Spring Cleaning Tips, Tricks and Checklists
It’s been a long winter and your home needs a deep-clean that will leave it shining from the inside out. Now is the time to attack the cleaning while energy is renewed.
The 11 best tips on spring cleaning below outline basic cleanings for almost every surface (or object) in any room, leaving your home refreshed from top to bottom. These tasks will take more than a day and one person. Grab the family, try to make a game out of it, and spread it out over a few weekends.
Wipe Walls and Ceilings
With a vacuum, remove dust. Stubborn surface grime? Tackle it with a solvent-free degreaser (test it first in an inconspicuous area to ensure it won’t mar the surface).
Reseal Grout Lines
The cement-based material between wall, floor, and countertop tiles is extremely porous and stains easily. With a small foam brush, clean it then protect it with a penetrating grout sealer.
Vacuum and Shampoo Rugs
If your carpets and rugs are synthetic and have a waterproof backing, they can be deep-cleaned with a rotary shampoo machine and a hot-water extraction machine. Oriental rugs, or rugs without backings, require professional cleaning.
Dust Books and Shelves
Take everything off the shelves, and brush them (along with the books) with a feather duster. Reach tight spots with a dust brush or crevice tool on a vacuum. Wipe the spines of leather-bound books with a clean, soft cloth.
Dust Your Home Thoroughly
This includes hard-to-reach places, such as the tops of ceiling fans and window casings. Always work from the top of a room down, vacuuming the dust that settles on the floor. Avoid using dusting sprays.
Clean Upholstered Furnishings
Take cushions outside and gently beat them by hand to remove dust. If there are stains, check the pieces for care labels. Use a vacuum’s upholstery and crevice tool to clean under seat cushions.
Polish Metal Door and Window Hardware
Liquid polishes and polish-impregnated cloths work well for medium-tarnished surfaces; pastes and creams are best for heavier work. If the tarnish doesn’t come off, try a stronger product.
Wax Wooden Furniture
Wipe surfaces with a soft cloth dampened with water and mild dishwashing liquid. Apply paste wax, such as Butcher’s wax, a few feet at a time with a cotton rag. Let the wax dry; buff with a clean cloth.
Ensure Fire Safety
Change batteries in smoke detectors (if you didn’t at the daylight savings time change. While open, make sure the units are free of dust. Teach everyone in your household how to use a fire extinguisher, and review escape plans.
Wash Window Screens
Using warm water and a mild dishwashing liquid, scrub each screen with a brush; rinse thoroughly.
Clean Window Treatments
Many draperies and curtains are machine washable; check labels. Dry clean fabric shades. Wipe wooden blinds with a damp cloth; warm water mixed with a mild dishwashing liquid is safe for metal and vinyl blinds.
Wax Non-Wood Floors
Vinyl and linoleum floors that have lost their shine should be waxed with a polish designed for these surfaces. Most stone and tile floors can be treated with either a paste or a liquid wax designed for the material.
If you are a list person, perhaps this list or this one will help guide your spring cleaning. You can always review BASCO members for services that you would like a professional to handle.
