IT'S probably the superstitious Celt in me, but I've always done my "spring cleaning" on New Year's Eve.
Even as a "wee one" I spent December 31 pulling out the contents of my cubby house to give it thorough clean.
But there was an unplanned change in tradition three weeks ago when I found myself unable to pack away the shopping, thanks to an overflowing pantry.
The cupboard was duly unpacked, cleaned and restocked but it was only when my little one remarked "Mum, you're spring cleaning!" that I noted the date — August 31.
So why do we clean our houses in spring?
Cold European winters and old building styles.
In times past, when people kept their houses shut tight against the cold of winter, heated them with coal and oil and wood, and lit them with candles, spring was a chance to make a dingy home fresh again.
On the first warm, dry day of the season, everybody in the family would pitch in to pull every stick of furniture and scrap of cloth outside.
Then, armed with brooms and wash rags, one squad of house cleaners would sweep and scrub every corner of the house, while the rest would air-out linen, remove soot and ash from furniture and dust books and paintings.
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