It won’t be long before the flowers are blooming and the birds are singing and you’ll be thinking about the daunting task of spring cleaning your home. Deal with one room at a time and create a cleaning schedule so you can spread the cleaning tasks out over a couple of days.
Some of the recommended cleaning tips should be done on a regular basis to keep your home smelling fresh and clean. Remember, when cleaning a room you should start from the ceiling and work your way down to the floor where dust and dirt settle. Wash every surface like light fixtures, baseboards, doors, windows and window sills and floors in every room.
Before you start you spring cleaning do a spring clearing and declutter your home of items you don’t use including broken items, clothing that no longer fits and worn out linens, towels and throw rugs. Remember to use sorting boxes for things that you will donate, throw away or store.
Kitchen
Cabinets
Clean the grease and grime, food and fingerprints off your cabinets with hot soapy water. Remove all items from your cabinets and vacuum out the food particles. For tough stains use baking soda and water made into a paste and scrub with a bristle brush Clean cabinets inside and out making sure to rinse your cloth and wipe again to remove residue. Use a dry cloth on cabinets and hardware to remove streaking.
Refrigerator
Clear out the contents of your fridge and wash the shelving in warm soapy water. Then wash out the interior of your fridge with warm soapy water and return he shelves. Pull out your fridge from the wall so you can wipe down the sides and vacuum and wash the floor.
Oven
How you clean your oven depends on make and model. If you have a self-cleaning oven read the instructions in your manual. Most dirt and grime can be removed with a mix of baking soda and vinegar if your oven and cook top is cleaned on a regular basis. Remove your oven from the wall and wash down the sides. Vacuum and wash floor behind.
Back splash, counter tops and floors
Clean with a mixture of soap, water and baking soda to remove grime and food stains. Rinse with clean water and dry with a clean cloth to make surfaces shine and remove and residue. For grout, use the same baking soda and water mixture.
Dishwasher
Remove any bits of food on the bottom and run a cycle with a specialty cleanser of your choice, like a Cascade Platinum Cleaner. It is recommended you do this once a month.
Livingroom
Dust and wash all windows and sills and baseboards. Wash your mirrors and frames and pictures as well as décor items. Vacuum your upholstery and lamp shades. Dust your furniture and remove and wash all pillows and blankets or throws. Be sure to wash down shelving and books shelves. Now would be a good time to reorganize your books and décor items and introduce a new color scheme to your home for spring if you are so inclined.
Vacuum and steam clean your carpets and area rugs. Refresh and spot clean the fabric on your furniture. Most fabrics can be spot cleaned with a mixture of soap and water. Clean your hardwood floors with a hardwood floor cleaner.
Bathroom
Clean and disinfect your tub and shower surround. If you have a mold problem use a mold and mildew cleaner like Clorox tilex which can clean and disinfect in minutes. You can also use a solution of vinegar and water in a spray bottle and let sit for 15 minutes and then wipe clean.
Wash bathmats and shower curtains in washing machine. Dust and wash all décor items and mirrors in your bathroom.
Clean your toilet with a cup of bleach and a scrub brush. Leave the solution for 5 minutes before flushing. If you have a clog in your bathroom drain pour baking soda and half cup of vinegar down the drain and let sit for a few minutes. Flush with hot water for a couple of minutes.
Bedroom
Wash all bedding and throw pillows in your washing machine. A new tip I’ve learned is to take a pair socks with a tennis ball in each and tie the socks on the end. Add to your wash to prevent duvets and comforters from bunching.
Flip your mattress or rotate your pillow top mattress. Vacuum your mattress and then spot clean any stains followed by a disinfectant spray. Another method of dry cleaning your mattress is sprinkle baking soda over the entire mattress and let sit for few hours and then vacuum the mattress. You can also spot clean a mattress with a baking soda and water mixture and then wipe away with a damp cloth.
Remove any items stored under your bed and on your floor. Organize your closet and remove winter clothing and put away for the season. Get rid of unused clothing and reorganize by color. This will help with make your morning routine a little easier. Wash your closet floor with a baking soda, vinegar, soap and water solution. Deodorize your closet to remove any stale smells simply by placing an opened box of baking soda inside your closet.
Laundry Room
Your washing machine can get smelly over time. Disinfect it with vinegar and baking soda. Run the machine with hot water. When cycle is finished wipe it dry with a cloth.
In closing, it is a great time to change all the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Put new filters in your home furnace and your hvac system if you have one.
If you are wanting to sell your home call Roy Thomas at 902-497-3031 or make an appointment online.
