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clean bathroom with oval mirror

Learn 19 different ways you can cut down on your bathroom spring cleaning chores with these easy and customizable 5-minute spring cleaning chores and checklist.

How Do 5-Minute Chores Work?

There are a number of benefits to doing cleaning sessions in 5-minutes or less, and there are certainly plenty of chores that you can get done in that amount of time, including these kitchen chores that work best during spring cleaning time.

“Secrets” to Faster Cleaning

  • Make sure to hustle.
  • Try not to get distracted.
  • Use your time wisely, whether it’s 5 minutes or a power hour.
  • Try to really focus on the task, or tasks, at hand.
  • Have a plan and know what you plan to do before you do it.
  • Make the most of it and remember why you’re doing it and how it’ll benefit you once you’re done.

Why Time Yourself?

Using a timer to clean can provide a number of benefits, regardless if you’re short on time, hate cleaning, procrastinate a lot, or just aren’t sure where to start. Here are a few other benefits that you can gain from using a timer when cleaning.

  • Timing yourself as you clean can be a wonderful motivator.
  • You’re more likely to move faster and stay hyper-focused on tasks.
  • It can turn cleaning into almost a game or challenge, making things more interesting.
  • Less thinking is typically involved, especially if you plan on what you’ll be cleaning ahead of time.
  • With less overthinking when you time yourself cleaning, you’re less likely to procrastinate.
  • Whatever you don’t finish can always be done later or during another timed session.
  • You can add timed cleaning sessions to pretty much any type of cleaning and for any length of time.
  • You typically can get a lot more done in a shorter amount of time by concentrating on the tasks at hand.

What to Do

Here are a few steps or tips you can try in order to make the most of your 5-minute cleaning session chores.

  • Prep if necessary.
  • Set a timer for at least five minutes.
  • Aim to clean without stopping or taking breaks.
  • Move as quickly as you can and try to finish what you set out to do.
  • Allow enough time to clean up or opt to go 5 minutes longer.
  • If you want to set the time for 10, 15, or even up to 30 minutes, feel free. Just avoid going too long since we’re breaking things down into manageable timeframes.
  • Pick one or two tasks out of the 21 kitchen-themed spring cleaning chores on the list to do in about 5 minutes. You can, of course, choose to work for longer increments or do more tasks if desired.

What You’ll Need

Here are a few essentials to have with you ahead of time so that you can work more efficiently during your 5-minute cleaning chores session.

  • A timer.
  • Cleaning products and tools based on the tasks you plan to do.
  • Things to help you prep, such as a trash can.
  • Good tunes, an audiobook, podcast, or other audio-based pleasure. (optional)

Tips to Get You Started

Here are a few extra tips to make the most out of your 5-minute bathroom spring cleaning chores.

Tip #1: Make it entertaining

If you plan to do several 5-minute bathroom spring cleaning tasks in a row, consider making it fun by incorporating things you enjoy and can do simultaneously.

Just make sure whatever you choose doesn’t leave you feeling inclined to stop and watch or listen to whatever the entertainment is.

It could be music, Podcasts, YouTube videos, or audiobooks. You can even use songs, videos, or programs like Audible’s timer feature to time your sessions.

Tip #2: Pay Attention to How Long Things Take

The cool part about working along to a timer or keeping track is that you really get a feel for how long things really take, rather than how long we often build them up in our heads.

This is more so for those who don’t like cleaning and tend to procrastinate. Or even if you find yourself stalling on specific tasks.

Tip #3: Aim to Stack Chores

If you find yourself finishing things sooner or don’t mind doing several sessions at once, consider stacking related chores.

For instance, before you clean the sink, try to clean the garbage disposal. If you’re going to run the dishwasher, why not toss those grates, microwave parts, or filters in there too?

Aim to get creative and have fun with it.

Note: Some of these tasks may also take longer than 5 minutes, depending on the size of your kitchen, the number of cabinets, how much clutter there is, etc. Do the rest when you have time or increase the amount of time to 10 or 15 minutes.

5-Minute Bathroom Spring Cleaning Tasks

declutter-bathroom-spring-cleaning

Do these 5-minute spring cleaning bathroom chores in whatever order works best for you, though try to consider how some chores may affect other areas.

1. Prep and declutter.

The bathroom can be one of the biggest hotspots for clutter, maintenance, and grime. Because of this, it’s essential to work on “spring cleaning” or deep cleaning it several times throughout the year (a.k.a. seasonal cleaning).

You can significantly speed up cleaning your bathroom as a spring cleaning task by decluttering the space ahead of time and before any actual cleaning. It’s also beneficial to make sure you have everything you’ll need with you before the cleaning actually starts.

Common Items to Declutter

  • Clothing
  • Toys
  • Old towels or washcloths not longer needed.
  • Shampoo and soaps
  • Decor
  • Hair tools
  • Skincare
  • Trash
  • Expired or broken items
  • Items no longer needed or wanted

Helpful Tools & Tips

Create bags, bins, boxes, or designated spots for like items to go until you can get to them later. These might include:

  • A trash bag or wastebasket for trash or recycling.
  • A donation box or bag.
  • A bag, bin, or hamper for items that you need to take elsewhere in the house once you’re done with your challenge(s) or at a later time.
  • Set the timer for 5 or so minutes and try to finish before your time is up.

Tip: If you tend to struggle with getting rid of or donating items that you may not need anymore, we recommend checking out The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. She has some excellent decluttering and folding methods, among other household issues.

2. Dust.

Remove dust, debris, and lint from all surfaces after you’ve decluttered the space as much as possible and before you begin the actual cleaning process.

This will help speed up the cleaning process even further, particularly when it comes to cleaning surfaces with cleaning products that might otherwise smear lint and debris over surfaces, making it harder and more time-consuming to clean.

