Spring Cleaning History - Dmitri Karamarinov

​Spring cleaning has been traced all the way back to 3000 years b.c. when it was an integral part of traditions to do with renewal. There are several cleaning traditions around this time of year that can traced back to different countries and cultures all around the world.

Traces of this cleaning ritual can be observed in the Iranian Festival of Nowruz, also known as the Persian New Year. This festivity begins on the first day of spring (March 21st). To prepare for Norouz, the Iranian population practices "khooneh tekouni", which translates as “shaking the house”. This ritual includes thorough cleaning of all rooms and surfaces in the household and is believed to be the predecessor of modern spring cleaning. 

​For some, this rigorous form of cleaning originated from an ancient Jewish custom that involved a thorough cleaning of the house. This was done in order to prepare for Passover – a springtime feast generally held at the beginning of April. For the duration of this holiday, it is strictly forbidden to eat any sort of leavened food, “chametz” crumbs included. Spring cleaning is therefore done to eliminate all traces of this food from the home. 

 ​Ninyabaat is a holiday that the Chinese celebrate just before the Chinese New Year arrives. Usually, the festivities take the country by storm on the 28th day of the 12th month of the Lunar calendar.
The point of this festivity is to cleanse the Chinese home from any bad luck or misfortune. It also involves throwing rubbish and broken household items away. Sweeping, however, is strictly forbidden as you may accidentally “sweep away” your good fortune. When everything is sparkling clean, the Chinese hang paper couplets that are said to attract fortune and good luck.

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