Spring Cleaning
Tis the season for spring cleaning! Everywhere you look people will be opening windows, shaking out rugs, and trying to scrub out a years worth of gunk off the inside of the oven. But does it have to be something you dread? Of course not! After all, there are many physical and emotional benefits associated with a clean home including a sense of accomplishment and well being. One of the most important benefits? It’s healthier! A dirty home can exacerbate asthma, pass around colds, and spread dangerous bacteria. Your home doesn’t need to be sterile, but a clean, dust-free environment can help keep your family healthy all year round!
Wondering where to begin? We’re here to help! Not only will we share with you 8 tips and tricks for spring cleaning, we’ll also include a handy, dandy, room-by-room, printable spring cleaning checklist! Let’s get started!
1. Make a plan
📸Livable Solutions Professional Organizing
Take a look around your home. Pay special attention to the areas you tend to avoid or get scared off by...that dingy oven, the cluttered hall closet, the dark abyss under the couch cushions. These are the best places to start, so dive in! Our printable room-by-room checklist can help!
2. Less is more
Nothing boosts your mood and sense of well being like an afternoon of decluttering! Tackle that junk drawer! Go through your closet! Show that cluttered pantry who’s boss! Throw it away. Give it away. Do whatever you need to do! As you move away from collecting and start to embrace the concept of discarding, you will feel a sense of peace and freedom.
3. Work from top to bottom
📸California Apartments
If you start from the ceiling and work down, you’ll save yourself a lot of headache in the end! The debris from your ceiling and fans will fall downward and land on your furniture below, so make sure you clean them first to avoid having to clean twice! Likewise, dust your furniture first before moving on to the floors. Don’t forget to cover your hair with a bandana or baseball cap to protect from falling/flyer dust and the occasional dead bug body!
4. Invest in a good vacuum
A high-quality HEPA vacuum is one of the best spring cleaning tools you can arm yourself with. Not only will it remove dust and dirt, but a good HEPA filtration system can also remove allergens and impurities from the air. Remember to use those attachments! Use the dusting brushes and crevice tools to clean ceiling fans, cobwebs from the corners, and tight spaces like underneath furniture.
5. Remember the walls and windows
Not all dust settles on floors and furniture. All you have to do is run your finger along a window sill or blind to know it’s true! Simply use a damp towel to wipe down walls and blinds. Using a squeegee makes window cleaning a breeze and cuts down on paper towel waste...not to mention annoying lint left behind!
6. Think green
Why not ditch all those toxic chemicals and try a steam cleaner? Since steam cleaners only use hot water vapors, they are a 100% natural way to clean your microwave, tile, hard floors, kitchen appliances, and bathrooms. If you don’t have a steam cleaner, one of the best natural combinations for cleaning is white distilled vinegar, baking soda, and water. This combination is affordable, non-toxic, and works great!
7. Don’t forget about your air
One of the most important and overlooked parts of spring cleaning is replacing furnace and HVAC filters. This simple step can do wonders for improving your indoor air quality. Air ducts build up dust, mold, and allergens during the winter, so make sure you make the call to your local air duct cleaning service. It’s the best way to make sure you and your family are breathing clean healthy air, not to mention cut down on your dusting duties!
8. Make a change
You can make small changes to help make a room feel light and fresh for spring. Add new colorful pillows or a fun piece of art. Replacing items like bedding, towels, rugs, or window treatments are other ways you can transform a room with a fresh new look. And besides, haven’t you earned a shopping trip after all that hard work...I think so!
*Don’t forget to download this full printable room-by-room spring cleaning checklist courtesy of our friends at sylvane.com!
https://www.sylvane.com/media/documents/products/spring-cleaning-checklist-2018.pdf
We hope it makes the task easier for you. And have fun! Turn up the tunes, dance around the kitchen, and embrace those looks of embarrassment from your kids. You got this! Good luck and enjoy the fruits of your labors!