SPRING Cleaning: A centuries-old tradition

Each year, when the first rays of sun finally shine through the windows after a long Quebec winter, thousands of families feel the same urge: to open the windows, let fresh air circulate, and get the house in order.

We call it spring cleaning. But this tradition is much older than commonly believed.

Long before modern cleaning products

For centuries, homes were heated with wood or coal.

During winter, smoke, soot, and ash would accumulate on walls, ceilings, curtains, and furniture. Windows often remained closed for several months to conserve heat.

When spring finally arrived, families took advantage of the milder temperatures to perform a thorough cleaning of their homes.

• Walls were washed.
• Rugs were taken outside to be beaten.
• Floors were scrubbed.
• Windows were cleaned.
• Blankets and mattresses were aired out.

This annual deep clean wasn't about appearances: it was essential for health and the preservation of the home.

A practice found worldwide

The phenomenon is not unique to Quebec.

In Iran, Khaneh Tekani ("shaking the house") has been practiced for centuries before the Persian New Year. The entire house is cleaned from top to bottom to symbolize a new beginning.

In many Jewish traditions, a thorough cleaning is performed before Passover to eliminate all traces of leaven from the home.

In China, it is customary to clean the house before the New Year to symbolically chase away bad luck accumulated during the year.

Everywhere, the same reflex appears: when a new season begins, people tidy up their environment.

In Quebec, a deeply rooted tradition

In 19th and 20th-century Quebec countryside, spring cleaning was part of the normal rhythm of life.

Families took advantage of the return of good weather to clean after the long winter months.

• Windows were finally opened.
• Rugs were shaken outside.
• Porches were scrubbed.
• Screens were washed.
• Tools, sheds, and outbuildings were prepared for the summer season.

This was not an exceptional activity. It was simply a normal way of taking care of what one owned.

We maintained more because we replaced less

At that time, objects were expensive. Furniture was kept for several decades. Clothes were repaired. Tools were maintained. Homes were passed down from generation to generation. Maintenance was part of the normal life cycle of things.

Today, we live in a society where replacement is often faster than repair. Yet, the logic remains the same: a well-maintained object lasts longer.

• A maintained floor retains its shine.
• A well-cleaned counter remains beautiful for years.
• A maintained appliance works longer.

Spring cleaning may be more relevant than ever

Paradoxically, this old tradition addresses several modern concerns.

• Reducing waste.
• Consuming less.
• Making our possessions last.
• Preserving our resources.
• Buying better and keeping longer.

Spring cleaning is therefore not just a chore inherited from the past. It's an annual opportunity to reconnect with a simple idea: taking care of what we own.

And when you think about it, that's exactly what our grandparents were already doing.

Spring cleaning wasn't born with modern cleaning products or social media.

It's a centuries-old tradition that meets a fundamental need: maintaining our environment and preserving what surrounds us.

This year, rather than seeing cleaning as a task to be accomplished, we invite you to see it as an act of preservation. Because, deep down, everything we own deserves a little attention.