Ottawa Spring Cleaning Guide 2026 — Room-by-Room Checklist

Spring cleaning in Ottawa is defined by one reality: five months of road salt, sand, mud, and sealed-window indoor grime need to be addressed by April. Ottawa's cleaning surge happens every March–April, and the homes that handle it systematically come out ahead.

The Ottawa spring cleaning priority order:

1. Floors and carpets — salt residue removal is urgent
2. Windows — pollen season starts in April; clean before the coating begins
3. Eavestroughs — clear winter debris before spring rain season
4. Closets and storage areas — clothing rotation and winter gear storage
5. Kitchen and bathrooms — deep clean after months of sealed-in odours
6. Outdoor spaces — deck cleaning before first use

Entrance & Hallways

• Remove and wash winter floor mats that have absorbed salt
• Deep clean or replace hallway carpet if heavily salt-stained
• Wash winter coats and store
• Clean boot trays and entrance storage

Kitchen

• Clean inside oven (often neglected all winter)
• Pull out fridge and clean behind and underneath
• Clear and wipe inside all cabinets
• Descale kettle, coffee maker, and other appliances
• Clean range hood filter (winter cooking fumes accumulate)

Bathrooms

• Scrub grout lines (mildew from winter humidity)
• Replace toothbrushes and bath mats
• Clean exhaust fan blades
• Descale showerhead and faucets (Ottawa hard water)

Bedrooms

• Rotate and wash all bedding including duvets
• Vacuum and rotate mattress
• Clean under beds
• Sort winter clothing for storage

Living Areas

• Steam clean sofas and upholstered furniture
• Dust ceiling fans and light fixtures
• Clean blinds and curtains
• Schedule carpet cleaning before pollen season intensifies

March (when snow starts melting): Focus on salt removal. Book carpet cleaning for late March or April. Begin decluttering winter gear. Check eavestroughs for ice dam debris.

April (pre-pollen window): Window cleaning is most effective right now — before Ottawa's pollen peaks in late April. Deep clean rooms that were sealed all winter. Air out the house on the first warm days.

May (full spring cleaning): Deck and outdoor cleaning. Eavestrough cleaning after final leaf debris settles. Final window clean if pollen has already landed. Check HVAC for cooling season readiness.

Ottawa events to plan around:

• Canadian Tulip Festival (May): window cleaning before this period for homes near Commissioners Park
• Victoria Day weekend (May): traditional cottage-opening weekend, but also prime spring cleaning window for those staying home
• University move-out (April): if you have student renters, plan move-out cleaning for April–May

Ottawa's hard water (12–18 grains per gallon) leaves mineral deposits on every surface that water touches — showerheads, faucets, windows, humidifiers. Spring cleaning is the right time to descale these before buildup compounds.

Heritage homes in the Glebe, Sandy Hill, Almonte, and Perth need product-aware spring cleaning. Acidic cleaners that work on modern surfaces can damage limestone, original hardwood, and century-old plaster. If you have original materials, choose pH-neutral products.

Pollen season runs April through June in Ottawa, with peak intensity in late April and May. Cleaning windows during peak pollen is counterproductive — schedule window cleaning in late March or the first two weeks of April, or wait until June when pollen settles.

Clean 613 provides deep cleaning and house cleaning services across Ottawa and 19 surrounding communities. Our spring cleaning package covers inside appliances, baseboards, floors, bathrooms, and all surfaces. Call (613) 801-9613 to book your spring clean. Learn more about our deep cleaning service.