Let’s face it. Who really spring cleans in spring? Life is busy and sometimes the little jobs that you should do, never quite get done. All of a sudden you are overwhelmed with the task of cleaning your house and … well, you lose total interest.
But with these easy tips, you can spring clean your home all year round and keep yourself on top of all the cleaning while you step away to enjoy life.
Kitchen
- Throw away out-of-date food from your fridge and pantry and organise your pantry with the most useable food in the front which will stop little hands and other household members from rummaging the pantry and make a mess again.
- Move food from packets into air-tight containers to prevent creepy crawlies and bugs from getting inside.
- Disinfect your fridge and tackle all your appliances like the oven, microwave and toaster. Soak oven racks, stove burner rings and vent hood filters in warm soapy water while you clean the rest of the kitchen. Give dried-on food and baked-on spills a spritz with your kitchen cleaner and let it soak to soften before you clean it out and give your kitchen a wipe down with a disinfectant.
- Summer is the time when unpleasant smells surface and it’s a reminder to clean and scrub your garbage can with warm water and dishwashing soap and then leave it to sit in the sun. Sprinkle baking soda at the bottom of the can to prevent other odours from stinking up your kitchen.
Bathrooms
- Again, get rid of products you don’t use or are past their use-by-date. Declutter under the sink, on the countertop and in the shower stall and make an inventory of things you need for summer like sunscreen.
- Give special attention to light switches and doorknobs when you clean your bathroom surfaces, as these places can gather a lot of germs.
- Remind everyone to switch on the exhaust or open the windows to prevent humidity – especially in summer as this is the time for mould to grow everywhere. Also, wipe down surfaces after use to prevent hard-water stains. Scrub out the mould with ¾ cup bleach in 3.7 litres of water and rinse.
- Use paper towels to clean the outside of the toilet bowl as it prevents germs from spreading and there is no need to rinse and wash any cleaning cloths.
- Sanitise the toilet bowl with a cleaner and a toilet brush and use automatic toilet cleaners which clean every time you flush to avoid wasting those beautiful summer days on cleaning the toilet.
Bedrooms
- Remove bedding from your mattress and vacuum the top. Then flip it over and vacuum that side too. Do this at least twice a year to get rid of dust mites, wash all the bedding including your pillow covers, mattress protectors and quilts and dry it in the sun. Do this regularly to keep bacteria and dust mites away.
- Get rid of things you don’t need like clothes, old toys and books and donate to charity. Plan a garage sale so you can sell all your unwanted stuff for some cash.
Laundry
- In the summer, your washing machine can be a hub of mould and mildew due to the humidity and warm weather. Run an empty load with detergent and leave the door ajar once you finish so that it dries and gets better circulation of air.
- Air vents and fans are often forgotten when it comes to cleaning. Wipe fans to get rid of the dust and clean out air vents with a vacuum cleaner. Dust, dirt and animal hair clog up your air ducts over time, making it the perfect breeding ground for mildew, bacteria, mould and other microbes. This gets recirculated into the air you breathe when you switch on your air conditioning. Clean the filter regularly or get it cleaned by a professional who will also clean up your air ducts thoroughly.
- Summer is the time for outdoor entertaining and chances are that these areas have collected dust and dirt. Wash or wipe down outdoor furniture with warm water and dish soap, use a soft brush to get rid of stubborn stains and use a pressure washer depending on the area you are cleaning.
- Sand away rust from any metal furniture and rinse it off. You can even paint your metal furniture for a new look.
- Scrape stuck-on food and grime from your barbeque grills and clean it out for summer entertainment.
- Clear your driveway and get bush fire ready by cleaning out all debris and dry leaves from your gutters.
- Clean the outside of windows with a squeegee and mild soapy water and a good window cleaner for the inside to let that beautiful summer light inside. If you have screens, then scrub them thoroughly till they are bright.
This list might seem like a lot – but if you chip away at these tasks, perhaps a couple per day you will reap the benefit – a chance to sit and relax in your clean home!