Commong Things to Dust

  • Vents and exhaust fan
  • Walls, ceilings, and doors
  • Light fixtures
  • Baseboards and other wood trim
  • Wall decor, wall fixtures (i.e., towel racks and TP holder), pictures, and mirrors
  • Medicine cabinet and around the medicine cabinet
  • Cabinetry and any furniture that might be in the room
  • Windows and windowsills
  • Shower curtain rod and around the shower stall and/or tub to remove lint and hair before cleaning (i.e., top and sides of the tub, top of fiberglass stalls, or glass shower door frames)
  • Toilet tank, base, plumbing, and behind the seat or bidet seat (Goal: to remove lint — a dry piece of toilet paper, paper towel, or disposable dusting cloth (i.e., Swiffer dry mop cloths) might be more suitable for toilets rather than using your duster to avoid contamination.

Helpful Dusting Tools

Believe it or not, not all dusting tools are created equal. Not every good dusting tool is meant to dust. And not every traditional method is the best or fastest way to go about it. Capiche? Good.

via Giphy

But to save you the trouble, and maybe even some money, here are our favorite choices out of the very long list of dusting tools out there.

  • An extendable or long-handled duster, which might include
    • Microfiber duster.
    • Swiffer duster, in either 3ft. or 6ft. extendable lengths. Great for walls and ceilings as well as closer work).
    • Floor dust mop (optional but handy if you don’t have an extendable duster or another tool in a pinch, such as this one by E-Cloth).
  • A dry dusting cloth such as a Swiffer Dry Mop Cloth or E-Cloth Dry Dusting Cloth
  • Cotton swabs – for detail work where there might be excessive buildup that a regular duster can’t get to (i.e., vents or exhaust fans).
  • A lightly damp microfiber or cleaning cloth (optional)—relatively dust-free rooms can just be wiped down, which we’ll go over in the next few steps.
  • Vacuum or broom and dustpan—for tight corners. A vacuum might work, too.

Our favorite pick for dusting is this one by Swiffer.

3. Wipe down wall surfaces and decor.

Wiping down the walls should only take a few minutes for a standard-sized bathroom. Those with large bathrooms can split this task up across separate days or multiple 5-minute sessions.

Making an effort to clean washable paint can keep your walls and home looking immaculate, fresh, and inviting.

It may even help to maintain or improve the value of your home if you own it, or impress your landlord enough for a return on your deposit and awesome referral.

Steps:

  • (Prep) Dust the space first.
  • Clean decor items including wall decor, vents, and fixtures.
  • Remove any marks from walls, if possible.
  • Wipe clean and/or sanitize walls (you can skip doors and wood trim for a later step).
  • If possible, clean the ceiling as well, or at least every 1-2 years.
  • Repeat cleaning the walls at least once or twice a year. Spot clean as needed.
  • Dust surfaces regularly to maintain and prevent dust, lint, and dirt from adhering to the surface, especially in humid environments.

Tip: To speed up cleaning your walls, try to clean your wall decor, sleving, cabinetry, and fixtures first. It’s also important to dust beforehand to remove any lint or dirt that might otherwise smear onto the surface.

Tip: Using a clean, color-safe, long-handle microfiber mop or similar to clean the walls can cut a tremendous amount of time and effort. We’ve even used a microfiber cleaning cloth and stuck it to our OXO Shower Scrubber or a Swiffer wet cloth and mop to get the job done.

Tip: Make sure to test the paint on your walls before cleaning them, and also check that your paint is washable first. Otherwise, it may be best to use other methods like a Magic Eraser, damp cloth, or other methods to spot clean rather than do the entire wall.

4. Dust and clean wood trim and doors.

Spring cleaning time is always a good time to clean your bathroom trim and baseboards.

Consistently keeping up on them several times throughout the year can make them easier and faster to clean, too, since dust and dirt will have less of a chance to stick to surfaces. This means less work and effort involved.

Best of all, it can make a massive impact on the look and feel of your home.

using-an-ocedar-mop-to-clean-baseboards
Check out hands-on O-Cedar Spin Mop and recap review here for more details.

Steps:

  • Thoroughly wipe down the doors, handles, and trim using a cleaning or microfiber cloth.
  • Clean baseboards and base of cabinets.
  • Optional step: Window trim and windowsills.

Tip: Baseboards and trim should be dusted first to avoid unnecessary cleaning steps. It’s also wise to clean things by hand if you haven’t cleaned the areas in a long time and there’s a lot of buildup.

Tip: Stay consistent with cleaning your wood trim to avoid more elbow grease and time spent on them later. And try to get into the habit of dusting them at least once a month or add them to your weekly chores or monthly cleaning routine.

Tip: It’s an excellent method for people with bad backs and hips and those who struggle to kneel on the floor. It’s also super quick! We so far love using my O-Cedar Spin Mop on baseboards. Play around with what you have to see what works.

5. Replace rubber or felt bumper pads.

Take a few moments and replace worn-down felt and missing rubber or felt pads on your cabinet doors and drawers. Pay particular attention to any doors or drawers that might normally make a lot of noise when shut or get slammed often.

Tip: Felt pads often work best on cabinet doors and drawers since they help muffle noise.

Tip: Get more uses out of your felt and rubber bumper pads throughout the home with these 5 Uses for Leftover Rubber & Felt Bumper Pads next (new tab).

6. Clean and dust cabinetry.

Cleaning the furniture is a pretty straightforward and easy-to-do task. Use your favorite furniture cleaner or polish, such as Pledge or Endust, or a slightly wet cloth or microfiber product if that’s your preference.

You may also need to have a vacuum and duster on hand if you haven’t dusted or vacuumed the area yet. If you want or need to break down pieces of furniture to do in 5-minute increments or more, feel free to do so.

Tip: Try to get the detailed nooks and crannies of your furniture pieces, including around the item and the back of it—especially since these spots often get neglected. If possible, try vacuuming and cleaning underneath moveable pieces.

7. Clean the medicine cabinet.

Cleaning the medicine cabinet can be pretty easy to do. And all you really need is a trashcan for items that need to be tossed and a warm, slightly damp microfiber or cleaning cloth. You can also use paper towels and your favorite cleaner.

