Make your house shine with these easy tips
Spring is a time of renewal — and the time of year thoughts turn to cleaning.
Spring cleaning is also a time to make our homes healthy by airing them out and removing the dust collected over the winter, says Terry Hatcher, the sales and office manager for Merry Maids, which offers cleaning services in Nova Scotia's Annapolis County.
Before opening windows in the spring — or any time — Hatcher says it's always a good idea to dust first to avoid creating a bigger dusting job.
She offers lots of advice for tackling your spring cleaning.
Start by cleaning top to bottom, she suggests, so anything falling to the floor will be cleaned up when you wash the floor, which is usually the last thing to be cleaned in a room.
Make the job a little easier by deep cleaning a room pe- riodically. This could include pulling out furniture to clean behind it or wiping items instead of dusting. These simple steps, she says, make it easier to maintain the room.
When cleaning a microwave, if there is food residue stuck on it, it is helpful to spray it down and let it soak for a few minutes. Or, Hatcher says, try putting a glass of water in the microwave and turn it on for 30 seconds - that will help loosen anything that is really stuck on.
Kitchen cupboards that don't reach the ceiling — the type that has a gap at the top where people often put decorations — should be washed periodically. After cleaning that area, Hatcher suggests lining the top of the cupboards with wax paper so the next time it is just a matter of removing the wax paper, wiping the top of the cupboard, and relining with new wax paper.
Patio door tracks or windowsills get a buildup of dirt over time, including sometimes mold, says Hatcher. She suggests taking a sponge, marking where the edge of the track is for the windowsill you want to clean, and then cutting the sponge so it fits over the tracks. This allows you to get into the corners and edges better, she says. Still having trouble getting into the crooks and crannies? Sometimes it helps to wrap a putty knife with a cloth to get into the corners, she says.
Faucets sometimes get a build-up of calcium or lime, says Hatcher. Try wrapping a paper towel around the area, soak it with vinegar, let it sit between one and three hours before removing the paper towel. If scrubbing is required, use a soft toothbrush to remove the rest of the build-up. Finally, rinse and dry and the tap — it should be sparkling.
CLEANING MADE EASIER
Wondering how to make your regular cleaning routine easier? Hatcher has some advice for that as well, starting with setting up a cleaning caddy or bucket.
"If the cleaning supplies are handy when you need them, it helps you stay on task and not always go searching for the items to do the job," she suggests. "You might consider setting up a caddy for specific jobs like one for window cleaning, bathroom cleaning and maybe one for cleaning your car."
Have a plan or a checklist to keep you on track. Hatcher says sometimes the thought of cleaning your entire home can be overwhelming, so break it down into smaller jobs. For example, clean the kitchen Monday night, then bathrooms Tuesday.
"By the weekend, you have gotten through the house, or most of it, and are able to have the weekend for yourself. It is always helpful if you have a lot of laundry, to put a wash in daily," she adds.
And remember, says Hatcher, if you need help with cleaning, ask.
People shouldn't feel guilty to get cleaning help, be it for spring cleaning or something on a regular basis.
“We feel we can handle it all, but most of us are timepoor,” she says. “If you spend all weekend cleaning and then go back to work on Monday, it is a little overwhelming.”
By hiring professional cleaners or a private cleaner, you are creating a livelihood for someone and removing some of the pressure you feel to have to do it all, she adds.