As soon as the winter season is over, most of us will find ourselves carrying our cleaning supplies. Yes, it’s time for some good old-fashioned spring cleaning! Cleaning during springtime is often associated with tradition. It is usually a yearly task done by our families right after all the snow melts from the winter season. It is sensible enough to do the chores like dusting, sanitizing, freshening, and decluttering your home from all the winter dirt at this time.
Cleaning may be tedious and boring to some but may actually be interesting if you give it some thought. So here are some fun facts about spring cleaning to make this annual ritual more exciting:
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Spring cleaning can be linked back to religious origins.
In Jewish culture, spring cleaning dates to the time of cleansing homes as preparation for the Passover’s springtime festival, a celebration for the liberation of Jews from slavery in Egypt. It is said that when the Jewish slaves fled so quickly, they could not wait for their yeast bread to rise. Hence, to commemorate this event, only unleavened bread is served during Passover. In preparation, the homes are cleaned thoroughly from any trace of yeast bread, which symbolized lust and desire.
In Catholicism, spring cleaning is associated with the cleaning of the altar in the church on Maundy Thursday. This church tradition was then said to be extended in the homes of the Catholics in preparation for Easter. It is also common to participate in a “clean week” wherein houses are cleaned every night for a week until Lent.
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Spring cleaning can be linked to cultural origins.
In Chinese culture, spring often starts after the Chinese New Year (may fall from late January to late February), depending on the Lunar calendar. The day after the New Year is the day for cleaning. It is their symbolic way of sweeping away the bad luck and misfortune that had accumulated from the previous year. On the first day of the Chinese New Year, cleaning materials such as brooms and dustpans are kept hidden so that they would not “sweep away” the good fortune brought by the New Year.
In Persian culture, the festival of Nowruz, or Persian New Year, which is regarded as the first day of spring (usually around March 20 during the vernal equinox). They have a house-cleaning ritual or “house shaking” which is a preparation for the coming of the new year. It involves the overall cleaning of the house including drapes and furniture.
In countries with a cold climate, it is necessary for them to do spring cleaning. As soon as spring starts and the windows are opened to let some breeze in, it would most probably carry with it the soot and dirt that had accumulated throughout the winter. It is common for them to use a soft broom or feather duster to dust off the dirt. They clean the lamps from the wax residues that have dried up.
It is also interesting to know that some products of today, such as the vacuum cleaner, were invented in cold places like Europe and America. They had the need to create such inventions to help them clean the dirt accumulated throughout winter time.
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Spring cleaning is linked to human nature.
According to simple biology, a study found out that the lack of sunlight produces more melatonin, a hormone that generates sleepiness in humans. During winter, you get less exposure from the sun, thus producing more melatonin which increases your sleepiness. Ultimately, come springtime, the energy that you have saved from the long melatonin-induced season is released and applied to your physical activities. Your body would want to do some form of activity to consume the surplus in energy. You also gain more energy in spring due to longer days which results in less sleepiness. Therefore, some resolve to use their power in spring cleaning.
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Spring cleaning has numerous health benefits.
It reduces your stress. According to a survey about the effects of cleaning on mental health, housework could cut stress and anxiety by 20%.
It helps with your breathing. Dust, pollen, and pet hair may trigger asthma and allergies, especially with children. According to Dr. McDonnell of Rush University Medical Center, it is helpful to dust, declutter, and vacuum all the time. It is also wise to choose low-VOC cleaning products.
It betters your mood. A study from the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin has found out that women who have stressful homes are more likely to have higher levels of mild depression or depressed mood. Inversely, women with more relaxed homes were less depressed.
Hire Professional Cleaners to Take Your Office Spring Cleaning to the Next Level
Prestige has the resources and expertise to get any spring-cleaning job done right every time. That is one reason we are one of the top cleaning companies in Los Angeles. Contact us at (714) 224-0301 today!
