Spring cleaning tips with Vileda and Oates for a fresh, organised home

Like most of us, the family of this home does a quick house clean every week or so, but life always seems to throw a wrench into their routine (sound familiar?). When you’re spinning school runs, weekend sport and appointments, while trying to keep pooch happy, or you’re having a particularly busy week at work, days can feel like a non-stop relay. Shared spaces are also harder to manage when the kids (and other culprits!) don’t pick up after themselves and your furball is shedding the love!

Now that spring is in full swing, it’s time to open the windows, let fresh air in and dive into some deep cleaning. It might not be the most exciting activity, but having a spotless home to kick off the season will make you sing louder than the golden whistlers outside. Here, Better Homes and Gardens TV presenter Juliet Love comes clean with her secrets to getting your spaces gleaming and in good order quickly. Pssst! Her tricks include Vileda cleaning essentials, smart storage ideas and a genius reading-nook hack. Now let’s get started!

Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (glasses, gloves and a mask) when cleaning indoors and outdoors, and D.I.Ying, and follow the instructions for products or equipment.

Make decluttering child’s play

Your kids’ playroom collects heaps of toys, games, books, blankets, dust and grime during the winter months, so it’s the perfect starting point. Besides, nothing sparks creative play and focus like an organised environment. It will motivate you to tackle harder rooms, including the outdoor ones!

The key to staying on top of tidiness and cleanliness is to cut back and keep it simple. That includes replacing bulky furniture with multi-functional pieces that maximise space.

Expect things to get messier before they get better. Have your bins and bags ready, and get everything out and into the centre of the room. If you just pick up things randomly, you’re dealing with little fires everywhere. Choose a corner and start from there. Work your way around until you’ve completed the room. Make three piles: Keep, Donate and Trash, letting go of anything that is beyond repair or your children have outgrown. Divide your Keep items into categories and remove any double-ups. Storing everything into categories within your playroom will make it easier for your kids to find what they want.

Pro tip: Play music or a podcast to take you to your happy place while you’re decluttering.

Say bye, bye to dust bunnies

Rediscover the lost art of dusting – it’s not so daunting with the right tools. Always dry-dust first with a Vileda microfibre cloth before using a damp cloth, as you don’t want to end up with a muddy paste on your surfaces. For manoeuvring tricky areas, use an Oates Indoor/Outdoor Swivel Domed Cobweb Broom. The contoured shape gets into those hard-to-reach spots, picks up everything and won’t leave any loose particles flying in the air – or on you! Start at the highest point – between the cornices and window trim – and work your way down.

Don’t skip the air-con

As the weather warms up, your A/C is likely to get a workout. Build-ups of dust can trigger allergy symptoms and affect the appliance’s performance. The Oates Indoor/Outdoor Swivel Domed Cobweb Broom is the best dusting tool for the job as it can shape-shift to get between the exterior vents as well as the top of your unit. Its flagged bristles act like a magnet to dust, making the task a breeze. Then go over the unit with a damp microfibre cloth, making sure your A/C is switched off at the power point.

Wash down the walls

So you have a mini Matisse in the family who fancies themselves a muralist? Walls are usually left out of your home hygiene routine, so check them for pencil or crayon marks, handprints, scuff marks, smudges and grime build-up. To get the paint looking as good as new, give your walls a dry-dusting first, using your dome broom for the top section to remove cobwebs and dust.

For the mid-walls, use the Vileda H2PRO Flat Mop, guiding the dry microfibre head across the wall in smooth, even motions. Change to a clean mop and, using the Vileda H2PRO Flat Mop System, fill the dual-tank bucket with warm, soapy water and wash away the marks. The two-tank system keeps clean and dirty water separate, so you’re washing with fresh water every time. Next-level cleaning!

Finish with the floors

Whip around with the vacuum before refreshing your dual-tank bucket with hot, soapy water and changing your mop head. Now go to town on that floor and give it a good wash-down – there’s no chance of over-wetting timber boards with the Vileda H2PRO system. What about your old, bold-coloured area rug? If it hasn’t survived all the spills, crushed snacks and foot traffic – and evolving home trends – it might be time to replace it with a washable muted-toned rug that can pull your room together. You can always swap out accent pieces to add pops of vibrant colour throughout.

Shelve disorganisation forever

Storage can make organisation easier – and easier on the eye. Reconfigure your existing (or new) modular shelves to optimise the room’s footprint and add depth for a dynamic feel. Anchor the room with a central element such as a reading nook (see ‘Build a reading retreat’ below), flanking it with identical vertical cube storage units.

To keep it looking light and bright, leave most of the shelves in the flanking units open and insert sandy-toned canvas storage cubes on the bottom shelves. These are perfect for concealing clutter. Woven bins also provide a low-key catchall for stuffed animals and balls. Now add visual balance with high shelving on one adjacent wall to match the height of the reading nook but go lower on the opposite wall with shelving that doubles as a drawing desk. If you need more storage in the future, individual oak storage cubes can be added for versatile, effortless style.

Add a dose of dopamine

For organisation that feels as good as it functions, stick to a calming tri-tone palette of jade green, steel blue and sandy white. When storage is aesthetically pleasing, it’s more enjoyable to use so it’s used more often. It will bring a smile to everyone’s face without overstimulating the kiddos. Attach decor-friendly labels to the canvas storage cubes so they know where things belong – opt for removable labels to futureproof your playroom’s organisational system. Reserve low-level storage for often-used items and keep toys that require supervision, or are only used at “special” times, out of reach.

Build a reading retreat

A space-saving bench seat can be a reading spot for the kids, while doing double duty as storage for cushions, blankets, toys or games. It’s unexpected and stylish – and simple to D.I.Y. Cut a sheet of high-gloss melamine MDF board and attach to the wall using liquid nails. Flank with vertical shelving units, add plywood across the top and secure to the units. Attach self-adhesive puck lights for task lighting. Construct a bench seat using five pieces of plywood for base and sides, and an extra piece for the lid, allowing for overhang. Attach the lid to the seat with hinges, then secure seat to wall studs. Glue cladding pieces to the front panel, choosing a colour that connects to the room’s decor. Top bench with a seat pad and add striped and chequered cushions for the backrest.

Bonus: It doubles as a secret sanctuary for those solo moments mums and dads crave!

Tackle the outdoors

Winter can leave a lot of your home covered in gunk. Dirt, debris, mould, moss and who-knows-what-else always seems to stick itself to your deck. Follow these six steps to get it uncluttered, clean and user-friendly again:

1. Remove any junk and furniture that can’t be saved or recycled.
2. Get rid of cobwebs with an Oates Indoor/Outdoor Swivel Domed Cobweb Broom.
3. Sweep away any loose leaves and debris with an Oates Supreme Garden Broom to avoid muddy surfaces when wet.
4. Using a bucket of hot, soapy water, scrub the surfaces using the Oates Long Handle Deck Scrub Brush.
5. Rinse down thoroughly with a garden hose.
6. If your porch is small, replace any awkward-sized furniture. Try a compact arrangement like a single woven chair with a floral cushion and low-profile table, topped with potted beauty.

Want to refresh your indoor and outdoor rooms this spring?

Shop Vileda cleaning products and explore more spring-cleaning essentials online or at your local store.