cleaner, especially as DP sees it as a 'gadget' so loves to see what he can use it on.

I get DC to play the tickle game with the feather duster.

[nenevomito]

It's a bit of a radical solution, but since my DH was made redundant, I've found the house to be remarkably tidier than it was when we were both working. Its like some pixie of tidyness visits us. Now losing half of your monthly income in return for the hoovering being done may not be for everyone, but its working here.

In other news...
Always sort your colours when washing as it keeps clothes looking new for longer.
Unblock the bathroom plug hole with Hair remover.
Always spend 10 mins each evening putting toys away. 10 mins a day stops it getting out of hand and its so much nicer to come down in the morning and not tread on sodding lego while half asleep.

[MikeLitoris]

On big spring clean day everyone gets a box with their names on. 10 mins to go round collecting things they want to keep. Anything not in the box gets binned.

Windows open for as long as poss.

Borrow the in laws steam cleaner. A revelation in the bathroom amd on the kitchen tiles.

[hobnob57]

Sunshine showing up all the dust and crud is my motivation to get cleaning. Somehow it's all invisible in the depths of winter!

I don't use gadgets for cleaning but love my Enjo cloths - pristine cleaning using cold water. What's not to love (apart from the £££ )

Doing the windows increases the sunshine and puts a rocket up the cleaning motivation, or lack of!

[ComeAlongPond]

When you clean the windows, do the inside with horizontal actions and the outside vertically. Then when you realise you've left smears everywhere you know which side they're on.

[magentastardust]

If I am struggling with motivation I give myself 20 mins to see how much I can get done in a certain room, It gets me going with a job and makes it less of a chore if I think of things in 20 minute blocks.

[Wewereherefirst]

Microfibre cleaning cloths, can clean glass, walls, tiles, tables, everything. All with a bit of water.

Saves me so much cleaning time and removes the need for chemical cleaners.

[InMySpareTime]

Fold matching sheet and duvet cover sets into the matching pillowcase, so when you change bedding, each "set" is neatly bagged up and you don't have to rifle through all the bedding searching for it.
Shine sinks with old newspaper. It makes them more shiny, though I don't know why.

[CointreauVersial]

Put some good music on - it always makes me clean more efficiently and energetically. As upbeat and loud as possible.

[DorisIsWaiting]

If the job is enormous not my home at all oh no! Start with a small cupboard get that organised and then move on. Feeling all virtuous that you have started and completed one task.

Don't try and do too much all at once you WILL run out of steam

If you like checklists maybe write several one.

[bebejones]

Do a little bit every day! Don't try and tackle too much at once or you will feel overwhelmed and put off by the mammoth task! (Or at least, you will if you are anything like me! )

De clutter. Dust. Hoover. Mop. Wipe. And repeat!

One room at a time!

I loathe cleaning, & am unfortunately a hoarder! It's not a good combination!

[dilanddan]

If you have a young child or children, but each of them a helium balloon, tie a long piece of ribbon to it, cover with a damp cloth or muslin and send l.os round the house trailing the balloons to catch the cobwebs in hard to reach corners... The one with the most wins. Can be a very enjoyable game and the little ones have a shiny balloon to keep afterwards too!

[madwomanacrosstheroad]

Baby wipes are fantastic for cleaning lots of surfaces. They cut through anything grimey,greasy, yucky. Whatever chemical is in thrre definitely works - have always been weary on using them on kids since...

[CMOTDibbler]

I know not of this spring cleaning of which you speak.

But dh and I are on a major decluttering spree, and are enjoying the ebay results!

[giddypants]

To get a sparkling bathroom, clean with detol and washing up liquid, dry with old towels/ready to be washed towels then spray some cheap polish in the sinks/taps and wipe again with towels, super shiny!!! no one is allowed in afterwards
I clean my carpets once or twice a week, with my Bissel cleaner, instead of using the recommended cleaning liquid, I use biological washing liquid (usually supermarket own brand which smells really nice)

[stealthsquiggle]

I am with whoever said "invite the PIL". Except that it doesn't have to be the PIL. Any visitors will work for me, but I am apparently incapable of doing anything without a hard, immovable deadline .