Spring Cleaning Is Essential
Studies show that a dirty and disorganized home can add to your stress level. It triggers thoughts to your brain implying work isn’t done. Constantly inhaling dust can also take a mental toll.
Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the changing weather and set the tone for the next six months. The warmer temperatures allow you to open up your windows and air out your home.
Today we are going to provide you with many useful tips and guidelines to help you prepare for the warmer months ahead. And while you clean the inside, we’re here to help with the outside!
- One essential thing to keep in mind when starting your spring cleaning adventure, is to start from the ceiling down. This forces debris downward and prevents you from having to re-dust other surfaces. If you have a vacuum with an extension hose, use it to address your ceilings and fans first.
- Often, this is the time when people switch out their winter clothes with items more suited for the warmer weather ahead. This is the perfect time to play a little game called Keep, Trash, or Donate! Since you need to go through all of your winter clothes to put away, and all of your summer clothes to take out, use the time to think of which items no longer fit you, match your style, or are simply too worn down. Your trash pile should be relatively small, as you can use old clothing as cleaning rags and can donate any shoes to charitable causes. If you would like to avoid clutter and buildup, we also recommend setting aside a specific laundry day each week and sticking to it. Pro Tip! Don’t forget to sort through all of your desk drawers, and that junk drawer that everyone has. Throw away unwanted items and reorganize these the areas.
- When addressing the bedroom, don’t neglect your mattress! Vacuum all surface areas of your mattress and get the dust built up in the crevices between your mattress and the bed frame. Don’t forget to rotate and flip the mattress 180 degrees. And if you find your mattress has an odor, sprinkle some baking soda onto it and then vacuum it up in 30 minutes.
- Dust can build up anywhere! That is why it is important to dust your nightstands and furniture with a damp cloth. Vacuum all carpets, and sweep and mop hard floors using the appropriate products. Again, keep in mind doing this from top to bottom will save you time and energy. Pro Tip! You can combine 1 gallon of hot water mixed with 1 cup of white distilled vinegar for tiles, or use a dry mop for wood).
- When in the kitchen, pull any appliances you can away from the wall and sweep behind where they were. Then, push back the appliances and sweep the rest of the area. Let your oven’s self-cleaning system run and take some time to get out of the house while this is happening. The process can involve some fumes developing, so go get some fresh air!
- While bathroom cleaning should take place on a routine basis, use this cleaning motivation to get a deeper clean in. Remove hard-water stains in the tub by soaking paper towels in undiluted vinegar and placing them on any buildups. Leave overnight, then scrub and rinse the tub in the morning. You can also create a paste with some Comet cleaner and water. Then, take a sponge and rub it on the stains.
- Don’t forget the walls and blinds. Take a damp towel and wipe these down (top to bottom). Afterwards, go outside and remove the window screens. Wipe them down, then put them back.
