Short answer: Spring cleaning in Ottawa means undoing winter: remove salt and grit from entryways and floors, wash windows and screens, deep clean the kitchen and bathrooms, wash bedding and curtains, dust vents and baseboards, and check your home's air quality. Start after the thaw in April. A professional spring clean at BlueGuard is priced the same as a deep clean.
After five months of closed windows, boots in the hallway and furnace air circulating dust, Ottawa homes need more than a quick tidy-up. This checklist is organised the way our crews work, top to bottom and room by room, with the Ottawa-specific jobs that generic checklists miss.
When to start spring cleaning in Ottawa
Wait until the snowbanks are gone and the overnight lows stay above freezing, usually mid- to late April. Cleaning entryways while people are still tracking in slush is wasted effort. Window washing works best on a mild, overcast day so the glass does not dry with streaks.
A good plan:
- Early April: indoor deep clean, closets and bedding
- Late April to May: windows, screens and outdoor spaces
- May: gutters (after the trees finish dropping seeds and catkins) and air ducts
Before you start
- Declutter first. Fill one box to donate and one to recycle in every room.
- Put winter gear away clean: wash hats and mitts, clean and condition boots.
- Stock up: microfibre cloths, all-purpose cleaner, degreaser, glass cleaner, white vinegar, a vacuum with attachments and an extendable duster.
The room-by-room spring cleaning checklist
Entryway and mudroom (start here)
- Vacuum, then damp-mop salt residue with warm water and white vinegar
- Wash or replace entry mats
- Wipe baseboards, walls and doors where slush splashed
- Empty and wash the boot tray
- Clean the closet floor and shelves
- Wipe light switches and door handles
Our salt and slush stain removal guide covers stubborn white marks in detail.
Kitchen
- Empty, wipe and reorganise cabinets and drawers
- Clean inside the oven and the oven racks
- Clean inside the fridge and freezer; toss expired condiments
- Degrease the range hood and filter
- Wipe cabinet fronts, handles and the backsplash
- Clean small appliances: toaster crumb tray, kettle descaling, coffee maker
- Pull out the fridge and stove if you can, and clean behind them
- Wipe the top of the fridge and cabinets — a classic forgotten spot
Bathrooms
- Descale the showerhead and faucets
- Scrub grout and re-caulk if it is mouldy or peeling
- Wash the shower curtain and liner, or replace the liner
- Clean the exhaust fan cover; winter humidity leaves dust caked on it
- Empty and wipe drawers and the medicine cabinet
- Toss expired medication responsibly (pharmacies take it back)
Bedrooms
- Wash duvets, pillows and mattress protectors
- Flip or rotate the mattress
- Vacuum under the bed
- Swap winter clothes for spring and summer; donate what you did not wear
- Dust ceiling fans and light fixtures
Living areas
- Dust from the top down: crown moulding, ceiling corners, light fixtures, shelves
- Vacuum upholstery and under cushions
- Wash or vacuum curtains and wipe blinds
- Wipe baseboards, door frames and light switches
- Clean electronics and remote controls
- Vacuum carpets thoroughly; consider a steam clean after a long winter
Windows
- Wash interior glass, sills and tracks
- Remove, wash and dry screens
- Wash exterior glass (ladder safety first on second storeys)
- Check weather-stripping while you are there
Air quality (the job most people skip)
- Replace or wash the furnace filter
- Vacuum and wipe vent covers and return grilles
- Dust the tops of door frames and baseboards in every room
- Clean the dryer vent lint trap and the exterior vent flap
Vent covers only get you so far. The dust you see on them comes from inside the ductwork. Spring is a great time for professional air duct cleaning from BlueGuard, the NADCA-certified duct team behind BlueGuard Home Cleaning. Book it together with a deep or spring clean and get our "Clean home + clean air" bundle: 10% off both.
Outdoors
- Sweep and wash the deck and patio
- Clean patio furniture and the barbecue
- Pressure wash the driveway, walkway and siding
- Clear gutters and downspouts
- Wash garage floors of winter salt
A realistic two-weekend plan
Trying to do everything in one Saturday leads to burnout and half-finished rooms. Split it up:
Weekend 1 — inside
- Saturday morning: declutter every room and put winter gear away
- Saturday afternoon: kitchen, including inside the oven and fridge
- Sunday morning: bathrooms
- Sunday afternoon: bedrooms, bedding and laundry
Weekend 2 — finishing and outside
- Saturday morning: living areas, baseboards, vents and floors
- Saturday afternoon: windows, screens and blinds
- Sunday: deck, patio, garage and a final entryway clean
Book any professional services, such as duct cleaning, window washing or carpet cleaning, for the week between the two weekends so the final clean picks up any dust.
DIY or professional?
Doing everything above yourself takes most families two or three full weekends. A professional crew handles the indoor work in a single day.
BlueGuard spring cleaning is priced the same as a deep clean: the standard price plus $99. Examples before tax:
| Home | Spring clean |
|---|---|
| 2 bed, 1 bath, under 1,000 sq ft | $298 |
| 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,500 sq ft | $388 |
| 4 bed, 2.5 bath, 2,200 sq ft | $448 |
Spring clean visits include baseboards, door frames, light switches, vent covers, inside the oven and fridge, inside cabinets and drawers, and wall spot cleaning. Popular spring add-ons: interior windows and tracks (from $39), blinds ($8 per blind, $40 minimum), laundry ($25 per load) and wall washing ($59 per room).
For the outside of your home:
- Window cleaning inside and outside: bungalow $249, two-storey $349
- Pressure washing: driveway $199, deck $229, siding from $349
- Gutter cleaning: bungalow $179, two-storey $249
- Carpet steam cleaning: $45 per room, $149 minimum
Ontario prices are before 13% HST; Québec prices are before 5% GST and 9.975% QST.
See all spring services on our spring cleaning page, or book directly on the spring cleaning service page.
Keep it clean all summer
Spring cleaning is the perfect starting point for recurring service, because the home is already reset. From the second visit, recurring cleaning is 20% off weekly, 15% off bi-weekly and 10% off monthly.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a professional spring clean take?
For a 3 bed / 2 bath home, a two-person crew usually needs four to five hours, depending on condition and add-ons.
Do you clean windows on the outside during a spring clean?
The spring clean covers interior windows as an add-on. Exterior windows are a separate window cleaning service so the crew brings ladders and the right equipment.
Should I book duct cleaning before or after the spring clean?
Before, ideally. Duct cleaning can release some dust into rooms, so book it first and have the spring clean after.
Which areas do you cover?
We clean across Ottawa — including Kanata, Barrhaven, Stittsville and Orléans — plus Gatineau, Durham Region, Montréal and Eastern Ontario.
Book your spring clean
Spring dates fill quickly once the snow melts. See your price instantly, choose your date, and pay only after the clean is done. Get my price.