the comfort of things
SPRING CLEANING
There are certain things in your home that are like old friends: they always cheer you up. This month we feel the love for a clean and pleasant house
One of the bonuses of the winter months is that dirt, dust and general scruffiness can be ignored. As we spend the long, dark nights hibernating, cosied up in an armchair with the curtains drawn, cobwebs gather in corners, dust layers shelves, fingerprints appear on woodwork, sofas accumulate crisps, loose change and pet hair. Although we know all of this is going on, it’s easy to overlook, and even easier to doing nothing about it. But with the first blast of spring sunshine through a smeary window, everything looks different. All of winter’s neglect is exposed. Suddenly grubbiness won’t do. There’s nothing for it but to dig out the duster, pull the furniture away from the walls and fill a bucket with hot soapy water. It is time to Spring Clean*.
A thorough clean-up is often more satisfying than day-to-day cleaning. Think of it as a project to be tackled over a weekend, say, and it becomes an achievement. Clean woodwork catches the light and sparkles; shower screens are clear where once they were opaque. The house feels civilised. You feel civilised. It was worth the trouble.
Eschew bossy orders from the likes of Martha Stewart whose exhausting spring cleaning regimen includes wiping the coils behind a fridge, in favour of big wins. A hoover behind and under furniture rather than just the noticeable bits, is a good place to start. As is a spot of decluttering. Dusting forgotten places like picture frames and the tops of cupboards, cleaning light switches and inside the microwave and washing machine will make you feel righteous, and justifiably so.
Once you have completed all of this, you will want to keep the house pristine for as long as possible. Remember prevention is better than cleaning: introduce a no-shoes-in-the-house rule, instruct family members to actually pick things up, employ a cleaner every so often. Spring cleaning can be rewarding but it doesn’t have to be relentless.
“Dusting forgotten places will make you feel righteous”