Sweeping Out the Past

Spring Cleaning Traditions from History to Hearth

As the earth begins to stir from its winter slumber, we too feel the urge to stretch, shed, and start fresh.  Spring has long been a season of ritual cleansing, not just of our homes, but of the body and mind as well.  In this three-part series, we’ll explore the ancient and modern art of spring cleaning-beginning with the physical spaces we live in and moving inward, toward personal wellness and metal clarity.  We start where many traditions have for centuries: by opening the windows, lifting the dust, and preparing the home to welcome light, life, and fresh energy.

Spring Cleaning the Home: Ancient Rituals & Herbal Remedies for a Fresh Start

For thousands of years, spring cleaning has been more than just a practical task-it has been a sacred act of renewal.  In monasteries, homes, and hearths across the world, early spring marked the time to clear away the remnants of winter: soot from the fire, dust from closed-up rooms, and the energetic heaviness that accumulates in long, dark months.  This wasn’t just housekeeping-it was a ritual of invitations: a way of welcoming in fresh air, vibrant life, and the new energy of the season.

In this post, we’ll explore how spring cleaning was practiced throughout history, from monastic floor scrubs and whitewashing walls to smoke cleansing with juniper and rosemary.  You’ll also find natural herbal cleansing recipes inspired by traditional methods, practical, beautiful, and rooted in generations of home healing wisdom.

The History of Spring Cleaning: A Ritual Across Cultures

Long before “spring cleaning” became a weekend checklist or Instagram trend, it was a sacred seasonal tradition-one deeply tied to the rhythms of the earth and the cycles of life.  Across cultures and centuries, early spring marked a time to clear away the residue of winter, both physically and spiritually, in preparation for growth and renewal. 

In medieval monasteries, spring was the season for deep cleaning the cloisters and dormitories.  Monks would whitewash walls with lime to disinfect them, scrub floors with herbal infusions of rosemary, thyme, and sage, and air out woolen bedding and straw mattresses to remove dust, lice, and spiritual heaviness.  Cleanliness was not only tied to health but also to virtue-a pure space reflected a pure heart.

In Celtic and folk traditions, spring cleaning was part of the seasonal festivals like Imbolc and Beltane.  The hearth was swept clean and adorned with herbs or flowers to bless the home and invite in vitality.  Floors were swept toward the doorway to symbolically release old energy.

Even in Victorian households, spring brought with it an urgent need to clear out the coal soot that clung to walls and curtains after months of fires.  Curtains were washed, walls scrubbed, and fine linens laid out in place of heavy wool.

Clearing the Energy: Smoke Cleansing, Airing Out & Light Inviting

While scrubbing and sweeping physically freshen a space, many historical spring cleaning traditions also emphasized the importance of energetic cleansing-clearing out not only dirt and debris, but also stagnant energy, emotional heaviness, and spiritual residue that had built up through the long, dark winter.

One of the most widespread and enduring methods was smoke cleansing.  In European folk traditions, bundles of dried rosemary, juniper, mugwort, or bay were burned and wafted through the home to purify the air, bless the space, and drive out illness.  Monks would sometimes burn juniper or frankincense as part of spring purification, while Indigenous cultures around the world have long practiced smoke cleansing with regionally sacred herbs such as sage, cedar, or sweetgrass. I have practiced this ritual of smoke cleansing using our native sagebrush. I definitely noticed a marked change in the atomosphere, it was much lighter and felt like the house had been renewed.

Even the simple act of opening windows and doors-something we often do without thinking-has deep symbolic meaning.  It invites fresh air and light into a space that has been closed off and still.  It allows stale energy to flow out, much like the winds of spring clear away dead leaves and debris from the land. 

These simple, beautiful practices remind us that cleansing the home is also a way of resetting ourselves, allowing light to reach into corners that have been forgotten, and making space for new inspiration, creativity, and peace.

Traditional Spring Chores and Their Symbolism

In the days before electricity, washing machines, and central heating, spring cleaning was not just a preference, it was a necessity.  After a winter of smoke, soot, illness, and stillness, homes needed to be physically refreshed.  But what’s often overlooked is that many of these traditional chores also carried symbolic meaning, representing the release of the old and the invitation of renewal, health and clarity.

