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Ease your way into spring cleaning with these 11 low-lift tasks
By Jolie Kerr The Washington Post
Published February 27, 2026
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It's almost time for spring cleaning. But before you throw open and wash the windows, try picking off some easier cleaning tasks. We're talking about stuff you can tackle when you're stuck inside on a snowy or rainy day, or when you just need an easy win after a crummy week. Here are 11 chores that you can take care of without breaking a sweat.
1. Launder the laundry bags
Wet towels, dirty workout gear and other bacteria-riddled clothes can leave laundry bags and hamper liners smelly and gross. Toss them in the wash, defaulting to cold water unless the instructions on the care tag indicate they can handle warm or hot water, which will provide a deeper clean.
2. Wash the shower curtain and liner
Fabric and plastic shower curtains can typically be machine-washed in cold water (check the care tag for instructions). Fabric curtains can go in the dryer on a low heat setting; plastic liners should be hung to drip-dry. Beware, though: If you have a top-loader with a center agitator, the agitator's fins can shred your curtain. In that case, pad the drum with towels to provide a buffer. Or skip the machine. You can wash a fabric curtain by hand, or place it in a mesh bag to protect it from fin damage. For a plastic liner, leave it hanging and spray it with all-purpose cleaner, then wipe it with a damp microfiber cloth.
3. Organize your laundry supplies
All those detergents and stain removers, fabric softeners, and scent beads - not to mention the mesh washing bags, the dryer balls and the wad preventers you can use for sheets in the dryer - can quickly turn into a disorganized mess. Reestablishing order won't take much time or effort, and you'll be glad you did it when, on your next laundry day, you're not hunting for the detergent behind a stash of scent beads you rarely use.
4. Dust and polish framed items
The framed items in our home collect a lot of dust and are often overlooked during routine or seasonal cleaning. Bang out this focused task while listening to a favorite podcast or playlist. Get a bottle of glass cleaner and two microfiber cloths or paper towels. Use one cloth to dry-dust the frames, and pair the other with glass cleaner to polish glass encasements.
5. Disinfect high-touch surfaces
With cold and flu season still in full swing, it's a good idea to disinfect the high-touch surfaces in your home. Doorknobs and handles, including faucet and refrigerator handles; light switches; electronics, including remote and gaming controls; and railings and banisters are just a few areas to target. Choose a disinfectant that's safe for the materials you're cleaning, and always follow the usage guidelines, paying particular attention to the required dwell time to ensure the product has enough time to work properly.
6. Clean out a utensil drawer
This one is easier and quicker than you think. Take everything out of your utensil drawer or drawers (if you have more than one, decide how big you want to go with this project, then proceed accordingly), and plop it all on the counter. Then wipe the drawer with all-purpose cleaner and put everything back, organizing as you go. If you feel ambitious, review your collection and weed out broken items, duplicates, or things that you never use.
7. Cull the food storage containers
If your collection of food storage containers is raggedy and unruly, make today the day you address the problem. Take out everything, match lids to their containers, then assess the collection. Recycle or repurpose anything that is stained, warped or cracked, missing a lid, or that you don't use. You can repurpose the old containers to hold things (think nails, cords, coins or crafting supplies) in a workshop, craft room, office, basement or garage.
8. Wash your makeup brushes and tools
Clean brushes and tools are crucial to keeping makeup free of bacteria, extending the life of products and preventing skin irritation or infection. Washing makeup brushes and tools doesn't take much time or effort, but bear in mind that they need to dry and will be out of commission for several hours during that time.
9. Review your socks and underwear
Breaking up the big job of sorting through and discarding old clothes makes that daunting task easier to face. When you need to feel productive but don't have a lot of energy to expend on decision-making, try weeding through old socks and underwear to remove anything that is torn, stained, doesn't fit or is uncomfortable, has shot elastic, or that you simply would not want another person to see you wearing.
10. Tidy your bedside table
Bedside tables are workhorses in the bedroom, holding a nighttime glass of water, books, remote controls, eyeglasses, balms and unguents, and … well, you get the idea. They can also be a place where things go to die, so if yours has become hopelessly cluttered, take time to address the mess. Don't forget to dust under, behind and around the table.
11. Vacuum and dust around, under and behind the bed
Speaking of dust! Your bed is covered and filled with dust (and dust mites), but that's easy enough to fix with a vacuum and a sticky roller. When dusting, always start at the top and work your way down. First dust the headboard and bed frame (a sticky roller is perfect for upholstered headboards), then vacuum the mattress. Finally, pull the bed away from the wall and vacuum or dust behind and underneath it.
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Previously:
• 12 myths about laundry
• 20 things to declutter right now to start the year lighter
• The completely correct guide to cleaning your toilet
• The only 5 cleaning products you really need
• A 10-minute Sunday bedroom reset for a better week ahead
• Your washing machine can clean a lot more than clothes