Your Ultimate Guide to Spring Cleaning Your Home
Posted by : Admin
Warmer temperatures and longer days are just around the corner. Before you begin scheduling spring cookouts and parties, create a game plan for getting your house in tip-top shape. Here’s your ultimate guide to spring cleaning.
Start with the Inside
Make sure every room in your house is clean and clutter-free from top to bottom:
- Deep-Clean the Bathrooms – Make your baths sparkle. Use vinegar to scrub your shower heads, faucets, and tile. Scrub the toilets and add a cleaner agent to the tank to keep them pristine. Replace shower liners, and wipe down the sinks. Shine the mirror, door and cabinet knobs; and replace any burned out lighting.
- Organize Your Storage – Start with one closet and build three piles: Keep, Donate and Trash. Mercilessly chop out anything you can’t wear or don’t use. Drop off the “Donate” pile to a nonprofit near you. While the storage areas are empty, wipe down walls and clean the floors.
- Scrub Kitchen Appliances – Use a toothbrush to scrub around the burners and knobs of your stove. Clean out the refrigerator and freezer – and scrub the insides of both. Set the oven to clean itself, and shine all the appliances’ exteriors.
- Tackle Your Furniture – Get out your vacuum’s attachments and vacuum your furniture thoroughly, including underneath cushions and pillows. Use spot remover to get rid of dirt and stains. Wipe down leather and vinyl with an upholstery cleaner.
- Sweep and Mop Floors – Spray spot remover on any stains on your carpet and vacuum it thoroughly. Sweep every inch of your home, including under the furniture and beds. Mop floors and let them dry before walking on them.
- Toss the Trash – Take out all the trash you’ve accumulated to get it out of your way. Clean all your trash cans with a deodorizing cleaner and set them outside for a few hours to air out.
- Crank Up the Washer/Dryer – Take down drapes and wash them, then do the same with all the bedding in your home. Launder all your washable rugs and hang them outside to dry.
- Dust Everything – Run a rag over every horizontal surface in your home. Then wipe down your walls and polish all your doorknobs and wall hangings.
- Wash the Extras – Don’t forget the areas that are normally overlooked during your regular weekly cleaning. Wash the windows, blinds, and the screens. Scrub all the baseboards and outlets. Use a step ladder to clean your ceiling fans and lighting.
- Test and Replace – Give a nod to efficiency by changing out your air filters. Make certain your home is safe by testing your smoke alarms and replacing the batteries as needed.
Outside Plan
Get outdoors and start scrubbing and organizing your home’s exterior areas:
- Clean Out Gutters – Don’t let those spring showers wreak havoc. Either do it yourself or hire someone to clear your gutters and make sure they’re operating well.
- Wash Windows – Exterior windows can get dirty over the winter. Clean each of them with detergent and a hose.
- Pressure Wash Outside Areas – Sweep your deck, sidewalks, car ports, and porches, and then pressure wash them. Seal your wood areas so they’ll last longer.
- Prep Your Grill – Take the cover off your grill and clean it thoroughly. Replace your gas so you will be ready for lots of warm weather cooking.
- Clean Dryer Vent – One of the biggest causes of home fires is a clogged dryer vent. Clean yours out and make certain it’s completely clear of debris. Remind every family member who uses the dryer to clean the lint trap out every time it’s used.
- Scrub Outdoor Furniture – Spot clean any soiled areas, and then vacuum all your cloth furniture. Wipe down your metal and glass furniture. If there’s anything that has rusted over the winter, sand off the rust and add a fresh coat of paint.
- Wipe Down Doors/Shutters – Grab a bucket of warm soapy water and wash all your exterior doors and shutters. Clear off the cobwebs and the dirt. Polish the doorknobs.
- Address Outside Lighting – Replace your burned-out lights with long-lasting LED lighting. Consider adding lighting to walkways to increase safety.
- Clear the Junk – Toss everything that has gathered in your yard, garage, or carport over the winter. Organize your outdoor storage spaces so you can find everything easily.
It’s important to keep your home clean, safe, and organized, and spring is a great time to do it. If you check a few of these tasks off your list every weekend, you will be amazed at how nice your home looks and how pleasing a clean, well-organized home can be.
