This week’s article is inspired by three things: a kind request from one of you, the arrival of spring (which often calls for renewal and making space) and the sorting and cleaning I did at home in my apartment in Amsterdam this past weekend. I wanted to write something a little different this week, but something I hope you’ll enjoy just as much. In France, we often speak of le grand ménage de printemps, not only cleaning, but refreshing the home, making space, and approaching tidying in a calmer, perhaps even cathartic way.
Sometimes, cleaning a drawer, sorting a cupboard, deciding what to keep and what to let go of becomes more than a practical gesture. It’s also a mental reset. A way of making room for the new season, for lighter days, and for something new. In France, there is often a philosophy behind everyday gestures. Cleaning is rarely just about cleaning. It’s about restoring calm, bringing in fresh air, simplifying, and taking care of the home, which, in many ways, is also a way of taking care of ourselves.
Here are the simple French habits I rely on to refresh my home for spring, and that you can easily adopt in your own everyday life.
Let Fresh Air Be Part of Cleaning
This is one of the very first things I do when I wake up, and also the first step whenever I start cleaning or tidying my home. I open all the windows in every room to create a draft, even in winter, even when it’s cold. The idea is simple: let stale air out, bring fresh air in, and allow the home to breathe.
In France, airing out the home is considered part of cleaning. Sometimes, ten minutes of fresh air already changes the atmosphere entirely. It feels lighter, calmer, and somehow already cleaner. If you’d like to adopt just one habit, this might be the simplest: open the windows for at least ten minutes every morning.
The Simple French Cleaning Products I Use
Since I was very young, I’ve been aware that many cleaning products contribute to indoor air pollution. Over the years, I naturally turned to simpler, traditional products, the kind often used in French homes. Most of the time, I rely on just a few essentials:
- Savon noir
- Savon de Marseille
- Baking soda
- Soda crystals
- White vinegar
- Lemon
These products are simple, versatile, and surprisingly effective. Together, these few products can replace most conventional cleaners. Here is how I use them at home:
Savon Noir
One of the most versatile products. I use it:
- to clean floors (tile, wood, stone)
- to wash kitchen surfaces
- to clean bathroom tiles
- to degrease stovetops
- to clean outdoor furniture
Diluted in warm water, it cleans gently without damaging surfaces.
Savon de Marseille
A classic in French homes. I use it:
- to remove stains from clothing
- to make homemade laundry detergent (see the recipe below)
- for delicate hand washing
- for dishwashing in a pinch
It’s simple, gentle, and very effective.
Baking Soda
I use baking soda mostly for:
- deodorizing carpets
- cleaning sinks
- removing odors from the fridge
- gentle scrubbing for surfaces
- freshening shoes
Just sprinkle, leave for a few minutes, then wipe or vacuum.
Soda Crystals
Stronger than baking soda, I use them:
- to deep clean floors
- degrease kitchen surfaces
- clean washing machines
- unclog drains
- clean very dirty surfaces
Always diluted in hot water.
White Vinegar
One of the most useful products. I use it:
- to clean mirrors and windows
- descale faucets
- clean kettles and coffee machines
- replace fabric softener
- clean tiles
It leaves surfaces very clear and streak-free.
Lemon
I use lemon:
- to deodorize the fridge
- clean cutting boards
- freshen garbage bins
- remove odors
- add freshness naturally
Simple and very effective. Together, these few products can replace almost everything.
A Clean Home Should Smell Like Nothing
I never use artificial air fresheners. For me, if there is a smell, it usually means something needs cleaning. A clean home shouldn’t have a smell. To refresh fabrics like curtains, rugs, or sofas, I use a steam cleaner, which disinfects and removes odors naturally. Simply airing the home also helps enormously. If I want a subtle scent, I prefer natural options: fresh flowers, solid soaps in drawers, essential oils in a diffuser, lavender sachets, cedar wood, or lightly scented laundry. I sometimes place a small bar of soap in my linen cupboard or bathroom. It leaves a very soft, natural scent. Fresh flowers also gently scent a room in a much more natural way.
Fresh, Simple Laundry
Whenever I have time, I like making my own laundry detergent using Savon de Marseille. It’s gentle, simple, and lightly scented. I also sometimes use white vinegar instead of fabric softener. Just pour a small cup into the softener compartment. The vinegar smell disappears completely after rinsing. To lightly scent laundry, you can add a few drops of essential oil:
- lavender for calm
- lemon for freshness
- eucalyptus for purity
- orange for softness
These small gestures keep laundry fresh without feeling overpowering.
Keeping Linen Fresh the French Way
To keep linen naturally fresh, I like placing lavender sachets in cupboards, cedar wood pieces as a natural anti-moth solution, or lightly spraying linen with rose water or lavender water. These small gestures keep linen fresh in a subtle, natural way.
My Simple Homemade French Laundry Detergent
Ingredients for 1 liter of homemade laundry detergent:
- 25g of Marseille soap (vegetable or pure olive)
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of soda crystals
- 1 liter of hot water
- Optional: a few drops of essential oil (lavender, lemon, or eucalyptus)
Dissolve the shaved Marseille soap in 1 liter of hot water, stirring until fully dissolved. Add the baking soda and soda crystals. If desired, add 5 to 10 drops of essential oil. Transfer the mixture to a bottle and shake before each use. You can apply directly to stains before washing. For optimal performance, descale your machine regularly with a glass of white vinegar in the softener compartment.
A French Spring Home
For me, a French spring reset is not about deep cleaning everything at once. It’s about small gestures: opening windows, simplifying products, refreshing fabrics, and letting the home breathe again. These habits are simple, but together they change how a home feels. Lighter, calmer, and ready for the new season.
And often, taking care of the home in this quiet way becomes, almost naturally, a way of taking care of ourselves too. Happy Spring!
A French Spring Home
For me, refreshing a home for spring is not about deep cleaning everything at once. It’s about simple habits: opening windows, simplifying products, refreshing fabrics, and letting the home breathe again. These small gestures gently change how a home feels; lighter, calmer, and ready for the new season. And often, taking care of the home in this way becomes, almost naturally, a way of taking care of ourselves too. Happy spring!
