Spring Clean

I had hoped to get a head start on my seasonal clean this year but unfortunately Spring sprung me and I am a little behind the game plan.

For some the spring clean is nothing more than a sweet notion Granny used too talk about yet for others the spring clean holds a spiritual significance. In various European countries Spring has a deep religious meaning representing not only the obvious seasonal change taking place outside but tangible changes that happen within ones home and heart.

In some cultures the whole family is engaged to clean the house inside and out, burning oils to eliminate bad spirits and energies whilst in turn symbolically clearing the cobwebs in the mind, soul and ceiling corners.

For my Nan in particular I remember the spring clean began with a simple opening of the windows to shift stagnant air from colder months, a brisk sweep of the front porch and a vase of new season blooms from the garden on the kitchen bench.

Whether you choose to focus on one particular area of the home or decide to go for the full clean here are some great tips to get you started.

Choose one area to focus on each day. Remove all items that don't belong in that particular room and return to their rightful place. Be ruthless and throw out or mend any pieces that are broken or have seen better days.

Spring is the perfect time to pay some attention to those hard to reach areas of the home removing dust and cobwebs.

A simple solution of hot water with five drops Peppermint oil and five drops Eucalyptus oil on your duster or rag not only gathers sediment but kills dust mites at the same time.

A great natural way to freshen the air after a season of closed doors is by washing the floors with a solution of five capfuls of vinegar and ten drops of citrus oil added to your bucket of hot water. If you have carpets a good all over dusting with bicarbonate of soda half an hour before vacuuming will eliminate any odours held in the fibres.

Simple or sanctified the spring clean is a wonderful ritual that the whole family will benefit from and a fabulous way to celebrate this turn of season that marks the beginning of summer.