Spring cleaning means a deep cleaning of your house that typically happens in the springtime. It's a chance to do more than just your regular cleaning routine - it's a chance to organise and declutter, and clean areas that are often overlooked. Spring is a time of renewal, and spring cleaning reflects that. It's a way to get rid of the winter blues and start fresh with a clean and organised home.

Here at Cooksmill, we have several products to help you achieve the best spring cleaning possible. From storage containers to cleaning chemicals, there’s something for every room of the house. Spring cleaning is also a great opportunity to tidy your kitchen, both domestic and commercial. Keeping your kitchen, bathroom and other areas clean sends a message to customers that you care about their experience and take hygiene seriously. With so many areas that need cleaning, let’s jump straight into our top tips!

Step 1: Decluttering and Organising

Spring cleaning is synonymous with decluttering. This is a great time to go through your belongings and decide what’s worth keeping. Starting small is the best idea, don't overwhelm yourself by trying to tackle everything at once. Begin with a small area, like a drawer or shelf. Also, take time to decide what you want to achieve from decluttering. Is it a more spacious living room or a more organised kitchen? The tried and tested method is the 3-basket system. Have baskets labelled "keep," "toss," and "donate" to sort items as you declutter. We have several buckets, ranging in size, from Whitefurze, that are cheap and great for decluttering and moving items from one place to another.

Once you’ve sorted through what you want to keep and donate, organising is key. For kitchen storage and food storage, OXO Pop Containers are an incredibly popular choice. OXO food storage containers are an indispensable part of every kitchen and outperform their discount rivals every time. From cereal storage to grains and coffee beans, OXO containers make your kitchen and pantry more streamlined, and easier for chefs to access food for prep and serving.

For larger items and areas, like the kitchen or the living room, larger storage containers are recommended. You might want to store away winter jumpers and extra blankets. Plasticforte’s Multipurpose Large Storage Containers make it easy to do this. These containers can be stacked for storage efficiency and the lid ensures the items stay clean and fresh during storage. Using a storage container protects shoes and clothes from outside elements, keeping them clean and in good condition.

Step 2: Sanitising and Cleaning

Tackling a large room can seem overwhelming at first. Divide your spring cleaning into manageable chunks. Tackle one room or specific zone at a time. From there, work top to bottom and room by room. Dusting ceiling fans and high shelves first means less mess as you clean lower surfaces. While you’re cleaning, open the windows! This helps to air out the chemical smell and allows fresh air to come into the room. Let’s break it down into best cleaning practices for each room.

When cleaning different areas, it's best to follow the colour-coded cleaning chart. The general rule is as follows. Red is for high risk areas, like toilets and washrooms, yellow is for kitchen and food prep areas, green is for public areas and blue is for low risk areas where there is less risk of bacterial contamination. Take a look at our blog post for a more in-depth guide.

Step 3: The Kitchen

Starting with the most important part of the kitchen, the ovens. Many ovens have self-cleaning options, but for a more natural approach, use an oven cleaner, coat the inside, and leave it overnight. Scrub clean in the morning using a fresh brush. After the oven has been cleaned, the dishwasher/glasswasher is next. Run an empty cycle with white vinegar to remove soap scum and freshen things up. Also, keep a spray bottle with cleaning solution for a handy cleaning of countertops and appliances. Make sure you’re investing in good quality cleaning cloths like microfiber cloths that won't leave streaks.

Step 4: Washroom/Toilet

Begin by removing any toilet paper, towels, or bath mats from surfaces. This allows you to clean freely and effectively. Similar to other cleaning tasks, it's best to work from high to low to avoid accidentally dripping cleaning solutions on freshly cleaned areas. Start with dusting light fixtures, mirrors, and cabinets. Disinfect the toilet bowl with a commercial toilet cleaner and toilet brush. For your sink, use an all-purpose cleaner and disinfect surfaces with wipes. Sweep or vacuum the floor to remove loose dirt. Mop the floor with a disinfectant solution to keep the tile/floor clean and hygienic. Make sure you have proper ventilation when using strong chemicals.

Joyo products are bestsellers when it comes to washroom/toilet cleaning. The Joyo Better Home Bathroom Set is great for those looking for reliable cleaning and washroom products. The set comes with 6 pieces. 1 bucket that holds 25 litres. 1 basin that holds 14 litres. 1 dustbin, which is great for keeping the bathroom tidy and clean. 1 round stool, which makes it ideal for those hard, out of reach places in the bathroom and around the house. 1 mug with a handle to make drinking and holding it easy. 1 soap case, for keeping soap clean and hygienic when not in use. Their homeware plastics are BPA free, reusable and recyclable, making them a smart choice for the eco-conscious buyer.

Their products help make daily chores beautiful. Their better home basin stands out from the rest on the market, bringing a touch of elegance to mundane household chores. The buckets are available in a wide range of colours, with enough options to suit any theme, colour and setting. They also have a range of plastic containers for a variety of uses, from microwave safe containers to 4 lock containers and dishwasher safe storage containers.

Step 5: Dining Area

Presenting your dining area as clean and hygienic is key to impressing customers. Sometimes you might have underestimated how many guests are arriving, thankfully we have folding tables and chairs that are great to keep in storage in case of an overbooking. Keeping these areas tidy is also key, therefore the bins should be easy to find for customers to keep unpleasant or finished food out of sight.

Keeping the tables clean is a must, wiping down between customers prevents the spread of germs and also keeps your dining area looking clean. Wiping down areas is easy, simply fill a spray bottle with an all-purpose cleaner and keep a cloth on hand to quickly clean any remaining food debris from the table between customers. You can also wipe down bartops, chairs and other high-touch areas with the same method.

Clearing trolleys are another bonus, allowing you to quickly clear away dishes and plates from tables. The Cooksmill catering trolleys are all made from food-safe materials. Stainless steel is easy to clean and keep hygienic and is the choice for most people. The plastic catering trolleys are also food safe, they are made from tough and durable polypropylene which is hard wearing and resistant to knocks and bangs.

Step 6: Windows and Doors

Perhaps the most overlooked cleaning areas are the windows and doors. You want to entice customers into your establishment, but to do so your window has to be clean and sparkling. When cleaning, avoid direct sunlight, as it can dry your cleaning solution too quickly and leave streaks. Opt for a cloudy day or clean windows early in the morning or later in the afternoon. You'll need a bucket, a spray bottle filled with your window cleaning solution and a squeegee.

Work from top to bottom and clean the window frame first. Start at the top of the window pane and squeegee downwards, overlapping your strokes slightly. Wipe the squeegee blade with your microfiber cloth frequently to prevent dirty streaks. Use a dry microfiber cloth to buff the glass and remove any cleaning solution residue that might leave streaks. Glass doors can be cleaned in a similar way, resulting in sparkling entrances to your establishment!

Cleaning with Cooksmill

Spring cleaning helps keep your areas clean and sparkling and breathes fresh life into your establishment or home. Here at Cooksmill, we stock everything you could possibly need for professional and domestic cleaning. Cleaning doesn’t have to be a daunting task, make it enjoyable with our easy-to-use products, and free shipping on orders over £60 (excluding VAT).