One of the origins of spring cleaning dates back to the ancient Iranian custom of khooneh tekouni which literally means “shaking the house.”
The end of the cold chills and cool waves mean only one thing – spring time is almost here! Pack those comforters and put away those plushy quilts, they won’t be of much use until winter comes knocking again. While you’re at it, why not clean up all those neglected corners which you’ve been meaning to dust from the previous year?
Put on your hazmat suits and gloves to match, plug in that vacuum cleaner and hold your breath. It’s time for some spring cleaning!
Why clean only during spring? What is it about this season which twitches the senses into picking up that dust way down from that bottom shelf which no one ever really takes a second glance at? Apart from the obvious hygienic benefits of ridding your living spaces of ominous micro-organisms, what makes this an especially good time is good old-fashioned tradition.
One of the origins of spring cleaning dates back to the ancient Iranian custom of khooneh tekouni which literally means “shaking the house.” It is practised on the first day of the Persian New Year, which is the first day of spring. During this time everything in the household should be thoroughly cleaned, from drapes to furniture. Another possible origin of spring cleaning can be traced back to the ancient Jewish practice of cleansing the home in anticipation of the spring-time memorial feast of Passover. However, in North America and northern Europe, the custom found an especially practical value due to the regions’ continental and wet climates. The month of March is the best time for dusting as it gets warm enough to open windows and doors, while the high winds carry dust out of the house. Tradition – check! Logic – check!
Despite the fact that spring cleaning only makes sense for climates with really cold winter, it also applies to us Bangladeshis, because let’s face it, our winters are actually getting colder every year, and also because we Bengalis are well known for hoarding all sorts of things throughout the year, while being hesitant to rid of items that are eons past their hay day begging to be retired. Regardless, cleaning the household from top to bottom is something which everyone must do once in a while, and spring is just as good a time as any.
So let’s get right down to it. The first step to cleaning would be to just stop procrastinating, even though it is always more tempting, simply start cleaning. Start off by making a checklist of what needs to be done. Your first focus should be those spaces which are neglected all year long. Utility rooms and false ceiling storages, kitchen cabinets and bathroom closets, guest rooms and bookshelves, are all great places to start off, and later you can move on to the bigger, more trafficked spaces around the house. Either that or start by cleaning one room at a time; bedroom, kitchen and dining areas, bathroom, living rooms and study rooms, etc. If you’re one of those obsessive-compulsive people then you’ll definitely not see it as a chore but more a pleasure. When preparing the checklist at the beginning of the process, be realistic about what needs to be done, you can expect that it won’t be over through a weekend but might require four to five days or even a week for a complete overhaul of the entire house.
With every room, if you’re completely unsure of where to start, windows are a good place; get that grime off the grills and wipe those windows well enough so as to make Mr. Miyagi proud. Next, you can move on to the drapes, curtains and rugs, switching all the heavy for lightweight ones. For living rooms, dust the sofas, change the pillowcases, and be extra careful when handling decoration ornaments especially delicate ones. Getting stains off of kitchen counters and appliances can be challenging due to the fact that our Bengali style of cooking leaves a layer of oil almost everywhere in the kitchen. It’s recommended to get that out of the way first. Remember to clean underneath things and don’t forget all the nooks and crannies. For bookshelves, try to go the extra mile and clean each book one at a time, after which they can be easily rearranged by size or alphabetically by author or genre. Another essential thing I would like to mention is that you should think rationally and get rid of anything which isn’t in use or won’t be used in the future, because there is no point in wasting space with unneeded things.
There is no question that the entire cleaning process will be quite tiresome and might even be frustrating, but at the end of it all, the results will be completely worthwhile and that is a guarantee; along with the sparkling shine, your home will definitely feel homelier.
There aren’t many rites of spring more satisfying than the annual clean, but for some people the pleasure only comes after all the work is done. Try to involve your family members to help as well, and bond together over this somewhat spiritual ritual because after all, cleanliness is next to Godliness.