ShirfulDesigns

Spring Cleaning - Part I: The History

Have you ever wondered about the origin of Spring Cleaning?  Of course the timing makes sense - the weather is getting warmer, we transition from our winter clothes and blankets to the lighter options stored away, and there are less and less muddy footprints making their way back into the house.  A quick hop over to Wikipedia reveals a couple of interesting historical references as well:  

The Iranian Norouz, the Persian new year, which falls on the first day of spring. Iranians today continue the practice of "khooneh tekouni" which literally means "shaking the house" just before the new year.  Everything in the house is thoroughly cleaned.

In preparation for Passover, Observant Jews are required to conduct a thorough "spring cleaning" of the house, followed by a traditional hunt for chametz crumbs (anything which may have been leavened or fermented with yeast, and is prohibited during the week-long holiday of Passover).  The search for the crumbs is traditionally done by candlelight on the evening before the holiday begins.

In Greece, and other Orthodox nations, it is traditional to clean the house thoroughly either right before or during the first week of Great Lent, which is referred to as Clean Week. This also often corresponds with the Julian New Year, or April 1.

In North America and northern Europe, the custom found an especial practical value due to those regions' continental and wet climates. During the 19th century in America, prior to the advent of the vacuum cleaner, March was often the best time for dusting because it was getting warm enough to open windows and doors (but not warm enough for insects to be a problem), and the high winds could carry the dust out of the house.

Continue reading about our favorite spring cleaning tips and products.