Spring House Cleaning Checklist, Schedule, Services, Supplies & Tips
Make a Spring Cleaning Checklist
Making a house cleaning checklist is a great way to begin. While you may not need to clean six months of candle smoke off your walls, you will need to clean a variety of items that you may avoid throughout the year. Start with the following things:- Move your refrigerator and oven and clean behind them. You may want to defrost your freezers, too.
- Vacuum your mattresses. If you haven't flipped your mattresses lately, do so now.
- Wash the walls with a mild detergent.
- Clean the gutters. Spring is a great time for gutter cleaning, but you should really clean the gutters two times a year.
- Consider washing all your windows — inside and out.
You will also think of specific items for your home. For example, you may need to add swimming pool preparation, ripping out your pet hair from furniture or garage organization to your house-cleaning checklist. For more ideas, check out Real Simple.
Prepare a Cleaning Schedule
Certain cleaning jobs work better when you do them in a specific order. For example, you may want to defrost your freezer before you clean the floors. That way you won't have to clean the floors twice if the freezer makes a mess during the defrosting process.Get organized with a house cleaning schedule. Don't expect to clean everything in one day! You should perform larger tasks on a weekend, when you'll have time to set large items outside to air out or dry. Plan smaller projects on weekdays when you can accomplish the task without a major time commitment.
Don't forget to take advantage of technology. Upload the cleaning itinerary into your phone and set alarms or auto-texts to remind you what task you need to complete. This can help you stay focused on your spring cleaning goals when you get home from a full day of work. Email programs can also allow you set up a cleaning calendar, which will send you reminders of your master plan. If you prefer, you can simply use a wall calendar to keep you motivated.
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Hire Professional Cleaning Services
Sometimes, it's just worth it to hire help. Even if you don't use a house cleaning service on a regular basis, you may want to hire one to help you with spring cleaning. Many cleaning services do not include deep cleaning for windows, carpets, blinds, walls, or appliances. However, you may be able to schedule a deep cleaning, sometimes called an annual cleaning, in addition to regular cleaning or as a one-time deal. Professional cleaning services can save you time and reduce the headache of spring cleaning.Use the Rights Cleaning Supplies
The right cleaning supplies can make your job easier. If you're not going to spend your money on a professional house-cleaning service, put that money toward quality cleaning supplies that will save you both time and sore muscles. Use extendable poles for cleaning high spots and hard-to-reach places.Some cleaners will work better for certain tasks. Consider the following cleaning supplies:
- Kitchen Cleaners – These often include commercial-grade cleaning supplies, and they work well when you need to remove grit and grim. Read the directions carefully before beginning so you won't damage any of your appliances. For ovens, look for cleaning products that will do the hard part of the job for you.
- Bathroom Cleaners – Many of these cleaning products have chemicals to control mildew. Others will clean toilets without mixing creating dangerous chemical reactions.
- Disinfecting Wipes – This type of cleaning product can work well for quick cleaning jobs. You can use them in a variety of rooms.
- Glass Cleaners – You'll want this cleaning product for mirrors and windows. Trying to use other cleaning products will usually leave smears.
- Floor Cleaners – The products you'll need for cleaning floors will often depend on the type of flooring you have. If you need to clean several rooms with carpeting, consider carpet-cleaning services. For tile or wood floors, consider using a Swiffer cleaning product.
Other Spring House Cleaning Tips
Remember to work from top to bottom when cleaning. Remove dirt or dust with a broom, shop vacuum or a dry rag before using a wet cleaner. Some dusty areas, like those on a fan blade, clean off easily when dry but stain light surfaces when cleaned with something wet.Get in small spaces by wrapping a cleaning cloth around a ruler. Use a yardstick for hard-to-reach areas.
Use spring cleaning as motivation to clean up your home's exterior. Rent a power washer to remove dirt and grime. Consider repainting the home or refresh your landscaping.
Spring cleaning can be a big job, but you can make it more manageable by creating a house cleaning checklist and a schedule. When you keep these house-cleaning tips in mind, you can cut down on the time it takes to do the job right.