  • Start the timer – optional.
  • Declutter – clean out expired or unwanted items.
  • Remove and clean products within the medicine cabinet.
  • Separate and designate – decide what stays in the cabinet and what should go elsewhere.
  • Clean the inside of the cabinet, including washing any removable shelving (clean around as well if you haven’t already).
  • Replace and organize toiletries.

Tip: If you find that the inside of the medicine cabinet gets spills, such as from your toothbrush, or that items don’t stay in place, consider using containers that will fit.

8. Clean the window treatments.

Give your window treatments a good cleaning, including anything from curtains and valances to blinds, shutters, and shades.

Blinds, Shutters and Verticles

While there are a number of ways to clean hard-surfaced window treatments like blinds, shutters, and verticle blinds, microfiber typically tends to be the most efficient option for quick and easy cleaning, along with staying consistent.

  • 2-pronged or 3-pronged blinds cleaners
  • A microfiber cloth

Curtains, Valences and Shades

With curtains or valences that need to be cleaned, it’s ideal to follow their care instructions. In some situations, vacuuming or steaming can also work, depending on how dirty they are or the kind of material involved.

  • Can be professionally dry cleaned
  • Washed when washer-safe
  • Refreshed in the dryer on Refresh Steam Mode when applicable
  • Fluffed on a short drying cycle for a quick sprucing up
  • Lightly with a handheld steamer

Tip: While it can be just as easy to use a microfiber cloth and your hand to clean binds, some people prefer to use something like a blinds cleaner wand. However, you can also attach two cloths to the end of a pair of kitchen tongs as a DIY 2-pronged cleaning wand.

Tip: If possible, clean, or at least freshen, your window treatments several times a year. They should be dusted or vacuumed regularly—especially hard-surfaced options. Doing so can help reduce household odors, increase their longevity, and maintain overall appearance.

Tip: Blinds, shutters, and shades should be dusted at least every month and wiped down every season or every other season.

9. Clean the interior side of windows.

Clean the interior portion of your bathroom windows—especially if it’s been a while. However, also feel free to get the outside, too, or put the windows into their own separate cleaning category.

Cleaning your screens frequently helps to keep them lasting longer and working better, and may even help to reduce household odors more.

10. Clean any items or decor sitting out.

Take some time to declutter and clean any items sitting out in your bathroom as part of your spring cleaning chores. This can include anything from decor pieces to hair tools, grooming tools, makeup, etc.

Common Items

  • Toilet seat and tank covers
  • Shower items
  • Toiletries
  • Makeup
  • Grooming gear
  • Hair tools and accessories
  • Artificial or real plants
  • Baskets and organizers

Quick Tips

  • Try to keep items sitting out to a minimum. The less you have sitting out, the cleaner your bathroom will look and the faster and easier it will be to clean.
  • Donate or give items you no longer need to someone who might get better use out of it. This makes it psychologically easier to get rid of things.
  • Wipe things down with a clean, slightly damp rag or a microfiber cloth for the best results.
  • See our post on Ultimate Decluttering Checklist | Best for Year-round & Spring Cleaning next.

Popular Microfiber Choices Norwex, Mr. SigaZwipes, and our personal favorite—E-cloths (not sponsored).

11. Clean textiles and wipeable items.

Clean any washable, textile-type items in your bathroom for spring cleaning if you have anything that might need tidying up.

This is also a fantastic time to go through the clutter that you don’t use, need, or that might belong someplace else, such as shoes, coats, toys, and even pet trinkets.

Common Items

  • Window treatments
  • Hand towels, bath towels, washcloths that might sit out, ready to use
  • Bath robes and hair towels
  • Shower curtain and liner
  • Any toilet-based textiles, like seat or tank covers
  • Machine-washable rugs or bathmats

12. Clean points of contact.

Make sure to clean points of contact in the room if you haven’t already. These include items that we frequently touch regularly, many of which get bombarded with bacteria, grime, grease, and other unmentionables over time.

Common Items

  • Door handles
  • Light switches
  • Cabinet and drawer pulls, knobs or surfaces
  • The back of chairs
  • Toilet handles
  • Window treat pulls, batons, and cords

Tip: Don’t forget to clean around areas like doorknobs and switches. Regardless of whether we can see it or not, they do tend to get dirtier over time. It might just not be as noticeable until things start looking pretty filthy from a distance.

13. Wipe fixtures clean.

Take time to clean your bathroom fixtures as you spring clean. If necessary, break up items into separate 5-minute chores.

We also have the toilet and shower chores mentioned in later steps since they tend to take a little longer than other chores, but do things in whatever order works best. The ones listed below, however, can easily be stacked and done in just a few short minutes.

Common Items

  • Sinks and faucets
  • Medicine cabinet
  • Shower head and shower fixtures
  • AC vent and exhaust vent
  • Towel rack, hooks, curtain rods, handles, etc.

14. Clean rugs and mats.

If you haven’t already, try to clean your bathroom mats and rugs. This makes for a really easy and even tackle spring cleaning chore that can be done in a few minutes.

15. Clean the toilet.

Ah, everybody’s favorite place to clean: the toilet. Fortunately, it’s one of those tasks most people tend to overthink. It often only takes one to two minutes to do, and then you’re done.

Quick Steps

  • Dust first if you haven’t already.
  • Work your way from the top of the toilet and down (however, the rim and bottom of the seat can be done last, which is what I prefer).
  • Make sure to clean the base and hoses at the back thoroughly.
  • Apply your go-to toilet bowl cleaner to the bowl as instructed—don’t forget to get underneath the rim.
  • Allow the product to sit for a minute, or as instructed, to let it does its magic.You can let the toilet bowl brush handle rest between the now-clean rim and bottom of the seat, with the lid on top to weigh it down. This keeps the mess and drips inside the toilet. This is also good to do to dry out your brush, including disposable ones.
  • Optional: clean your toilet brush holder while you wait.
  • Give your toilet bowl a scrub and flush. Sparkly!
  • Swish your toilet bowl brush head in the now-clean bowl to rinse.
  • Place the brush’s handle between the seat and rim once more to allow it to dry while using the lid to weigh everything down.
  • Optional: for disposable brushes, you can wipe off the end of the handle after you’ve disposed of the brush head with cleaner and a paper towel/toilet paper or using a sanitizing wipe.You can also do this with a non-disposable brush for sanitizing purposes, but allowing it to try before putting it back often works best. This helps to keep your toilet brush holder clean and toilet handles more sanitary.

