Is your house ready for Spring? Is your house feeling claustrophobic?
The clocks have changed, and we have sprung forward. Spring in here! As exciting as that is, there is also the obligatory “spring cleaning” ritual that comes with the budding daffodils. And, although we welcome freshening up our homes and bringing spring inside, most of us hate the time we must spend scouring and scrubbing the house. We have compiled a list of our favourite cleaning tips that help get the job done well and you outside faster.
- Bed Linens
Time to take all your mattress covers and pillow covers and launder them. Launder all pillows that can be safely washed and any duvets. Anything that cannot be washed safely place in the dryer on high heat with a tennis ball to freshen up. Your bedrooms will smell fresh and clean even before you tackle the floors.
- Rugs and Liners
Wash any throw rugs that can be laundered. Take any that cannot safely go in the washer outside and shake well and leave out in the sun for a few hours. Remove any shower curtains and wash and if you have liners check for mildew. If they can be cleaned, wash with vinegar and water. If they have too much mold or mildew, replace your liners with new ones.
- Floors
Start with the room that has the least traffic. There is a tendency to clean the common areas first as that is where it seems most noticeable, but you have to go back and clean them after traipsing through the house with your mops and buckets. Clean your hardwood floors with a good oil soap. Oil Soaps are available at any hardware and most grocery stores and are relatively inexpensive and safe for your floors and family with no harsh chemicals.
- Furniture
Any furniture covers that can be safely washed in the washing machine should be done in early spring. You can hang them outside to dry without worrying about the harsh sun of summer bleaching out the colours.
Use an oil soap to clean all of your wood furniture and give everything a good wipe with furniture oil. Wood takes a beating with the dryness of winter and oiling your wood will keep it from cracking.
- Kitchen
The kitchen is probably the most labour intensive. Making a plan will help keep the time down. Start with your fridge and then your cupboards. Work in a circle by starting at one end and working around. Cleaning pros swear by this.
- Prepare your Winter Clothes
Start preparing your winter clothes for storing. Often, we start pulling out our spring clothes while our heavy winter wear is still in our closets making for a cluttered space. Start putting your winter clothes aside so it will be easier to store them.
If you find, after having done all your spring cleaning, that you are lacking space, give us a call. A climate-controlled self storage unit is a great solution to help with your winter overflow. Our team of professionals can help you choose the right size unit for your needs.