Spring cleaning might sound simple but it’s actually a lot of different steps that lead up to the ultimate experience. You’ll be surprised by how easily you can overlook a shelf that eventually gathers even more clutter. Spring is the perfect time to declutter your home–it’s a season for clearing out old energy and welcoming the new. Keep reading to see what our ultimate guide to spring cleaning has in store for you!
The Basics Checklist
Although some cleaning techniques will vary from room to room, some things hold true across the board. Below are standards you need to keep in mind throughout the entire cleaning process.
● Declutter! Toss anything that doesn’t make you feel happy anymore. Keep a few special items but if there’s anything you haven’t used in six months but still insist on using, you should probably toss it out. We promise you: if you haven’t used it by now, you most probably never will.
● Details! Pay attention to small fixtures like hinges, screws, and knobs. These are small areas that end up gathering a lot of dust. Don’t just wash them–dry them too so they don’t gather fungus, mildew, and mould.
● Swiff! Use a Swiffer to sanitize the floors and the walls of your home. Dry off with a quick sheet after and you’re good to go.
● Clean your air vents! Remember that respiration and your apartment’s atmosphere is an integral part of human life: clean out your air conditioner’s filter, check your ventilation, and your radiator. Pot some plants–make sure every space is breathable.
● Check if there are any areas where the paint has chipped. Make sure there are no water bubbles forming behind the paint–if any, make sure you drain them quickly and arrange a painter to do a touch up immediately. In the meantime, make sure the area is clean and dust-free.
● Check all electrical switches! From your bathroom switch to your electric stove to your doorbell, make sure that all of your electric wires are neat and clean to avoid safety hazards.
Areas to Consider
Let’s move onto the specific areas of your home. Read on and check out the different considerations to make when going through the different rooms of your house.
The Garage
● Buy a number of toolboxes which you can organize or label your tools accordingly to make fix-ups easier
● Remove any hazardous wires, nails, and tools that you don’t use
● Swab and sanitize all of the cabinets and drawers
The Bedroom
● Vacuum your mattress and then proceed to sun it.
● Spray your mattress with an anti-mite spray to keep bed bugs away.
● Repeat for your pillows.
● Change the sheets! Even when it isn’t spring, make sure to do this at least once every ten days.
Hallways
● Clear out all clutter from the hall.
● Dust off any family photos and figurines/paraphernalia sitting in the hall or on the landing.
The Living Room
● Steam-clean your couch. Vacuum and lift the seat cushions to see what lost treasures you might find.
● Vacuum under the sofa and clear out any dust bunnies that might be living there.
● Sun the cushions for at least 12 hours before bringing them back inside.
● Remove, wash and dry dust ruffles.
The Laundry Room
● Store detergent and bleach out of reach of kids. These are toxic and can be easily spilled or accidentally ingested.
● Create a system for your laundry baskets and segregate according to colour and material. This will help you avoid laundry accidents and keep you from damaging your clothes.
● Set up a folding station so it’s easier for you to move clean clothes from the laundry room.
The Kitchen
● Store your knives, peelers, and corkscrews in locked drawers or out of the children’s reach
● Vacuum under any furniture including shelves, refrigerators, drawers, bar carts.
● Clean out the fridge and defrost if you need to. Make sure to wipe down the inside and leave a dehumidifier inside so that food doesn’t rot quickly. Charcoal is a great natural solution for unwanted odours and mould.
● Be practical. How do you use your kitchen? What is your process flow? What tools and ingredients do you use a lot? Organize your kitchen so that it’s easy to use.
The Bathroom
● Solve obvious problem areas like drains, toilets, and tiles first but don’t neglect the rest of the bathroom. Pay attention to sink handles, showerheads, and pipes too so everything is kept nice and clean.
● Use an easy-dry mop and don’t forget to clean your tools. You don’t want to spread germs when you’ve worked so hard to eliminate them.
When you stick to a schedule and have a guided list of goals, cooking doesn’t just become convenient or easy, it becomes a whole lot of fun. For other tasks, don’t forget to outsource what you can and hire professional spring cleaners. Invest in your home now and make it a place you love living in!
