Today we are going to tackle a time-honored clean freak tradition: spring cleaning! After a long winter of stuffiness and gloom it’s so nice to give your home a deep, refreshing clean from top to bottom! Of course any time of year can be a good time for a deep clean and with these easy tips you might want to do it more than once a year!
Don’t be intimidated, we’ll take it one room at a time. Ready? Let’s get started!
The First Step for Spring Cleaning: The Bedroom
The heart of the bedroom is of course the bed, so let’s start there. Remove all of the sheets, comforters, bed skirts, pillows, pillowcases and the mattress pad. Strip that bed! All of the bedding goes to wash; you should take down the curtains too! If you don’t want to be bothered with all of that laundry you might take it all to the laundry mat and finish quickly.
Next step, we flip the mattress. We like to open the windows and let all of that spring air and sunshine in while we work! Now it’s time to bust clutter and organize from top to bottom. Pull everything out of the closets. Have boxes and bags handy for items you may decide to donate or toss. Items that need to be mended should go in a separate pile. Winter clothes can be set aside for cleaning and storage.
Bathrooms
One of the most cluttered areas of any bathroom can be the medicine cabinet. Go through all of the medicine and items, checking the expiration dates. Dispose of expired medication or medication that isn’t properly labeled by placing it into a plastic bag and throwing it in the trash, NOT by flushing it down the toilet as this contaminates water supplies.
Another clutter magnet is the bathroom counter; consolidate those half empty cosmetic bottles and jars. Toss the empties and also dispose of any product that has changed color, texture or that smells funny. Wash your shower curtain and replace the liner if necessary. You should also wash the bathroom rugs and hang them to dry.
The Kitchen
Head straight for the pantry and cabinets, toss any food or spices that are past their expiration date. Same goes for the items in the fridge. Wipe the shelves in the cabinets and the refrigerator with a damp rag and a little product before replacing the good food.
Next, you can defrost the freezer if it’s not one that’s frost-free, and clean the inside thoroughly. Clean the oven and the burner drip pans. Go the extra mile and clean the vent filter and the vent hood too! If you are able to move the large kitchen appliances to clean the floor underneath them now is the time to do so.
Spring Cleaning Around the House
Now that we’ve conquered the specific tasks for specific rooms, here are some things you can do throughout the house to get that perfect spring clean!
-Clean the windows inside and out
–Wash throw pillows if possible or at least set them outside to air out
-Wash area rugs or hang them outside to beat the dust out!
-If your window screens are dirty, remove them, wash them and put them back in place
-Move any large furniture so that you can vacuum or sweep underneath
A thorough spring cleaning renews your home and your spirit for a new year, so take the time to do it right. That’s it for this edition of Clean Freaks and as always: if it sounds like too much work just call Dallas Maids!