Passover cleaning checklist: what to clean and when

Why start early?

The cleaning before Passover is usually the biggest clean of the year, and trying to do it all in the last week turns it into an exhausting job. Splitting it into stages helps you move room by room. It’s worth keeping chametz out of the rooms you’ve already cleaned, and planning the kitchen around how you use it and your holiday preparations. This list covers general cleaning and tidying; it isn’t a halachic guide to Passover.

A few weeks before: rooms, wardrobes and the balcony

• Bedrooms: empty and wipe drawers and wardrobes, check coat pockets and bags, vacuum under the beds.
• Living room: clean between and under the sofa cushions, shelves and bookcases, and vacuum the rugs.
• Kids’ rooms: clean toys, desks and school bags, where crumbs often hide.
• Balcony and storage: clean the floor and railing and sort what’s stored there.
• Car: vacuum the seats and trunk, if it’s on your list too.

It’s also a good moment to organize: since everything comes out of the drawers anyway, it’s easy to put each thing back in a sensible place and let go of what you don’t need.

The last week: the kitchen

• Kitchen cabinets: empty them, clean inside and out, and let them dry before putting things back. Plan which food and utensils go back for Passover separately, following the halachic guidance you observe.
• Fridge and freezer: empty shelf by shelf, clean the shelves and drawers and wipe the door seals.
• Oven, stovetop and microwave: remove food residue and grease following the manufacturer’s instructions, and give it enough time.
• Countertops, sink and the wall behind them: clean thoroughly, corners and edges included.
• Small appliances: toaster, mixer and kettle, each as needed.

One or two days before the holiday: the last touches

Wash the floors throughout, wipe handles and switches, and do a last check of every room. If the windows are on your list, clean them before the final floor wash.

What Hyper Clean does, and what stays with the family

Hyper Clean does Passover cleaning in houses and apartments in Tel Aviv and nearby cities, kitchen first. Cleaning inside the oven, the microwave and the cabinets is an extra you add to the quote, and the schedule fills up weeks before the holiday, so it’s worth messaging early on WhatsApp. Hyper Clean takes care of the cleaning only: the religious preparation for Passover, such as the search for chametz and kashering utensils where needed, stays with the family.