16. Clean mirrors and glass surfaces.

If you haven’t already tackled the mirrors and glass, besides the windows that we mentioned in a previous step, try to give them a quick wipe down.

We recommend giving them a quick dusting first to help remove unnecessary steps and work with trying to remove lint or dirt after everything’s wet. Optional: Clean shower glass, which is also covered in a later step.

Tip: This is another quick and easy spring cleaning bathroom chore that you can stack on top of other chores like cleaning the coutnrs or wiping off knickknacks and decor. Simply plan ahead for what chores and steps you’ll be taking and set the timer for as long as you need.

17. Clean the shower.

Deep clean the shower, even if you need to break things down into smaller steps or several bathroom spring cleaning 5-minute chores.

For instance, you could tackle the shower fixtures in one session, declutter items the next day, and then do the walls of your shower later in the week.

Tip #1 – Clean smarter: Instead of using a sponge or handbrush and maybe a bucket or cup to clean and rinse your shower with, consider investing in items to make your cleaning experience easier and faster, like an extendable shower scrubber or replacing your fixed showerhead with a handheld showerhead sprayer.

18. Clean the shower rods, curtains, and hooks.

If you haven’t done so in one of the previous steps, take some time to replace or clean your shower curtain rod, hooks, liner, curtains, or glass.

These can sometimes even be thrown into the washer all at once and allowed to air dry., with the exception of metal items and, of course, the curtain rod.

Tip: Liners and curtains can sometimes be tumbled dried on Air Dry mode or the lowest heat setting (at your own risk) for a few minutes. We do not recommend drying hooks in the dryer.

Tip: If you’d like more shower cleaning tips, check out our post on 17 Ways to Make Cleaning Your Shower Easier (new tab).

19. Clean the sink(s).

Spend some time working on cleaning your sinks. Really take the time to descale your faucets and the sink itself.

You can get detailed or tight spots with the edge of a cleaning cloth, sponge, or even a Q-Tip or toothbrush.

Our Favorite Bathroom-Cleaning Products

20. Clean the counters and backsplash.

Spend a few minutes cleaning your counters using your favorite go-to cleanser. For tough grout, many use a baking soda paste or something like Mrs. Meyers Baking Soda Cream, as shown above.

I love using a Rubbermaid Power Scrubber for grout (also for the above), which is just a little bit more powerful than electronic toothbrushes, but those help too. We hope to provide more grout-cleaning tips soon.


Tip Let It Sit: Regardless if you use homemade cleaners or store-bought ones, make sure to allow enough time to let the product do its thing for a minute or two. You’ll not only likely see better results, but might also avoid a little elbow grease too. And make sure to read the care instructions first.

21. Clean or replace the plunger and/or toilet brush and holder.

Clean your plunger and toilet brush and holder, or replace them if you feel they need it or think you need a better one.

Tip — Consistency: Cleaning off either of the items right after using them is usually the easiest way to go about keeping them clean, rather than waiting until later.

22. Clean and organize at least one drawer, shelf, or cabinet.

Work on cleaning the inside of your drawers or do a cabinet or even just a shelf inside a cabinet for at least 5 minutes.

You can do a single one each day or however many you can do in 5 minutes. Or choose to set your timer for longer.

Tip — Prep: Having things such as a trash bag, donation bag, or I’ll-get-to-it-later bag can speed up the process, particularly for junk drawers.

23. Empty and clean the trashcan.

Cleaning your trash and recycling bins isn’t the most entertaining thing to do, but it only takes a minute or two to accomplish. And keeping up on it at least every quarter will ensure your bins and home smell a whole lot fresher.

Tip: Set a reminder: You can even set a monthly schedule and reminder on your devices, such as your phone or home hub, or keep it on your monthly to-do list.

24. Clean and mop the floor.

Take some time to vacuum or sweep your floors, then mop accordingly.

Depending on the size of your bathroom, you can usually get it done in just a few minutes. However, feel free to split the two parts into different sessions or add more time to your timer.

Conclusion

In the end, getting all of your bathroom spring cleaning chores and checklists done for the year may feel like an intimidating task, but you can get a surprising amount done by using small blocks of time, such as with these 24 spring cleaning 5-minute chores for the bathroom.

BathroomSpring Cleaning Checklist

  1. Prep and declutter
  2. Dust
  3. Wipe down wall surfaces and décor
  4. Dust and clean wood trim and doors
  5. Replace rubber feet and felt bumper pads
  6. Clean and dust cabinetry
  7. Clean the medicine cabinet
  8. Clean the window treatments
  9. Clean the interior side of windows
  10. Clean items and décor sitting out
  11. Clean textiles and wipe-able items
  12. Clean points of contact
  13. Clean fixtures
  14. Clean rugs and mats
  15. Clean the toilet
  16. Clean mirrors and glass surfaces
  17. Clean the shower
  18. Clean shower rods, curtain, liner, hooks, or glass
  19. Clean the sink(s)
  20. Clean the counters and backsplash
  21. Clean and organizer a drawer or shelf
  22. Empty and clean the trashcan
  23. Clean or replace plunger
  24. Clean and mop the floor

Quick Spring Cleaning Tips (Recap)

  • Give yourself a set amount of time to finish a task. It will help you get things done in a faster and more efficient manner.
  • Set a timer, make a timed music playlist, or listen to x-amount of pages or chapters of your favorite audiobook to pace yourself.
  • Treat it like a game and move as fast as you can.
  • Prep your space before starting.
  • Don’t hesitate to stack more than one session or task on top of other ones if you want to clean for a longer time period. And feel free to break jobs that might take you longer than five minutes into smaller sessions or continue later on if you need to.
  • Make things entertaining by listening to distraction-free music, Podcasts, audiobooks, or shows and videos that you don’t feel the need to watch.

