Spring cleaning has ancient origins. Here’s why we still do it.
While the specific customs and practices may vary across cultures, the underlying themes of purification, preparation for new beginnings, and the celebration of spring’s arrival remain central to this enduring tradition.
As the Northern Hemisphere ushers in the new season, a contagious urge to dust off cobwebs and toss out clutter emerges. Spring cleaning, a deep cleanse of one’s home, is a tradition ingrained in societies worldwide, with roots tracing back to ancient times.
It also holds symbolic significance. Viewed as a fresh start, the tradition symbolizes the transition from the dormant winter season to the vibrant growth of spring. By purging the home of accumulated debris and organizing its contents, individuals create a cleaner living environment and a sense of mental clarity and freshness.
“With each sweep of the broom and polish of the surface, we honor a tradition that transcends time, uniting us with generations past in a shared pursuit of renewal and rejuvenation,” says Danielle Patten, director of creative programs and collections at the Museum of the Home in London.
Benefits of spring cleaning
Human behavior is greatly influenced by the cycles of nature. In the colder months, we have less energy to spare for chores such as deep cleaning. We’re not being lazy; limited daylight triggers the hormone melatonin, which makes us sleepy.
“Melatonin causes us to feel less inclined to refresh our space. When the seasons start to shift, feelings of sluggishness reduce, and we regain energy and feel inspired to deep clean our living environments,” says author and psychotherapist Eloise Skinner. “When we refresh our environments, we can feel a sense of new beginning, or a renewed sense of drive and ambition.”
Studies have also shown that cleaning can be therapeutic, as seen by the new generation of “cleanfluencers” taking social media by storm. Millions of people watch them scour filthy homes and dole out cleaning hacks.
(Here are simple ways to make your laundry routine more eco-friendly.)
“When we’re cleaning, we often have to be present to the task at hand, and this can bring us into the present moment causing us to feel more aware, engaged and observant. The repetitive nature can also be soothing,” Skinner says.
Religious and cultural origins
One of the earliest known references to spring cleaning is found in the Jewish tradition of Passover, which is observed annually in March or April. People remove all traces of chametz or leavened bread, which is prohibited leading up to the holiday. Its removal symbolizes the haste with which the Israelites fled Egypt, unable to wait for their bread to rise before their journey to freedom.
Similarly, Catholics clean altars in churches on Maundy Thursday ahead of Good Friday, which is held annually in the spring in March or April. Nowruz, celebrated around the vernal equinox in March, involves the tradition called khāne-takānī or “shaking down the house.” People wash clothes, blankets, and textiles in preparation for this approximately 3,000-year-old holiday—which can be traced back to Zoroastrianism, one of the world’s first monotheistic religions.
Before the Lunar New Year, it’s common to cleanse the home of bad luck and misfortune in China. Known as “sweeping the dust,” cleaning makes way for the new year’s good luck and prosperity, says Patten. Cleaning must be done before the holiday, typically in January or February, since sweeping after the festivities is seen as removing good luck. In Thailand, during Songkran in April, it’s customary to deep clean homes, schools, and public spaces to purify them ahead of the Thai New Year. People toss water at each other in the streets to wash away the previous year’s bad luck and over statues of Buddha to ensure luck for the year to come.
(“Wash your hands” was once controversial medical advice.)
While the concept of spring cleaning predates modern technology, advancements such as electricity and household appliances have influenced its practice. For example, before electric lights, people relied on fire from burning coal, oil, and wood to light and heat homes, which would leave behind a substantial amount of soot. Windows were kept securely closed to prevent a deadly draft from entering.
Come spring, it was pragmatic to open the windows to air out stuffy homes, remove grime, and repair any damages that occurred during the winter months. Inventions such as vacuum cleaners, washing machines, and cleaning agents have made the process more efficient and convenient, allowing for deeper and more thorough cleaning of living spaces.
