Six Cleaning Tips for Home Owners

ESSENTIAL SPRING CLEANING TIPS

Springtime is here! Time to till the soil, plant the garden and throw open the windows. It’s also time for that dreaded spring cleaning, but before you become too overwhelmed with sanitizing every surface and decluttering every dark corner, here are six tips to make cleaning your home more manageable.

Make A List

This may be the simplest tip of all, but making a list really helps you execute an organized and efficient spring cleaning plan. With all of your tasks outlined you don’t have to worry about forgetting anything because you’ve got a ready-made system to track your progress and plan your attack. Speaking of efficiency…

Don’t Make Extra Work For Yourself

For example, when wiping surfaces, clean from top to bottom so you don’t end up having to clean lower surfaces twice because dirt or cleaner dripped down from above. Clean your kitchen counters before sweeping the floor so that you don’t accidentally litter your freshly swept floor with crumbs and dust. Speaking of sweeping: always sweep before you mop. You don’t want wet clumps of dirt and debris streaking the floor as you mop. Finally, sweeping and vacuuming kick up and disturb all kinds of dust, so perform those tasks first-wait a few minutes for the dust to settle-and then bring out the furniture polish and rag to dust.

Replace Your Shower Curtain Liner

Spring cleaning is about doing the tasks that don’t necessarily need weekly maintenance. Shower curtain liners are a prime site for mold and mildew to accumulate. Even with regular cleaning, the best kept shower curtain liners will begin to show the effects of long-term moisture exposure. Swapping in a new shower curtain liner every spring gives your shower and bathroom a fresh start and a new look with very little effort.

Clean Drawers And Closets When You Switch Clothes For The Season

You’re eager to put those bulky sweaters, gloves and hats into storage and bust out the t-shirts and bathing suits. However after you pack up your winter clothing, make sure to give your drawers and closet a thorough cleaning. You’ll be surprised at the amount of dirt and dust you pick up and it’s far more efficient than trying to clean them out with piles of clothes and tangles of hangers getting in your way. In fact, the first step to efficiently cleaning any room in the house is to de-clutter and organize first and then begin cleaning.

Clean Green

The aim of spring cleaning is to give your entire house a fresh and healthy feeling, eliminate the stuffiness of winter and let in the fresh spring air. However, many commercial cleaning products (particularly sprays and aerosols) contain a variety of hazardous chemicals, toxins and irritants that can cause issues such as headaches, rashes, coughing, sneezing and more. Green cleaning products use natural, non-toxic ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda (just to name a few) that produce the same results as commercial cleaning products but are far safer for family and pets, better for the environment AND more cost-effective because you can easily prepare and mix green cleaning products at home for a fraction of the cost of commercial products. Just a quick Internet search reveals a wealth of green cleaning mixtures you can make at home to save both your wallet and the environment; so find a recipe you like and get cleaning!

Most Importantly, Relax

Remember, spring cleaning is about rejuvenation and renewal, not stress. Keep it simple, make a plan, and then execute it.