Spring-cleaning is a great opportunity to give house, office, and car a thorough cleaning in order to free up space, and enjoy a cleaner, fresher house. But as spring-cleaning is fast approaching do you wonder – who decided we should clean our houses in spring anyways? Clean Green Strata is a big fan of the powers of a good spring-clean, which is why we’ve taken a deep dive into the history of the practice. We think its origins may surprise you. Read on to learn more.
So, what is spring cleaning?
Simply put, spring cleaning is the practice of thoroughly cleaning one’s house. The tradition of spring cleaning is well-known globally – but perhaps more strictly adhered to in colder climates. The reasons are obvious – it’s hard to deep clean in winter, and summer is too muggy to bother. Spring is the start of the agricultural year, so why not double up and make sure that the home is in ship shape, too?
Nowruz, Pesach, or Easter
As with most ancient history, researchers can’t always come to an agreement about the origins of practices, and spring cleaning is no different. Some researchers have traced the tradition back to the Iranian New Year – or Nowruz, which occurs on the first day of spring. This tradition is continued to this day in the leadup to the New Year and goes by the name of “khooneh tekouni”, or – shaking the house. Everything, from drapes to rugs to furniture gets a full clean.
Another possible origin of today’s practice was the anticipation of the Jewish holiday of Pesach, or Passover. The Catholic church as well practices a kind of spring cleaning leading up to Easter – which occurs in the spring.
Spring cleaning today
It might be surprising to learn that spring cleaning has such a religious past, but today the spring-cleaning practice also persists because it simply makes more sense to deep clean a home in spring rather than other seasons. It’s generally dry and warm, allowing for windows to be thrown open, and fabrics to be hung outside to dry, without the pollen that so easily travels inside in summer.
The benefits of spring cleaning
So, what exactly has made spring cleaning such a hard habit to shake? Well, it comes with a range of positive health and wellness benefits. Studies have shown that spring cleaning (or deep cleaning the house at any time of the year) works to de-stress, improves your mood, could prevent sickness, and helps you breathe better.
Happy spring cleaning!
