Your home may look squeaky clean on the surface, but with a magnifying glass and a little scrutinising you may be surprised at what you find. Spring cleaning helps your house appear sparkling clean but there are many places that even the most avid cleaner sometimes forgets about. Think about the things you can’t usually see, such as pests. Are you sure your home doesn’t require a bed bug treatment or a pest control team to rid your attic of rats?
Follow these simple tips to ensure that your home is always in tip top shape, for your own health and peace of mind.
Don’t Forget Your Mattress
You already probably start by stripping your bed regularly and washing your bedding and sheets.
As well as following these simple tips, we suggest hiring a cleaning service to perform services like a deep cleaning or bed but treatment to produce the best results. Here’s what is more necessary than you may think:
- Vacuum and surface clean the top of your mattress. First use a hard brush to clean the mattress. Make sure that you remove dirt and dead skin cells from the quilting and around the seams.
- Spray and rub away surface stains. Any stains that are visible to the naked eye should be sprayed with a stain removal solution. You can create your own solution by mixing lemon juice and salt to form a paste. Apply, leave to dry, then brush away with a clean cloth.
- A simple baking soda solution will help you get rid of any foul odours. Apply, then vacuum away excess residue once dry.
- Bedding and pillowcases should be rotated and washed at least every two weeks.
- Remember to clean and wash your bed skirt if you have one.
- Clean the walls behind your headboard and wipe down the frame of your bed.
Focus on the Small Stuff
Another area that many people forget about when spring cleaning is light fixtures and lamps. Ceiling fans and light fixtures have a way of collecting a lot of dust and, because they aren’t in your direct line of sight, they are very easy to overlook. The simplest way to clean these would be by using a microfibre cloth. If the light fixture is removable then it can be washed in warm soapy water.
Door handles and knobs are also often forgotten about during cleaning. These surfaces are touched very often and host a large number of germs if not cleaned regularly. Clean these surfaces with warm soapy water for the best results. Don’t forget to give all your doors a wipe down at least once a week.
Wall scuffs should be washed away frequently. Chips in the wall should be repaired as soon as possible because they are a perfect place for mould and germs to flourish.
Picture frames and mirror glass should be wiped down with a slightly damp cloth. Don’t use a spray because this could damage the photos or ruin your artwork.
Things Often Overlooked in the Kitchen
We spend a majority of our time in the kitchen and keep it clean enough to prepare food hygienically. Surfaces are wiped and disinfected daily, but there are many hidden areas that you may not even think to clean:
- The hood of the oven is often covered in grease, grime and dust. Clean it with ease by using a ladder or step stool to reach it, then use a thick paste of baking soda and water. Let it sit for a while, then remove by washing the area with warm soapy water.
- Small appliances such as your toaster, kettle, blender, mixer or any other appliances that sit on the counter or open shelves.
- Grout between tiles can easily be cleaned by scrubbing with an oxygenated bleach.
- Inside the cabinets and drawers, you should remove all the items and then clean with a damp cloth.
Keep Your Bathroom Squeaky Clean
Wiping down the bath and shower daily is the common practice but during spring cleaning you need to step up your cleaning game:
- Remove soap scum and build-up around the taps and in between the grouting. Make sure to leave the cleaning product of your choice on the area for at least 10 minutes before washing away.
- For shelves and towel rails, remove your shampoo and other items stored on the bathroom shelves and in your medicine cabinet. Wipe down the bottles and throw away any empty ones you find. Towel rails can be wiped down with a clean damp cloth.
- Remove and clean your shower curtains and replace them if you detect any mould.
Spring Clean Your Toilet Tank
Keeping the toilet bowl sparkling is easy to do and there are many products available that do just that. Most people often forget to clean the top of the toilet tank:
- First make sure you turn off the water. The knob to do so is situated at the back of most tanks.
- Apply a solution of baking soda and cleaning liquid then give it a good scrub.
- Drain the tank, then replace with clean water by turning the water back on again.
Wash Out Your Washing Machine
You might not think that it’s necessary to wash your washing machine, but you would be surprised to know how quickly dirt, hard water and washing powder residue builds up.
The easiest way to keep your machine super clean is to set the washer on the highest setting, then add four cups of white vinegar to the washing cycle. Once the cycle has started, let it run for a minute and then pause it. Allow the vinegar to sit for at least an hour. Once the time has elapsed let the cycle run to completion. After the water has been released, wash the drum of the machine with a microfibre cloth.
Spring cleaning may seem like a big job but with these simple tips on what not to forget, you will soon have a house that looks and smells great. Whether you spring clean often or only once in a while, these tips are sure to make a big difference and keep your home in ship shape.
