Now that the days are getting longer and the weather is warming up it’s time to start thinking about your spring cleaning. Get planning and get started sooner than later so you can get out and really enjoy the warm weather when it comes.
Following these tips when completing your spring cleaning will help get the job done faster and relatively stress-free.
- Make a plan on how you’re going to tackle your spring cleaning and stick with it.
- Start by walking through each room in the house and make a note of everything that needs to be cleaned or organized.
- Work on one room at a time so you don’t get too overwhelmed.
- Don’t forget about the outside of your house, the yard, shed or garage. You may want to sav the warmer days for these jobs so you can enjoy the outdoors and still get some work done.
- On rainy spring days when you’re stuck inside pick a room or a cleaning project to work on.
- Remember to clean all the areas that are often forgotten and areas that aren’t seen, like the tops of doorways, ceiling fans and behind furniture.
- Start at the top and work your way down. Remove cobwebs on the ceiling with an extendable vacuum hose or by attaching a rag to a broom handle.
- When cleaning the kitchen clear out the fridge and cupboards of old, expired or unused food before wiping down the surfaces.
- Organize while you’re cleaning to de-clutter as you go through the house. Get rid of anything that is no longer used. Don’t forget to go through your closet as well to rid yourself of clothing that you don’t wear anymore.
Tools of the Trade
Spring cleaning may be time consuming in your eyes but it doesn’t have to be expensive. Instead of buying all new cleaning supplies try and use what you already have around the house. White vinegar diluted in water can be used to clean many surfaces. Warm soapy water is also an excellent inexpensive cleaner. However, if you are short on time and you want the job done quickly then purchasing cleaning products for each specific job will cut your cleaning time in half and will require less elbow grease. Buying a specific bathroom cleaner to remove soap scum will work better than an all-purpose cleaner. Always be sure to read the labels of your cleaning products to make sure you are using them correctly. If the cleaners are old through them out before using them and start fresh. Never mix cleaners or transfer cleaners from one container to another. There are many dangers in doing this including creating fumes or causing a chemical burn. Wearing gloves and a mask when using bleach or ammonia based products will protect your hands and lungs.
If you feel your equipment isn’t getting the job done properly look into borrowing from friends, family or even renting the equipment for a few days. Rental companies offer top quality vacuum cleaners, steam cleaners and pressure washers. Another option is to have equipment serviced before starting. To spare the expense of purchasing a new vacuum, take your old one to a repair shop to see if it can be fixed first.
Hopefully these tips will help you get through your spring cleaning without a hitch. If you’re still not convinced you can always hire a cleaning company to do the job for you. Cleaning companies do an excellent job but it’s less rewarding to pay someone to do it than it is to do it yourself.