Spring is the perfect time to deep clean your home. It helps to shake off those winter blues as you open your windows and take in the refreshing warmer air. Many say it signifies a fresh start and new beginnings.
Even if you keep up with your cleaning, Spring cleaning is different. Essentially, it’s deep cleaning your home from top to bottom. It’s tending to things in your home that aren’t a part of your weekly cleaning routine, yet need to be addressed.
Your first step is to make a list of what you want to accomplish. It might entail damp dusting and polishing, mopping floors, wiping baseboards, vacuuming drapes and scrubbing your tub and shower. But there are items that should be added to your list that you might not think about.
Let’s take a look at 10 tasks to consider for spring cleaning:
1) Clean the Trash Cans
Cleaning household trash bins should be done more than once a year, so if it hasn’t been done in a while add it to your list. Not only will you remove nasty odors, but you’ll also eliminate harmful bacteria. While you’re on a cleaning spree, taking the time to clean your outdoor trashcan can also help keep bugs and pesky animals at bay.
2) Clean or Change Your Filters
Most filters in your home are meant to last 3-12 months and yet they’re easily forgotten. That can be a costly mistake because dirty filters can wreak havoc on appliances. Any appliance with a filter that cleans air or water needs to be tended to. Check your refrigerator, dishwasher, water filters, air filters, range hoods, over the range microwaves, clothes dryer, vacuum cleaners, dehumidifier, room or central air conditioners and gas furnaces. Remember, some of these appliances help keep your home clean, so those filters will help maintain all the elbow grease you’re putting into your Spring cleaning.
3) Clean Your Mattresses
After stripping your beds, take the time to thoroughly vacuum each mattress. Address stains by spot cleaning, then allow to air dry. Even if you don’t have stains that need drying time, it’s important to air out your mattresses by opening the windows so your mattress can take in the fresh air. Doing this not only helps eliminate odors, but it can also help eliminate bacteria and mold that may be present.
4) Wipe Down Walls and Ceilings
Whatever might be stirred up in your home can end up sticking to your walls and ceilings. Think dust, oil, cooking grease, fingerprints, pet dander and spiderwebs. Spring-cleaning should always include wiping down walls and ceilings to remove whatever might have collected on those surfaces.
5) Clean Your Upholstered Furniture and Pillows
Deep cleaning anything that’s upholstered is essential because you’re removing dust, allergens, germs, bacteria and odors. You’re also helping your furniture last longer. Dirt is abrasive, so the longer it stays on fabrics, the more it breaks down the fibers.
6) Clean the Windows and Screens
After the cold winter months, your windows are more than ready for a deep clean. Pay special attention to your screens. If you open your windows with dusty and dirty screens, that dirt will flow right into your home. Clean screens promote healthy air quality.
7) Clean Light Fixtures and Ceiling Fans
You might be surprised how much dust is built up on these fixtures. Two hints while you tackle this project: Place a towel or sheet underneath what you’re cleaning to catch the dust and use an old pillowcase to clean the fan blades. Cover the fan blade with a pillow case then grip down as you slide the pillowcase off the blade trapping the dirt inside. Simply turn it inside out and shake the dust off outside.
8) Deep Clean the Oven
A dirty oven can lead to smoke, nasty odors and even affect the taste of your food. Worse, it can be a fire hazard when grease, dirt and food build up inside the oven.
9) Clean Out the Dryer Vent
Your dryer can only perform at its best when it has a clean dryer vent. If this isn’t something you’ve tackled in a while, it’s time. The lint that accumulates can overheat and become a fire hazard.
10) Update Your First Aid Kit
This suggestion might come as a surprise, but it’s just as important as your other tasks. You typically won’t look at your first-aid supplies until they’re needed. When the time comes to use them, the last thing you’ll want to find is expired medications or missing bandages and gauze. Go through your kit and toss what’s out of date and make a replacement list. Be sure to fill it with antibiotic ointment, aspirin/ibuprofen, thermometer, tweezers, scissors, different sized gauze pads, a gauze roll, adhesive cloth tape, an assortment of bandages in different sizes and an instant cold press.
Spring is here and it’s time to tackle your home! Open those windows, turn on your music, grab a few family members and make it a cleaning party! Your home will be a fresh haven to be enjoyed by all!
Victory Closets is here to help with all your organizational needs. If you’re finding the need for more storage while cleaning, give us a call! We specialize in expanding storage space in closets, laundry rooms, pantries and mudrooms.
