Apr 14, 2011

Posted by in Featured, Work and Home

10 Great Tips for Good Home Spring Cleaning

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season is here which means that some good old home is in order. Its time to open the windows and let the light in, brush off the cobwebs and scrub all the dirty corners of your home. But before you start, take a few minutes to plan how you will go about it. cleaning can be a daunting task if done in an unorganized, haphazard manner. Below are ten great that will help you do good home cleaning with speed and ease. Follow them and you will have your home spic and span in no time!

 

1. Arm & Prepare Yourself

  • Make sure you have all the cleaning supplies (e.g. all-purpose cleaner, oven cleaner, window and glass cleaner, disinfectants, furniture polish, gloves, cleaning rags and dusters) you will need before you start your scrub fest. Carry all the supplies around with you in a bucket
  • Wear some old, comfortable clothes that you won’t mind if they get dirty or stained
  • Choose a free weekend to start your (don’t expect to get it all done in one weekend though! Good takes time even if you don’t get into the nitty gritties)
  • Try to get someone (a friend or family member) to help you out
  • Focus on the key areas. Most of us don’t have enough time on our hands to conduct really extensive spring cleaning. The idea is to take on the big stuff rather than getting into the nitty gritty of things when time is limitedspring-cleaning1

 

2. Make a Checklist and Schedule

Get organized. Make up a list or chart of all the big and small things that need to be done in each room and mark off each task as it is completed. Make a spring cleaning schedule that details how you will go about cleaning your home on a day-by-day or week-by-week basis, for example Day 1: Kids bedroom, Day 2: Guest room etc Its best to take it one room at a time and leave the kitchen (the most used area of the house) for last.

Suggested checklist for each room:

  • fans and lights
  • Move the heavy furniture and clean behind and under it
  • Wash the draperies
  • Wash the windows and clean the blinds
  • Vacuum the carpet. Use the appropriate attachments to clean the crannies
  • Dust the room
  • De-clutter all the drawers and cupboards

 

3. Call the Exterminator

Spring is the perfect time to get rid of those gross creepy crawlies!

 

4. Schedule Maintenance

Spring is the time to get ready for the hot weather ahead so its best to get all your air conditioning units serviced. This will include getting the ducts cleaned and the filters changed. There are always little things all around the house that need to be fixed or replaced, like a fused light bulb, a broken window pane etc. Make a list of all the things you need to get fixed or replaced so that you can finally get around doing it!

 

5. Shuffle and oil the Furniture

Move things around so as to encourage coolness in the warm summer nights. For example, you can remove area rugs and expose tile floors, shuffle the furniture to bring it closer to the windows or the fans. It also makes it easier to clean the dust collecting under furniture items all winter long. Rub some lemon oil onto your wood furniture with a soft cloth. Let the oil soak in. Now buff it off using a clean soft cloth. The wood will look shiny and new again!

 

6. Store the Blankets and Winter Clothing Away

Flip your mattresses. Dry clean all the winter blankets and coverlets and store them away in plastic vacuum bags. Winter clothing can be stored in airtight containers to protect them from being moth eaten.

 

7. De-Clutter

Get rid of all the clutter in, and out, of sight; be it toys that aren’t played with anymore, pointless decoration items or clothes you don’t wear anymore. It’s best to donate the stuff to a charity. You could also hold a garage sale.

 

8. Clean the Forgotten Areasp-65spring-cleaning

  • Clean those areas of the house which are usually ignored for most part of the year. For example:
  • The fireplaces (its easier to get these professionally cleaned)
  • The windows and blinds (clean inside and out using soapy water and a sponge)
  • The stove and oven (clean inside and out using an appropriate cleaning agent)
  • The ceiling lights, chandeliers and fans
  • The bathroom tiles and shower (deep clean using a bleach-hot water solution)
  • Behind and under the heavy furniture 

Be sure to wear gloves while you’re at it.

 

 

9. Involve the Kids

Get the kids involved. Give the older kids tasks like cleaning the window blinds, shower curtains and window screens.

 

10. Make it Fun

Put on some good music. Keep some tasty snacks and drinks on hand to refresh you. Take short, frequent breaks. Hum and dance while you clean. Try to enjoy it and it won’t feel like such a chore!