How to make cleaning less of a chore
DEB TAPP
With longer days and warmer weather here, homeowners are kicking into spring cleaning mode both indoors and outdoors.
But don’t tackle everything at once on the long to-do list, warns the founder of home services company Goodnest.
James MacAvoy set up the Goodnest website and app-based company five years ago, offering a free service to Kiwis wanting quotes from professionals for more than 400-plus jobs, from gutter repairs to house cleaning.
At this time of year business ramps up, he says, as homeowners start to think about tasks inside and out.
For those keen to take on the chores themselves, it can seem overwhelming, says James, but with some careful planning results can be achieved.
In order to do that, he has come up with a 10-step process:
If you don’t have a checklist, it can be demotivating, says James.
‘‘It helps to break up what can otherwise seem overwhelming people generally don’t have time to do everything and it’s not all going to happen in one day, so approach it over the course of a month and chip away at the checklist.’’
It’s also a good way to get kids involved too, allowing them to earn pocket money and homeowners the chance to tick jobs off the list quicker.
‘‘You don’t want to be walking around rubbish, you want the house to be as empty as possible to make it as easy as possible to spring clean,’’ says James.
Remove items like heaters and winter wardrobe items to the garage or into storage to create space, donate clothing and unwanted items.
Coming out of colder, wetter weather, James says it’s good to vacuum everywhere, moving beds, drawers, couches and other furniture as you go.
‘‘Dust sits under furniture and when it’s wetter the dust doesn’t move around as much, but when it starts to warm up, that dust will move around.’’
He suggest sprinkling the carpets with baking soda first, leaving it for 10 minutes or so before vacuuming it.
‘‘Baking soda is a good deodoriser, it’s a good, easy way to neutralise smells and dampness.’’
After mopping floors, grab a cloth and bucket of warm water and wipe down window sills and base boards throughout your home.
‘‘Rub down these surfaces with baking soda, vinegar or an antimould spray, which contains a small amount of bleach, to get rid of any mould and it helps to kill spores and what not.’’
Blinds and shutters should be wiped down too, and curtains washed every three to four years.
‘‘If you don’t want to pull curtains off the rails to wash them, focus on the bottom parts of the curtains that can be damp and contain mildew, and scrub them with warm, soapy water.’’
Most people only shampoo their carpets when they leave a property, but James says it’s well worth doing regularly.
‘‘You see a big difference visually, the colour of the carpet can just pop completely, it gets rid of stains, and if you’ve got asthmatics in the house, it keeps dust mites at bay.’’
While there are DIY carpet cleaning machines available, James says getting in professionals isn’t as expensive as people think and it can allow homeowners to focus on other tasks.
‘‘Smoke alarms are an important piece of safety equipment in the house, so at the end of winter it’s a good time to change batteries, test smoke alarms, and install more if required,’’ says James.
Waterblast decks, exterior surfaces and even outdoor furniture to give them a new lease of life.
‘‘If you’ve got mould, moss or algae waterblast it all, it can make a huge change, especially if you regularly entertain outdoors,’’ says James.
For those without a waterblaster, a sponge, a bucket of warm water and anti-mould products will also do the job.
Before planting summer edibles, tidy up the garden first.
‘‘Attack the weeds in the garden now before the weather warms and the weeds go out of control,’’ says James.
Then there’ll be room for the likes of lettuce, broccoli, beans, spinach, spring onions - all the summertime salad ingredients that should be planted now.
Homeowners may have cleaned the barbecue after its last use, but in preparation for the coming season, it’s time to do it all again.
Use a spray bottle mixed with warm water and baking soda and a scrubbing brush to loosen up the gunk, then rinse it off.
If the barbecue hasn’t been cleaned for some years, industrialstrength chemicals may be required to break down gunge, or call in a professional.
Abiding by James’ 10-step checklist should see homeowners plough through their chores and allow them time to relax in their spring-cleaned indoor and outdoor spaces over the summer months.
‘‘With a good checklist and a bit of time you can transform your place for summer - and if you’re short on time you’re welcome to post jobs with us and get it sorted,’’ says James.
● Visit www.goodnest.co.nz.