Discover the truth behind spring cleaning with our breakdown of the top five myths. Learn how to simplify your cleaning routine and make this annual task more enjoyable and effective. Say goodbye to stress and hello to a fresh start this spring!

Spring cleaning are plenty of myths, misconceptions and mistakes. We pass them onto each other, sometimes with enthusiasm, yet they do little to make this annual ritual easier, more fun, more useful or improve it at all.

I don’t know about you, but after the holiday chaos and the long winters that we sometimes have here in Kansas, I am ready to clean and purge! Once the sun peeks out and promises it’s here to stay, spring cleaning commences!

Here are FIVE of the most common spring cleaning myths and mistakes!

MYTH: “It is a solitary job”

Listen up ladies, IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE. Many people still assume that just one person in the household should be responsible for each part of the big clean (usually the woman for the house and the man for the garden). However it will be a great deal more fun if everybody, including the children, joins in. You’re not only give the children a sense of responsibility, but you are teaching them how to be good husbands and wives someday.Y

You can sort through the junk together, discovering all kinds of exciting things you had all forgotten about. Making improvements such as repainting could be a joint decision and activity. Choosing new colors and decorations is something most people love doing. It is easy enough to enjoy doing spring cleaning if you do it as a group, it turns from a dull chore into fun family time. It will also get done far more quickly.

MYTH – Green cleaning products will save the planet.

This is what the companies selling these products would like you to think, and then spend extra money on that green cleaner. Actually, these are only marginally better for the environment than their regular counterparts. To make a genuine difference use traditional products such as vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda, salt, olive oil and good old fashioned all purpose soap.

MYTH – If you can’t see it, it doesn’t exist.

We often have a tendency to assume that all that stuff hidden away can be ignored. The fact is that you can ignore it if you like but sorting out the attic, the garden shed and the junk drawer will make save you time in the long run and can even be fun. This also applies to cleaning. Dirt and scraps of food hidden behind the fridge do actually exist even though you can’t see them. These will also encourage nasty bugs to visit for snacks. You should definitely clean behind and under things as well as the parts you can see.

MYTH – Germs will kill you if you don’t kill them first.

No they won’t! You can’t kill ALL bacteria and using strong disinfectants everywhere will cause you more damage than the germs themselves. Also it smells awful. Your house should be clean. Sterile is not necessary and, in fact, is impossible.

MYTH – Once you have done your spring cleaning, you are done for the year.

You have organized everything, thrown out or given away tons of things you don’t need, cleaned and polished your home to within an inch of its life. You are finished right? Not really; if you don’t take the opportunity to develop new habits, your home, garden or office will revert to its initial state of chaos within weeks. Next year you will have the same marathon job to do.

To let go of these spring cleaning myths this you must change your habits.

Put things where you want them to live, rather than dumping them just anywhere. Cleaning up after yourself is quicker than saving the mess for another day. Get rid of things you don’t wish to keep immediately, don’t stick them in the junk drawer to deal with later. On your computer and in your office get into the habit of filing things away when you are finished with them.

Doing these will make next year’s big spring clean so much easier.

Myths and legends are fun stories. They are not, however, a lot of use when planning practical activities. Sorting misconceptions from sensible tips will make your big clean better, more fun, and faster.

Did you know that you can also take inventory of your finances and “spring clean” them too? Check out this post that talks about the top FIVE things that we waste money on and how to fix it!

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