The search for the ultimate home/apartment spring cleaning guide

When we bought our house we tried to put together a chart of tasks that would let us keep up with maintenance and monthly/seasonal/yearly cleaning. It was scraped together from a variety of online guides from places like Better Homes and Gardens, Bob Vila, The Spruce, etc.

I am not totally sure the scope of what you are asking for so apologies if this isn't really answering the question.

Weekly

• dust
• sweep/vacuum
• mop
• bathrooms quick clean

Monthly

• empty all the tiny trash cans (in home offices, etc)
• clean stove
• purge fridge of suspect food
• deep clean bathrooms
• wash dog bedding/dog couch blankets (more during muddy weather)

Seasonal (Spring)

• Wash all removal couch/chair covers (twice a year, more if needed)
• Clean vents (twice a year)
• Vacuum Freezer and Fridge coils and empty/clean drip trays (twice a year)
• Purge and inventory deep freezers and pantry (twice a year)
• Change AC filter (twice a year)
• Riding mower and other lawn/power tool maintenance (yearly)
• Service AC system
• Power wash siding
• Clean windows, get window screens out of storage and clean before reinstalling
• Clean/unclog drains (twice a year)
• Clean faucet aerators (every 3 months)
• Remove lint from dryer ducts
• Clean baseboard fins (twice a year)
• Clean gutters (twice a year)
• Polish wood furniture (every 3 months)
• Wax floors (every 3 months)
• Inspect outer structures for damage (roof, siding, chimney, well, driveway)
• Get well water tested
• Clean desk and check if new paint is needed
• Caulk bathroom if needed
• Clean and store winter clothing/bedding.
• Clean under furniture
• Clean light fixtures
• Clean kitchen vent (every 3 months)

Seasonal (Other, putting Fall/Winter, Summer and 3 month tasks together)

• check water softener
• check CO and fire alarms
• Oil door hinges
• Winterizing tasks (cover AC unit, drain and store hoses, landscaping stuff)
• Check windows and doors for gaps and cracks that need sealing
• Check window trim for touch ups
• Service boiler

Yearly or less frequent

• Pump septic system

I am sure I am forgetting some stuff. Also this does not all happen in a single weekend. Just doing a couple tasks a week makes it very manageable. Doing more often cleaning of things that tend to get hard to clean also makes it much easier to keep them clean, like the stove, oven, fridge, baseboards, vents. And regular maintenance to the structural things keeps them in better condition for longer.

I've been a fan of UFYH (Unfuck your habitat)

They have challenges, lists, etc. And I do think some of it has been paywalled behind patreon now, but they were always excellent and now I'm going to use them for moving!

I liked Home Comforts by Cheryl Mendelson - it's definitely not just about cleaning as there's stuff in there about cooking, hosting, and maintenance but I found it an overall engaging read, even if it is focused on a particular kind of lifestyle and I don't use half of the information.

I've been watching Clean That Up lately and finding lots of useful hints. He has a spring cleaning playlist if you're interested.

I don't have a good answer but this reminds me of Marie Kondo's book where it talks about the Japanese practice of cleaning house on New Year's