It’s that time of year again. The stores have put out all the bins and storage containers and we start to think about cleaning, scrubbing, and decluttering. Yes, it’s spring cleaning season.
So, why do we spring clean? How did this tradition get started? The origins date back to Christian, Judaism, and Muslim ancient cultures’ springtime traditions and rituals before significant holy events, many of which included cleaning and sweeping out the old to make way for the new. Over the centuries, these traditions evolved to become what we now know as spring cleaning.
While it may seem easier to just do it all yourself, you really shouldn’t have to take on the brunt of the work. If you want to include the whole family in the process, use the following ideas to help modify spring cleaning for kids and get them involved in age-appropriate ways.
How to spring clean with kids
Cleaning products safety: Make Spring Cleaning a teachable moment
Keep your kids involved in the chores with activities they can learn from — and are fun, too.
6. Have them turn spring cleaning into a science lesson
Show your child how baking soda and vinegar work together to scour a stovetop. Baking soda is a safe abrasive that works to cut through stovetop spills. Have your child add vinegar droplets for an easy acid/base chemical reaction lesson.
7. They can make their own natural cleaners
If you opt for store-bought cleaners, be sure to explain to your child the proper use of chemicals and the importance of never mixing cleaners. For younger children, you may consider more natural-based, green products or letting them make DIY cleaners.
Lemon and orange peels mixed with white vinegar and water make a great kid-safe cleaning product. Hand them a cloth and spray bottle for a variety of surfaces throughout your home. Rather than using harsh stainless steel sprays, olive oil is a safe and effective alternative. Just a small amount on a paper towel goes a long way.
And finally, getting your kids to help might just be a matter of showing them how it’s done:
8. Let them follow your lead
Sarah Cottrell is a mom and author with a slightly different perspective on spring cleaning. “What I really need to do is adopt a daily habit of taking care of my home in a more thorough way. If I want my kids to take of their things, then it starts with me modeling that behavior myself,” she recently wrote for Mom.com.
