Spring Cleaning a Little at a Time

It’s the time of year when many of us begin to think of that major cleaning and organizing  overhaul known as spring cleaning. Not all of us have the time to knock out all those reorganizing and deep cleaning tasks in one block of time. Some of us may just not want to, so why not do spring cleaning in small doses?  

Here is a plan to take care of your Spring cleaning little by little. You can do one task a day or knock each week’s tasks out over the weekend.

Week 1 Purge unused Items

It is very easy for our homes to become cluttered  with all sorts of items. The less you own the easier to keep on top of things and keep them organized and tidy.

• Bathroom- it is not uncommon for many of our homes to have a collection of beauty and personal care products that just sit in our cupboards either unused or half full. Now is the time to scoop up all those unused products and donate unopened products while throwing those old hardly used ones away. Don’t forget about makeup when you do this, you may want to ask yourself how old some of those makeup products are it might be time to dump the two year old eyeshadow and get a fresh new color for spring.
• Medicine cabinet- carefully and correctly dispose of old prescriptions, toss really old over the counter meds as well.
• Fridge- this task should be performed monthly. Take time to toss out old condiments like out of date salad dressing. Don’t forget about those leftovers you shoved in the back of the fridge that may be growing hair.
• Wardrobe-pull out every piece of clothing you own and lay it on the bed. Then only put back the items that are in good condition and you actually wear. If you have seasonal items like long underwear and huge puffy coats think about getting a storage bin and sticking them in a closet or the garage to free up some space.
• Office- get rid of or archive paperwork that is just laying around. Check out the book shelf and donate books that have not been read in forever.

Week 2: Furniture and Windows

• Window coverings- clean blinds and curtains they acquire quite the build up of dust and debris. If you have machine washable curtains this task should be easy. If you want to go the super easy route there are companies that will come and pick up blinds and drapes and take them to be cleaned.
• Window panes- cloudy days are actually best for window washing so that soap does not dry too quickly leaving unsightly streaking and a need to rewash. For a quick homemade cleaning solution mix equal parts hot water and vinegar. For really dirty outside windows wipe down with a dry cloth first.
• Furniture- now is the time to pull out those cushions and vacuum away all the food crumbs, collect loose change, and even reunite socks with their long lost partners. For upholstered furniture it is good to call in professional upholstery cleaners and have your furniture deep cleaned.

Week 3 Dusting, Air Ducts, and Floors

• Dust every nook and cranny- this is a good time to pull furniture away from walls especially tv stands/entertainment centers where large dust bunnies like to hide.
• Air ducts- clean or replace filters and have air ducts cleaned you will be surprised how big the dust bunnies are in there.
• Floors- once you are done dusting get all the dust that has now settled into the floors and all that stuff that has accumulated over the year out by having carpets professionally cleaned.
• Tile and stone- don’t forget about your hard surface flooring especially grout. Now is the time to clean and seal tile and stone. Take this labor intensive job off your list by hiring a professional tile and grout cleaner.

Week 4 Yearly Tasks and Appliances

• Clean out appliances- dishwashers, washing machines, ovens, and refrigerators need periodic cleaning. Now is a great time to do this.
• Fire Safety- go through the the house and check all smoke detectors to ensure they are functioning properly and have fresh batteries. Also check fire extinguishers.
• Mattresses-extend the life of you mattress and prevent lumps by rotating.
• Pressure wash- now is the time to get grimy walkways and driveways looking spiffy and new for more outdoor activities.
• Water heater- look up the maintenance suggestions for your water heater, some need to be flushed once a year.
• Roof- get all that moss build up off those shingles.

There is no time like spring to get all the crud out of your home and have a fresh clean slate.

Give All Kleen a call for the best deep cleaning of your carpets, upholstery and tile. Make an appointment online.