One of the most important seasonal tasks in medieval and early modern households was changing the floor rushes or replacing straw mattresses.  Rushes were a plant that were used as floor coverings before we had wooden floors. They provided some insulation, absorbed moisture and when fresh herbs were mixed in controlled odors. These floor coverings and sleeping materials had absorbed a winter’s worth of soot, moisture, pests (especially fleas), illness, stagnation, and emotional heaviness that winter had accumulated.

Dusting and sweeping held symbolic weight as well.  In many folk traditions, these actions were seen as clearing the way for fresh energy.  Some cultures believed it was important to sweep toward the door, intentionally pushing out the “old” and making room for blessings.  Dust was not just physical, it represented neglect, unresolved emotions, or energetic clutter.  Removing it allowed for clarity and movement.

Washing thresholds, windows, and doors was another powerful ritual.  These were and still are the liminal spaces between the inner world and the outside.  In spring, they were scrubbed with herbal infused waters made with rosemary, lemon peel, or vinegar, which were believed to not only clean but bless and protect the home.  A clean threshold meant clear passage into a new season, a welcoming of opportunity, abundance, and joy.  

Airing out bedding, rugs, and clothing was another major spring task.  In historical Europe and colonial America, these items were shaken out or beaten with sticks, often left to sit in the spring sun and wind, natural elements that were believed to purify, refresh, and energetically cleanse.  When these items were placed in the sun, the sun exposure killed dust mites naturally. The fresh air removed moisture making it less hospitable to mites which thrive in warm, humid envrionments where there is an abundance of skin flakes, fabric fibers and dust.

Whitewashing walls with a lime based whitewash was more than just cosmetic to brighten up the space, which had been darkened by a winter's worth of soot coating the walls. It also killed bacteria and mold, and prevented insect infestations.

These traditional chores were not merely drudgery; they were acts of care and transformation, rituals of readiness for a new cycle of life.

Herbal Cleansing Recipes Inspired by History

Before the rise of synthetic cleaners and commercial sprays, people turned to herbs, vinegar, salt, and simple soaps to purify their homes.  These ingredients weren’t just functional they were fragrant, healing, and spiritually meaningful.  Drawing from monastic practices, folk remedies, and early household manuals, here are a few natural cleaning recipes rooted in tradition, updated for modern use.

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 Medieval Herbal Floor Wash (Antibacterial & Refreshing)

Inspired by medieval and monastic housekeeping rituals, this herbal wash is perfect for floors, baseboards, or scrubbing entryways.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vinegar

• 4 cups warm water

• 2 tbsp sea salt (natural disinfectant)

• 5 drops lavender essential oil

• 5 drops tea tree essential oil

• 1 tbsp dried thyme

Instructions:

1. Steep dried thyme in boiling water for 15 minutes

2. Strain and combine with vinegar, salt, and essential oils.

3. Mop floors with the solution-no rinsing needed.

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Lemon-Lavender Surface Spray (Victorian-Inspired)

This gentle, aromatic spray is ideal for countertops, windowsills, doorknobs, and other high-touch areas.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup distilled white vinegar

• 1 cup water

• Peels from 1 lemon

• 1 tbsp dried lavender or 8 drops lavender essential oil

Instructions:

1. Combine ingredients in a jar and let infuse for 5–7 days.

2. Strain and pour into a spray bottle.

3. Use to clean and refresh your space—especially lovely in the kitchen.

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Herbal Floor Powder (Inspired by Medieval Rushes)

Ingredients:

1 cup dried Lavender

1/2 cup dried Rosemary

1/2 cup dried Thyme

1/2 cup dried Mint

1 cup baking soda

Instructions:

1. Mix the herbs and baking soda in a bowl.

2. Sprinkle lightly over carpets or hard floors.

3. Let sit for 15-30 minutes, then sweep or vacuum.

If you have pets, keep them away from the area until it has been vacuumed up. You don't want them walking through it, or risk them wanting to eat it (my dog would probably try)

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Herbal Mattress Powder (Inspired by Medieval & Monastic Practices)

Best for deodorizing modern mattresses naturally

Ingredients:

1/2 cup baking soda (absorbs odors)

2 Tablespoons dried lavender (soothing scent, pest deterrent)

1 Tablespoon dried thyme or rosemary (antimicrobial)

1 Tablespoon ground cloves (anti-mite properties)

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients and store in a jar.

2. Sprinkle lightly over your mattress.

3. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then vacuum off.

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