Happy Spring Cleaning 🙂

! Don’t forget to check out our other Seasonal and Spring Cleaning related posts.





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Skip to 5-minute Cleaning Tasks

How Do 5-Minute Cleaning Sessions Work?

There are a number of benefits to doing cleaning sessions in 5-minutes or less, and there are certainly plenty of chores that you can get done in that amount of time, including these kitchen chores that work best during spring cleaning time.

Secrets to Faster Cleaning

  • Make sure to hustle.
  • Try not to get distracted.
  • Use your time wisely, whether it’s 5 minutes or a power hour.
  • Try to really focus on the task, or tasks, at hand.
  • Have a plan and know what you plan to do before you do it.
  • Make the most of it and remember why you’re doing it and how it’ll benefit you once you’re done.

Why Time Yourself?

Using a timer to clean can provide a number of benefits, regardless if you’re short on time, hate cleaning, procrastinate a lot, or just aren’t sure where to start. Here are a few other benefits that you can gain from using a timer when cleaning.

  • Timing yourself as you clean can be a wonderful motivator.
  • You’re more likely to move faster and stay hyper-focused on tasks.
  • It can turn cleaning into almost a game or challenge, making things more interesting.
  • Less thinking is typically involved, especially if you plan on what you’ll be cleaning ahead of time.
  • With less overthinking when you time yourself cleaning, you’re less likely to procrastinate.
  • Whatever you don’t finish can always be done later or during another timed session.
  • You can add timed cleaning sessions to pretty much any type of cleaning and for any length of time.
  • You typically can get a lot more done in a shorter amount of time by concentrating on the tasks at hand.

What to Do

Here are a few steps or tips you can try in order to make the most of your 5-minute cleaning session chores.

  • Prep if necessary.
  • Set a timer for at least five minutes.
  • Aim to clean without stopping or taking breaks.
  • Move as quickly as you can and try to finish what you set out to do.
  • Allow enough time to clean up or opt to go 5 minutes longer.
  • If you want to set the time for 10, 15, or even up to 30 minutes, feel free. Just avoid going too long since we’re breaking things down into manageable timeframes.
  • Pick one or two tasks out of the 21 kitchen-themed spring cleaning chores on the list to do in about 5 minutes. You can, of course, choose to work for longer increments or do more tasks if desired.

What You’ll Need

Here are a few essentials to have with you ahead of time so that you can work more efficiently during your 5-minute cleaning chores session.

  • A timer.
  • Cleaning products and tools based on the tasks you plan to do.
  • Things to help you prep, such as a trash can.
  • Good tunes, an audiobook, podcast, or other audio-based pleasure. (optional)

Tips to Get You Started

Here are a few extra tips to make the most out of your 5-minute cleaning chores.

Tip #1: Make it entertaining

If you plan to do several 5-minute sessions in a row, consider making it fun by incorporating things you enjoy and can do simultaneously.

Just make sure whatever you choose doesn’t leave you feeling inclined to stop and watch or listen to whatever the entertainment is.

It could be music, Podcasts, YouTube videos, or audiobooks. You can even use songs, videos, or programs like Audible’s timer feature to time your sessions.

Tip #2: Pay Attention to How Long Things Take

The cool part about working along to a timer or keeping track is that you really get a feel for how long things really take, rather than how long we often build them up in our heads.

This is more so for those who don’t like cleaning and tend to procrastinate. Or even if you find yourself stalling on specific tasks.

Tip #3: Aim to Stack Chores

If you find yourself finishing things sooner or don’t mind doing several sessions at once, consider stacking related chores.

For instance, before you clean the sink, try to clean the garbage disposal. If you’re going to run the dishwasher, why not toss those grates, microwave parts, or filters in there too?

Aim to get creative and have fun with it.

Note: Some of these tasks may also take longer than 5 minutes, depending on the size of your kitchen, the number of cabinets, how much clutter there is, etc. Do the rest when you have time or increase the amount of time to 10 or 15 minutes.

5-Minute Spring Cleaning Tasks

Do these 5-minute spring cleaning chores in whatever order works best for you, though try to consider how some chores may affect other areas.

1. Declutter the countertops.

Set a 5-minute timer to declutter even just one counter or one section of a counter, removing items that you don’t need or that don’t bring you joy when you see them in the room.

This includes appliances and kitchen tools that you could put away. If you have a small kitchen or finish early, try clearing another counter area during any remaining time left.

Benefits

  1. Your kitchen will naturally look better, be cleaner, and feel more inviting and comfortable to be in.
  2. You’ll have less to clean up for last-minute or even pre-planned visits.
  3. You and other members of your household will detect messes more easily, thanks to fewer distractions. Plus, when the counters are clean and clear, even the messiest folks will be less likely to leave obvious messes behind. This one was huge for my household.
  4. There’s less work involved when cleaning your counters due to less mess, making the task faster, easier, and a lot less tedious to do.
  5. You’ll have fewer visual distractions, helping you to focus better, spot what needs your attention and feel more at ease.
  6. With less clutter, you’ll be less visually overstimulated and, therefore, a lot less stressed, even on a subconscious level.
  7. Less visual competition means your favorite knickknacks will be showcased more than usual.
  8. You’ll likely get more of a mood boost when you enter the space, feeling more accomplished and further helping to fuel your day.
  9. The kitchen will be much easier to maintain.
  10. When items aren’t left out to gather dust every single day, that means less for you to clean later.

2. Clean the backsplash.

This one’s pretty self-explanatory and easy to do.

Scrub your backsplash with warm water and a degreasing soap—especially if you haven’t cleaned your backsplash in quite a while. Wipe clean when done.

If you are reasonably consistent or don’t do a lot of frying or cooking, you should be able to get away with a microfiber cloth that’s a little bit damp and some warm water.


Tip: We love using Mrs. Meyer’s Lemon Verbena Baking Soda Cream Cleaner and the Rubbermaid Reveal Power Scrubber on surfaces such as grout, which is essentially a pre-mixed baking soda paste that somewhat looks and acts like Soft Scrub, only with fewer chemicals to worry about. See our review of Mrs. Meyer’s Baking Soda Cleaner here.

