10 Folklore-Inspired Spring Cleaning Traditions from Our Grandmothers

Beginning of Spring in my family home, back in Poland, meant one thing: Spring cleaning. My beloved mum isn’t a clean freak and she isn’t the one to dust every inch of the house (neither am I!), but Spring brings something out in us humans that makes us feel like we want to strip everything down, clean, reset, polish and get ready for a fresh start.

I think It’s the heightened energy and awakening of the natural world that stimulates us. No surprise considering that we are a part of it. However sophisticated and eloquent we like to think we are, we are part of the natural world and we are bound to feel the seasonal shifts. Right now, in Spring, it feels much more like setting resolutions and forming new habits than it does in the New Year, when everything is quiet and still.

Watch My Most recent Vlog: Seasonal slow living, cosy homemaking & baking from the English countryside

The History and Meaning Behind Spring Cleaning Rituals

Cleaning our houses for Spring must be a custom as old as time. I can imagine even cavemen feeling the urge to refresh their caves after Winter. Believe it or not, Household Manual Books have existed since at least medieval times!

In the Middle Ages, books like Le Ménagier de Paris (The Goodman of Paris), written in the 14th century, offered advice on household management: things like keeping the home clean, maintaining food stores and rotating linens according to the seasons. It describes periodic deep cleaning and home maintenance tasks, like washing walls with lime or scrubbing floors, often aligned with the changing seasons.

By the 19th century, you’ll find Spring cleaning referenced in Victorian household guides. With homes heated by coal and lit with oil lamps, interiors became grimy over Winter and Spring was the ideal time for housemaids to deep-clean soot-stained walls, windows and floors.

In European folklore, particularly in rural areas, there was a belief that cleaning the home for Spring helped usher in good luck and keep away malevolent spirits. My grandma Marysia, although Christian through and through, followed many of the traditions she learned from her own mother and grandmother - like washing windows with vinegar for a clearer future and sweeping from the inside out to brush off any negativity and mischievous spirits.

Below I share some fun, old-fashioned Spring cleaning ideas: a mix of genuinely helpful home tips and old-world traditions and rituals. Although I’m not superstitious, I believe that every story has a grain of truth.

10 Old-Fashioned Spring Cleaning Ideas from Our Grandmothers

1. Open the windows wide – The simplest ritual that’s actually great for your overall health by improving air quality and boosting mental well-being! Traditionally, letting the fresh Spring air in was meant to blow away the stagnant energy of Winter.

2. Airing out the bedding – Hanging duvets, pillows and blankets outside on a crisp, sunny day has been a custom in my family for as long as anyone remembers. The sun and fresh air were thought to freshen fabrics and promote good sleep.

3. Shake out the rugs – Take rugs outside and give them a good shake or beat them with a rug beater. Every Eastern European child remembers the metal poles (ha, pun not intended, lol!) installed in communal areas. Traditionally, this was believed to drive away lingering bad luck.

4. Sweep from the inside out – Sweep the floors from the threshold towards the outside. Folklore says this action encourages troubles and negativity to leave your home.

5. Wash windows with vinegar water – My grandmother swore by vinegar for sparkling clean glass. Symbolically, vinegar was believed to clear "the view" for a brighter future and fresh opportunities.

6. Plant kitchen herbs on the windowsill – Parsley, mint or chives were often planted early in Spring to symbolise new beginnings and fresh energy in the home.

7. Hang out fresh laundry on the line – One of the joys of Spring and Summer: sun-dried sheets and clothes infused with the smell of fresh air. As with bedding, clothes dried outdoors were believed to support good health and optimism.

8. Bring in fresh greenery – Collecting the first flowers from your garden or budding branches (like pussy willow or forsythia) and bringing them indoors as a sign of hope and new life.

9. Light a candle at dawn – One of my favourite traditions: lighting a candle early in Spring is a way to “wake the house up” after Winter’s sleep and encourage light and warmth to fill the home. I might be biased, but YR Studio candles, inspired by the scents of the English countryside, are perfect for this - try our "Herb Garden" or "Bluebell Woods" candles.

10. Cobweb luck – Some old beliefs claimed that leaving one cobweb in a hidden corner would bring good fortune. In Poland, we even have a saying: “Szczęśliwy to dom, gdzie pająki są”, which translates to “It’s a happy home where spiders are live.” To me, it’s always meant that we’re too busy enjoying the little things - baking, cooking and spending time together - to stress about making every corner spotless. Basically, a little dirt is a sign of a happy family!

Do You Remember Any Spring Cleaning Traditions?

I hope you enjoyed this list of Spring cleaning ideas based on old-world traditions and folklore as much as I enjoyed writing it! Do you remember any traditions from your childhood, or perhaps something interesting you’ve heard or read about? Please share in the comments!

Adriana x

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