Plan your Spring cleaning early this year, so you can jump right in and get started when the warmer weather season is just around the corner. In addition to buying supplies and preparing your cleaning tools, establish a guide for tackling each room in your home for an efficient, time-saving process. Organize your cleaning products and equipment or tools for each room, and be sure to rinse the scrub cloths and mop after cleaning each room.
Living Room and Family Room
Pick up all the scattered toys, books, magazines, socks, dirty dishes, and other things that don’t belong there. Use safe, non-toxic furniture polish to wipe the dust from wood furniture like a coffee table and television stand. Remove the drapes to send to the dry cleaner and use a duster to clean the window blind slats. Vacuum the fabric-covered furniture like sofas, love seats, and chairs. Use a specialty carpet cleaner for pets and stains of various kinds, such as beverage spills, tracked-in mud, and caked grease. You might need to treat these areas with the specialty cleaner a couple of times to remove ground-in stains. Then vacuum these areas when they are dry along with the rest of the carpet or area rugs and runners. For best results, visit The Pampered Pup for a list of home solutions that are designed not just to keep your house squeaky clean but stench-free as well.
Storage Spaces
Sort the clothes in your closets and cupboards to donate things no longer worn to a thrift store. Arrange the shoes in the boxes they came in or in a shoe caddy that hangs in the closet out of sight. Dust the shelves before returning the things you plan to keep. Get rid of debris like leftover gift wrap or stored mementos that you no longer want. Organize the linen closet neatly so you can find the sheets and towels you are looking for when they are needed. Vacuum carpeted spaces in the closets or dust and mop linoleum or tile flooring.
Bathrooms
You might want to start with the grungiest area first, which for many homes is the bathroom. Apply cleaning product to the bathtub, shower, and toilet. Gather the used towels and bath mat for laundering. Use a mold-inhibiting cleaner to wipe the shower walls and sink backsplash. Use a clean sponge or scrub cloth to rinse and wipe the tub, shower, toilet tank, and sink. Scrub the toilet bowl with a toilet brush, using a product that removes rust stains if they are present. Dust the window blinds and/or remove the curtains for washing. Mop the floor and then turn on the bathroom ventilation fan or open the windows to air-dry the room.
Bedrooms
Strip the bed linens and take them to the laundry area along with discarded worn clothing that isn’t already in the laundry hamper. Dust the window blinds or take down the curtains for washing. Vacuum the bed mattresses. Clear the top of the dresser or chest of drawers and dust those surfaces along with other furniture or furnishings like wall décor or framed art. Use a long-handled duster to reach a ceiling fan. Vacuum the carpet or mop the floor. Open the windows if weather permits to promote air circulation.
Work and Study Areas
Gather debris like discarded paper and food wrappers to throw in the trash can. Return used food dishes like coffee cups to the kitchen. Neatly stack any books or work materials that are sitting on the desk or workspace. Organize pencils, pens, paper clips, folders, notebooks, and other work and study supplies, so that they are easy to find. Arrange computer supplies like printer cartridges and copy paper by stacking them in out-of-the-way places near the work areas. Use a gentle cleanser to wipe chairs, desks, and furniture like a printer stand, for example. Wood furniture can be lightly polished if desired. Dust the window blinds and light fixtures. Vacuum or mop the floor, depending on the floor’s surface.
Kitchen
Load or unload the dishwasher to keep the countertops clean and dish-free. Put away food items in designated cupboards or storage areas. Check the expiration dates and discard any products that are expired. Using a suitable cleaning product for each kitchen appliance, wipe down the stove, burners, and oven door. Clean the inside of the oven if needed. Wipe out the microwave along with the refrigerator door and sides. Other appliances like a dishwasher, sink, coffeemaker, etc., can also be wiped with clear water on a clean cloth.
Empty crumbs from the toaster. Launder or dust the window coverings. Use a tablespoon of baking soda followed by a cup of hot water poured down the kitchen drain to help loosen dried food residue. Run the garbage disposal to clear any remaining food deposits. Wipe down the kitchen table and chair sets as well as the chair legs and back. Dust the floor and then mop or vacuum the carpet or tile flooring.
Attic and Basement
Tackle the attic and basement last by sorting everything that can be pitched, including old clothes and broken toys. Look for things that might be sold on eBay or donated to the thrift store, such as interesting but dated artwork and vintage furniture. Box or crate remaining items that you plan to keep and arrange them neatly with clear labels. Wash the windows and the window coverings. Dust the rafters and the flooring. Use a mold-resistant cleaning product to wipe down any surfaces that may benefit, such as older furniture that you plan to keep. Look for evidence of rodent or insect infestations and treat those accordingly. If you spot signs of termites, call a pest control expert for an inspection. Open the windows or run the whole-house fan to replace the stagnant air with fresh air.
Garage and Porch or Patio
Remove anything that is no longer needed, such as broken tools, worn supplies, and expired chemicals like paint or corrosive substances. Organize the remaining items, so that everything is easy to locate. Dust or clean the furniture, especially outdoor furniture, and remove cobwebs. Touch up minor areas that need paint or varnish. Ventilate the garage and the patio if it is enclosed.
Opening your home’s windows will help to circulate fresh air to remove germs and dust. Treat resistant stains with special products as needed. Make each room and area cleaner and more spacious by removing junk and debris. Your house will feel and smell fresher after a thorough Spring cleaning, and you will enjoy your home comforts more than ever.