3. Clean the vents.

Dusting-ac-vents-spring-cleaning

Cleaning your vents can be a messy job if not done often enough. And if you don’t clean them frequently enough may affect how efficiently your heating and cooling system runs and the air you breathe.

Consider cleaning them several times a year, if not giving them a good, quick swipe at least once a month as you dust.

Tip: Try to dust your vents regularly, making it a part of your dusting routine each week, or even just once a month. It will keep you from having to detail clean them later on and without making a considerable mess at the same time.

4. Dust the walls and vents.

Although this is entirely optional, it can be beneficial to dust your walls and ceilings at least once a year, if not more. More so in the kitchen, where we prepare our food.

And if you plan to clean or wash your walls later, this is a significant step to consider doing first so that you can avoid the dreaded wet lint stage and can better remove loose debris and dirt.

Tip #1: Get creative! Believe it or not, floor tools can often work pretty great for dusting your walls. I love using a clean, dry floor dust mop for dusting ours, such a my go-to Floor and Wall Duster by E-Cloth, which cleans the ceiling well.

Tip #2: You could also try something like the Swiffer 360 Duster or attaching microfiber cloths to something like a mop or broom for wet dusting.

5. Dust and clean some baseboards.

Spend five minutes or so cleaning your baseboards each day or as you feel like it. This can be a great way to get what can feel like a time-consuming and tedious task done faster and in more bearable increments.

Simply repeat as necessary until each room is complete, whether you do it daily or in one day but mixed up.

Tip: Consider using something like a microfiber mop or microfiber cloth attached to something with a pole or long handle, such as a broom or even a long-handled shower scrubber.

6. Clean floormats and rugs.

Spend five minutes or less shaking out, vacuuming, hosing down, or tossing any rugs or doormats you might have in the area in the washer if safe to do so.

Tip: Save time later on, or use up those spare minutes during your 5-minute Challenge, by getting all doormats or machine-washable rugs on the same floor of your home done at the same time. Particularly if the cleaning methods are similar and while you’re motivated.

7. Clean the microwave, inside and out.

clean-microwave-vents-spring-cleaning-tasks

If you have a lot of cake-on mess, you may wish to prep the unit before setting your 5-minute timer.

To do this, use a bowlful of water—or, better yet, lemon water—in your microwave and set the timer for one minute. You can also try to use a damp sponge.

Psst… Looking for more microwave cleaning tips? Check out our post on 7 Best Microwave Cleaning Methods for Quick and Easy Cleanup next (new tab).

8. Spring clean the toaster or toaster oven.

a-dirty-toaster-needing-to-be-cleaned-as-part-of-spring-cleaning-chores

This might be one of the easiest and fastest tasks in the kitchen—especially if you have a slotted toaster—and yet it’s one of those things many forget to do.

Tip #1 Try adding the task of cleaning your toaster out during your weekly cleaning sessions, once a month, or at least during your quarterly cleaning chores.

Tip #2 If it’s something you think you might forget, use one of your devices or reminder apps to give you that gentle reminder.

9. Clean the garbage disposal.

While there are plenty of drop-in cleaning tabs for garbage disposals available, we recommend using a garbage disposal cleaning brush too when possible.

This can be done before or after using a cleaning tab or disposal-cleaning detergent to remove debris and bacteria that might otherwise get left behind.

Common Disposal-Cleaning Products

10. Deep clean the dishwasher.

cleaning-a-dishwasher-filter

It’s essential to make sure that you do regular maintenance cleanings on your dishwasher to keep it running well, even if it’s just using a store-bought cleaning tab each month or so.

However, sometimes our dishwashers may need a more in-depth cleaning for slightly more heavy-duty tasks, such as clearing and cleaning any filters and making sure gaskets and sprayers are cleaned too.


Task: Give your dishwasher a proper cleaning, focusing on cleaning the gaskets, and filter(s) and ensuring that the sprayers and racks are free of any debris or calcification. You can also opt to use a dishwasher cleaner or whatever works best for you.

Tip: Want more deep cleaning tips for you dishwasher? Check out our step-by-step dishwasher cleaning turtorial next (new tab).

11. Scrub and polish the kitchen sink.

Detail clean your kitchen sink, including the garbage disposal if you haven’t already. This is an excellent time to decalcify and scrub the faucets, sprayers, and trim as needed.

You may even wish to fix issues of mold or stains in the caulking if there’s time or during a different cleaning session.

Some Favorite Products

Tip #1 Try to get ahead of the work by lightly cleaning and drying your sink each night before bed. That means avoiding leaving dishes in the sink, which is another excellent and helpful habit to get into, such as during a nighttime cleaning routine.

Tip #2 We love using white grout repair pens in a pinch and if we can’t get stains out, we immediately remove and repair any caulking. However, in cases of mildew, we recommend treating it first and waiting a few days, if not repairing it as soon as you can.

Tip #3 Looking for more kitchen-cleaning tips? Don’t forget to check out our 21 Ways to Clean Your Kitchen As You Cook post next (new tab).

12. Clean window treatments.

Spring cleaning time is a great time to tackle cleaning your window treatments, regardless if they’re blinds, shutters, curtains, shades, or other treatments.

With proper planning, you can easily tackle cleaning one if not several treatments at a time, or even make it a point to tackle a whole room in one go by setting the timer for longer.

Tip #1 Microfiber cloths or window-cleaning tools are excellent for quickly cleaning blinds and shutters.

Tip #2 Speed up the amount of time it takes to clean shutters, blinds, and shades by dusting them regularly. We recommend dusting wood fixtures, including window treatments, weekly or bi-weekly.

13. Clean the inter-side of windows, including tracks.

You can quickly clean the inside of your windows with the right planning and correct tools for the job. It may even be possible to tackle an entire room at once, depending on the number of windows.

Time-Saving Tools

  • A good 360-degree duster
  • Mini blinds cleaning wands
  • Microfiber cleaning cloth

Tip #1 You can significantly speed up the amount of time it takes to clean your windows by using a minimal amount of product such as warm water, a lightly damp microfiber cleaning cloth, and polishing cloth.

