Spring is nature’s way of telling us to tidy up
Sweep up those dust bunnies and wipe away the dirt you’ve ignored all winter
Spring cleaning season is upon us. For some, the annual ritual will be a pleasure, a reminder that another long, dark winter has drawn to a close.
For the rest of us, it’s a tedious — but necessary — chore. After all, houses that have had doors and windows closed for six months are bound to be dusty and in need of a good ventilation. Windows will be smeared. Outdoor dirt will have made its way into closets, front hallways and mud rooms, where it’s made friends with dust-bunnies and mislaid mittens.
Rather than delay the inevitable, it’s best to tackle spring cleaning headon.
Here are 10 techniques and tips to make it as painless as possible. 1. Plan to do the work over several evenings or a couple of weekends. If you try to accomplish everything at once, you’re more likely to give some tasks short shrift. Play music while you labour. Reward yourself for finishing each room with a walk in the park, or a visit to a local coffee shop with a pal or cleaning partner. 2. Decluttering is an essential step to spring cleaning. There are any number of books that posit decluttering as a spiritual practice that leads to greater self-actualization. Here’s a shorter version of all of them: You have too much stuff. Get rid of some it. 3. Nothing says spring like sunlight pouring through sparkling glass. So do yourself a favour and wash all windows, inside and out. If windows don’t open indoors for cleaning, invest in a professional service to do exteriors — unless you’re handy with a ladder. For superior results, wipe off soapy water with a squeegee dipped in a vinegar and water solution, and eliminate streaks with balled up sheets of newspaper. 4. Always start at the top of each room. In the kitchen, for example, dust the ceiling or vacuum with a soft brush attachment. Dust light fixtures — don’t forget the light bulbs. Then clean the tops of cabinets and appliances. Wipe walls with a soft cloth on a pole, or a Swiffer wand. Spot-clean greasy marks on walls with a mild detergent solution. Once every three years, wash all the walls. Wipe down cabinets. If you have a stone count- ertop that requires sealing annually, this is a good time to do it. Clean out crumbs from cutlery drawers, toasters and breadboxes. 5. Don’t forget the hidden places where dirt sneakily inserts itself. Move appliances away from walls and vacuum and wash floors behind them. Clean the fridge fan coils, and the filters on the overhead exhaust. Even the dishwasher could probably do with a cleaning, using a specialty product, which gets dropped in a washing cycle to remove hard water, odours, and mineral deposits. There’s also a formula to remove the musty smell front-load washers sometimes get. 6. Consolidate tools and cleaning materials in one place. Storage systems have typically been unlovely. But with a bit of research, you can find companies with decor-friendly units that can fit stylishly into just about any room in the house. 7. Stick to the basics when it comes to cleaning solutions. Vinegar and water work just fine for many jobs (Use one part vinegar to five parts water). Just don’t use it on a granite or marble surface. A half-cup of baking soda mixed with a couple of gallons of water makes a good cleaner, especially for surfaces that have soapy scum. You can also try one of the many “green” cleaners on the market. 8. Wash blinds — especially those in the kitchen and bathroom. Vacuum and/or steam other window treatments. Like area rugs, the latter should only need professional cleaning every five years or so. 9. Switch out seasonal bedding. Wash, dry and store all winter bedding, using lavender or cedar chips to discourage moths. Remove mattress covers for washing and while they are off, vacuum the mattress thoroughly with a crevice attachment. 10. Simple tools are often the most effective. A mop with removable, reusable pads, and an on-board container, like Rubbermaid’s Reveal, can be filled with a cleaning solution of your choice. It’s safe for all floors including hardwood, vinyl, laminate and tile. Other models, like Black & Decker’s 2-n-1Steam Mop, only need water to kill 99.9 per cent of germs. A control on the handle lets users easily switch between tile, vinyl, stone, and sealed hardwood and laminate cleaning options.