Spring has sprung!
What better time than now to dive into your spring cleaning efforts?
If you want to start a brand-new season by deep cleaning your home, we’ve put together a quick list of four spring cleaning projects you can start TODAY!
Declutter
The first spring cleaning project to tackle is decluttering your house so you have a clean slate.
More times than not, clutter is made up of misplaced items. Start with a clean sweep of your house to put items back in their place. Once that’s complete, go back around with a garbage bag and start purging any items that no longer serve a purpose.
Depending on the item, you can either throw it away or, if it’s clothing and other useful items, consider donating to a local organization.
When you’re going through this exercise, think about this quote from organizing expert, Marie Kondo, “Now imagine yourself living in a space that contains only things that spark joy. Isn’t this the lifestyle you dream of?”
Sounds great, right?
Windows
Wait for a cloudy day to clean the windows in your home. Overcast skies not only reduce glare on the glass but make it easier to spot streaks in the first place.
If you wash your windows on a sunny day, the sunlight will cause the solution to dry and evaporate before you can properly remove it leading to streaks.
Once the window panes are spotless, it’s time to take care of your custom wood shutters.
Proper care for your shutters is simple and only requires a few steps to keep them in pristine condition.
Kitchen Appliances
Your kitchen appliances work hard for you throughout the year and accumulate a significant amount of dirt and grime from the daily wear and tear.
That’s why deep cleaning is a good habit to get into to not only freshen up how they look but also to support the longevity of these appliances.
Here are a few tips to get started:
Microwave – Burnt popcorn and remnants of past meals? It’s all there and if there’s any appliance that deserves a deep clean, it’s your microwave. A quick and easy way to loosen leftovers so you can swipe the inside clean is to combine a cup of water and the juice of a citrus fruit like lemons or limes in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for a few minutes. Wait until the mixture boils and the window steams. Once that happens, let the mixture sit for at least five minutes, then open and wipe the inside clean.
Refrigerator – You’ll uncover a lot from the depths of your refrigerator. The first step is to remove the contents and purge any expired food and condiments. From there, you can begin to deep clean the inside of the refrigerator. Work from top-to-bottom wiping down all the shelves and bins removing any debris. Now, you can begin neatly adding food and other items back into your refrigerator.
Oven – Whether it’s store-bought cleaner or a special concoction like baking soda and vinegar, do some research online to find the best way to deep clean your oven to remove grease and grime.
Dust
Did you know the average home in the United States collects 40 pounds of dust each year?
That’s a lot of dust and if left untouched can lead to increased respiratory problems. For this reason, among many, it’s good to get into the habit of dusting the surfaces in your home not just during spring cleaning but throughout the year as well.
When dusting, always start from top-to-bottom. Doing so will help you avoid repeating your work because all of the remnants will fall to the lowest surface if you start at the highest point.
Tip: Use a microfiber cloth because it’s electrostatically charged and will attract dust mites making your job easier!