Tip #2 Try to dust your windows to remove any dust or lint ahead of time in order to cut your cleaning time down. If you do use microfiber, avoid using too much liquid or cleaning product for a better, more efficient cleaning process.

14. Clean the stovetop.

Take time to detail clean your stove top, including any components such as knobs, burner plates, and grates.

Tip: Deep cleaning your stovetop can be done quarterly if you practice maintenance cleanings, such as with a weekly schedule or even a morning or evening cleaning routine. However, if you cook a lot, it’s generally best to deep clean your stove more consistently.

15. Pull out and clean around the oven.

Take 5 minutes during your spring cleaning to pull out and clean around your oven. This can easily be done by adding felt feet to the bottom of your oven, providing it’s not built-in.

Tip #1 Consider pulling out your unit from its niche in order to clean the side of the stovetop and around the unit itself. This is usually good to do at least once every other quart anyway in order to reduce buildup of messes and cleaning time.

Tip #2 Check out more ways you can use Rubber and Felt Feet Around the Home next (new tab).

16. Clean cabinet and drawer exterior surfaces.

Consider spending 5 minutes each day cleaning the front of your kitchen cabinets and drawer fronts until the job, or work for however long you wish to make your timed cleaning sessions.

This can usually be done with a lightly damp cloth, depending on how dirty they are. Just make sure to follow the car instructions based on the material type for your cabinets.

17. De-mark the walls.

Making an effort to de-mark walls at least every other quarter can be a great way to freshen up the look of your place while helping to make it look brand-new. It’s also an ideal way to renew the look of your paint and help it last longer.

18. Declutter, clean, and organize one drawer or shelf.

Not everyone has the time or the desire to reorganize an entire kitchen in one or two days.

Because of this, it can actually be easier and even more beneficial to spend 5 or so minutes each day tackling one shelf, drawer, or cabinet at a time.

Tip: Make sure to have a lightly damp microfiber cloth nearby for easy cleanup of any debris, spills, dust, or grime that may need to be cleaned up as you clean your drawers and shelving.

19. Clean and polish appliances.

polishing-appliances-spring-clean

Taking the time to detail clean and polish your appliances is usually easier to do when you do it consistently — meaning at least every quarter and especially during spring cleaning time chores.

We focus on cleaning the inside of your fridge in a later step but feel free to tackle it all if you feel like going longer than five minutes.

20. Clean the trash and recycling bins.

If you haven’t done so already, try cleaning out your trash and recycling bins in order to keep them looking and smelling fresh.

Tip: Try cleaning your trash and recycling bins on Trash Day or the day before to make the process easier and more efficient.

21. Clean a few refrigerator shelves.

You can save yourself a significant amount of time, effort, and elbow grease while cleaning your refrigerator when it’s done consistently.

This can easily be managed by performing light maintenance cleaning on your unit each week and doing a deep cleaning every quarter or so, depending on your household’s needs.

Tip: Make your kitchen and fridge-cleaning experience easier to stay on top of with our Easy Monthly Chores for an Efficient Cleaning Checklist.

22. Clean or mop the walls (optional).

Cleaning your walls at least during Spring Cleaning season, if not every other quarter or so, can be a great way to freshen up the look of your place. This is regardless if you plan to tackle it all at once or in 5-minute increments.

Fortunately, if you have washable paint on your walls, you can get the job done faster and more efficiently than most people might think by using a clean, color-safe mop or something similar.

You can also spot treat areas if that feels more suitable or as a way to maintenance clean your walls as part of your seasonal/quarterly cleaning routine and after deep cleaning them in the springtime.

23. Declutter a pantry shelf.

rotating-canned-foods-kitchen-organizing-neat-ish

While some people might prefer to tackle decluttering, cleaning, and organizing their pantry and other food cabinets all in one go, it may not be doable or desirable for others.

Luckily, you can tackle cleaning your pantry for spring cleaning in small, timed cleaning sessions of five minutes or less by working one or two shelves at a time.

Tip: Make sure to have a plan before you start your timer and try to hustle if you can. This way you won’t waste time on the timer trying to figure things out as you work.

24. Clean the remaining interior of the refrigerator.

Thoroughly clean the interior of the refrigerator, including the gaskets, seals, hinges, and underneath drawers when appropriate.

This might mean breaking things down into 5-minute increments or as you see fit. You can also choose to work in larger timed segments or do everything at once. Either way, do what works best for you.

25. Clean under the kitchen sink.

If you haven’t already, try cleaning, decluttering, and reorganizing underneath your kitchen sink.

This is usually a good thing to tackle at least during your quarterly cleaning chores or handling the task bi-quarterly to help make it faster and easier to maintain.

26. Declutter and wash textiles.

It can be beneficial to wash any textiles around your kitchen and to go through what you have to see if anything can be decluttered in order to keep things under control as far as storage and maintenance go.

You can always donate whatever items you no longer need or have a use for.

Common Textiles

  • Hand towels
  • Placemats
  • Dishcloths
  • Aprons
  • Oven mitts
  • Washable rugs and mats
  • Curtains or other washable window treatments

Tip: To keep clutter at bay and keep items such as kitchen towels and cleaning cloths organized, consider putting them inside a basket or bin. However, rather than stacking them on top of each other, folding them in a similar fashion to the KonMari method (external YouTube link).

27. Dust and clean light fixtures.

Try to clean the interior and exterior of any lighting and fan fixtures regardless if they’re on the wall or ceiling. You can do them all in one sitting or break them up into 5-minute increments as you see fit.

28. Replace worn or missing drawer or cabinet door bumper pads.

While it may seem like a small and insignificant task, replacing any felt or rubber bumpers on your cabinets and drawers can greatly improve the sound quality of your kitchen and may even protect your cabinetry.

The rest of your household and possibly even the neighbors might thank you later.

Tip: Try using felt feet to soften the closing of any kitchen cabinets and drawers rather than rubber feet.

