Spring Cleaning
Spring Cleaning Spring cleaning, it's that time of year again. Before you start, have a plan of action. Get rid of clutter. Clean those dusty curtains. Take time to clean upholstery & rugs. This is also a great time to check your air filters and change them out. Replace the batteries in your smoke as well as any burnt out lightbulbs. Save all the dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping for last. For some, this may be a huge task, if so, divide the work up into days or between those who live in the home.
Have A Plan Have a plan of action before you start spring cleaning. List all of your rooms first, and note what is needed to be done in each. Note what kind of flooring is in each and what supplies will be needed to clean them. It is better to start with your living areas first, then secondary rooms (such as formal living areas/office), bathrooms, mud/laundry room, then bedrooms. Save garage space for when you tidy up your outdoor areas. Now that you have a plan, gather up all cleaning supplies in one area that you will need to get the job done. If you have help, assign duties, if not, make a schedule for yourself. You are ready to start spring cleaning!
Get Rid of Clutter Next, get rid of clutter throughout your home. The less clutter you have around the easier it will be to clean the area and keep it clean. At this stage you will probably find misplaced items, take a laundry basket to each room and place those items in it. When you go room to room you can distribute those items to where they belong. This would be a good chore for younger kids in the house. You will thank yourself later, because getting rid of clutter will save you so much time later on.
Clean Curtains, Upholstery, & Rugs Cleaning curtains, upholstery, & (area) rugs is vital to your homes overall cleanliness. Do you know why it is important to clean these items? Your curtains, upholstery, and rugs attract dust, pet dander, and absorbs odors. Your nose will thank you! Take down and (dry) clean all of your curtains. Once the curtains are down, take a minute to inspect your windows for any issues and give them a good wipe down. When cleaning your upholstery, if the cushions are removable, take them off and vacuum underneath them. Vacuum your rug first then clean it. Always follow the proper cleaning instructions for each item. Once your curtains, upholstery, and rugs are cleaned your home will smell so much better.
Check Filters, Smoke Detectors, & Lightbulbs Checking filters, smoke detectors, & lightbulbs would be a great chore for your teenager if you have one in your house. Filters need to be checked throughout the year, in some cases monthly. While checking the filter, be sure to clean any air vents as well. According to FEMA, "Test the alarm monthly. Replace the batteries at least once every year. Replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years." As you go through your home, check every lightbulb and replace any burnt out bulbs. Though these things are done throughout the year, it is important to include them in your spring cleaning check list.
Dust, Vacuum, Sweep, & Mop It is time to dust, vacuum, sweep, & mop, now that clutter, curtains and rugs are out of the way, . If you are lucky enough to have help, break this task up and assign dusting to someone, vacuuming/sweeping to another, then have someone follow behind and mop where needed. If you are doing this alone, then finish a room at a time. When dusting, get into all those dark corners, high places, and don't forget the ceiling fans! Always dust first, because there will always be dust bunnies that get away from you and land on the floor. When sweeping and vacuuming, move out furniture and get behind and under each piece. Now that you are done vacuuming, your carpets can be steam cleaned and your floors can be mopped. For more in depth spring cleaning tips, check out our Pinterest board House Cleaning.
Check out our next BLOG POST Tuesday, April 4, 2023!