29. De-mark or touch up any worn spots on cabinet surfaces with stain or paint (optional).

If possible, de-mark your painted or foiled cabinets, or touch up any small, worn-down spots in cabinets with stained finishes, such as around the edges of doors and drawers.

Below are just a few tools you can use on cabinets where marks and small surface scratches may occur in order to give them a clean, revamped look.

spring-cleaning-kitche-cabinets-magic-eraser-neatish

Cabinet Demarking Tools

  • Wood stain markers
  • Paint markers
  • Magic Erasers
  • A good-quality, color-safe microfiber cloth

! Keep in mind that the type of material your cabinetry is made of may determine which method or tool will be best for de-marking. Please research or refer to the manufacturer’s care instructions before attempting.

! Make sure to thoroughly clean and degrease the surface be for applying any paint or stain marks to achieve the ultimate results.

! When it doubt or when trying demarking out on your cabinets for the first time, consider using a lightly damp microfiber cloth to remove scuff marks first before trying more intense treatments like Magic Eraser. Especially on MDF (foiled) cabinets.

31. Clean up your spice rack.

You can save a lot of time with cleaning your spice rack by making sure to clean it consistently — especially if it tends to get messy quickly or you cook a lot.

Pitch and switch: Take a few moments to clear out any overly-expired items or seasonings you’ve had for ages but never use. This is also a great time to make a list of any items you might need to replace on your next trip to the store.

spring-cleaning-clean-spice-5-minute-tasks-kitchen
To learn more about YouCopia Spice Stack, check out our YouCopia Review (new tab).

! Save even more time when it comes to spring cleaning your spice rack or deep cleaning it general by making sure to close and wipe clean your spice bottles after each use.

31. Deep clean the counters.

If you haven’t done so already, consider focusing your spring cleaning on giving your counters a good, thorough cleaning. Also, don’t forget to clean things like knickknacks, caulking, grout, and around and underneath items.

deep-cleaning-counters-spring-cleaning

Shrink it down: Don’t be afraid to do this in smaller sections or increments, depending on the size of your kitchen or the amount of work you might have to do.

32. Clean the inside of your oven.

While it’s not a likable chore for most people, try to spend some spring cleaning time deep cleaning your oven.

If you plan to use an oven-cleaning product that needs to sit for a while or prefer self-cleaning mode, you can focus your 5-minute timed session cleaning up the aftermath.

cleaning-the-oven-spring-cleaning

! Make sure to prep for your cleaning session in advance. This is regardless if you plan to run a self-cleaning mode first or need to use an oven-cleaning product. It’s also ideal to have all your cleaning supplies ready so you can make the most of your timed session.

33. Clean the coffeemaker or kettle.

Few things complement a beautiful spring morning more than a fresh cup of coffee or tea. So why not take a few minutes to give them a good cleaning?

deep-clean-spring-coffeemaker-5-minute-chores

Mission

Descale your coffeemaker or kettle using water and vinegar, a food-safe descaling solution, or whatever is recommended by the manufacturer. Also, make sure to clean the outside properly as well as wash any removable parts.


Helpful Habit

Coffeemakers and kettles should be regularly cleaned if you use them consistently. Manufacturers typically recommend doing so at least once a month.

Cleaning your machine not only keeps your device running properly and for longer, but it prevents calcification and potential mold growth. Above all, it helps ensure that your coffee or tea will taste great year-round.

Conclusion

In the end, getting your spring cleaning chores done in the kitchen can feel relatively painless and a whole lot more manageable when you break things down into smaller chunks. You can do all that and more by trying the following.

Kitchen Spring Cleaning Checklist

  1. Declutter the countertops.
  2. Clean the backsplash.
  3. Clean the air vents.
  4. Dust the walls and vents.
  5. Dust and clean some baseboards.
  6. Clean floor mats and rugs.
  7. Clean the microwave inside and out.
  8. Spring clean the toaster or toaster oven.
  9. Clean the garbage disposal.
  10. Deep clean the dishwasher.
  11. Scrub and polish the kitchen sink.
  12. Clean window treatments.
  13. Clean the inner-side of windows.
  14. Clean the stovetop.
  15. Pull out and clean around the oven.
  16. Clean cabinet and drawer exterior surfaces.
  17. De-mark the walls.
  18. Declutter, clean, and organize a drawer or shelf.
  19. Clean and polish appliances.
  20. Clean the trash and recycling bins.
  21. Clean a few refrigerator shelves.
  22. Clean or mop the walls (optional)/
  23. Declutter a pantry shelf or two.
  24. Clean the remaining interior of the fridge.
  25. Clean under the sink.
  26. Declutter and wash kitchen textiles.
  27. Dust and clean light fixtures.
  28. Replace worn or missing drawer and door bumper pads.
  29. De-mark your cabinets.
  30. Clean your spice rack.
  31. Deep clean the counters.
  32. Clean the inside of your oven.
  33. Clean the coffeemaker or k

Quick Spring Cleaning Tips (Recap)

  • Give yourself a set amount of time to finish a task. It will help you get things done in a faster and more efficient manner.
  • Set a timer, make a timed music playlist, or listen to x-amount of pages or chapters of your favorite audiobook to pace yourself.
  • Treat it like a game and move as fast as you can.
  • Prep your space before starting.
  • Don’t hesitate to stack more than one session or task on top of other ones if you want to clean for a longer time period. And feel free to break jobs that might take you longer than five minutes into smaller sessions or continue later on if you need to.
  • Make things entertaining by listening to distraction-free music, Podcasts, audiobooks, or shows and videos that you don’t feel the need to watch.

Happy Spring Cleaning 🙂

! Don’t forget to check out our other seasonal and Spring Cleaning related posts.


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4 Comments

  1. I really enjoyed reading this blog about cleaning. I usually use a list. I like the way you broke everything down, very informative and organized. I basically do my cleaning the same way. Thank you for sharing. Charity 💖

    • Meg C.

      Aww, thank you! Yeah, I tried to make it workable for everyone since environments and schedules vary, but figured this would be the easiest way. I’ll be adding printable lists soon. Feel free to share away. Thanks 🙂

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