Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
Clean sheet
SAM WYLIE-HARRIS gets some tips on sprucing up your home in summer
AS WE approach the end of the summer now is a good time to get ahead on jobs around the house especially if we’re going to be hunkering down inside in the cooler months to come.
“Throw open the windows and let the fresh air circulate” says Howard Moss, CEO of Astonish cleaning brand (astonish.co.uk).
“August is the perfect time to give your house a deep clean before wintry weather and shorter days make it tougher to keep up with your cleaning routine.”
Here’s how to give yourself a head start...
WARDROBE DE-CLUTTER
By now you’ll know which summer clothes you couldn’t get enough of, and those that haven’t seen the light of day. Separate your favourite T-shirts, linens and shorts from those left languishing on the shelves, to make room for transitional pieces as we head into autumn.
“Remove any clothes you haven’t worn for more than two years,” suggests Howard, “This is a good rule to stick to, because if you haven’t worn it over the past few years, it’s likely you won’t wear it again.”
CLEAN MATTRESSES
Often forgotten about, Howard says mattresses should be washed every six months – ideally between summer and autumn.
“More dead skin from sunburn will accumulate on a mattress over the summer, as well as added dirt and residue from moisturisers, sun creams and sweat,” he notes.
“It’s important to remove dirt and dangerous bacteria that’s gathered over the last six months. “After initially using a vacuum to pull away debris, finish the clean with a scented linen or mattress spray.”
CLEAN WINDOWS
Now’s the time to tackle the grime on your windows. An old toothbrush will help lift any dirt from the sills, and a simple solution of warm soapy water should clean windows well – or use vinegar and water to tackle those stubborn marks. Dry with paper towel or soft cloth.
Don’t clean them in direct sunlight, though, as you might end up with streaks from the glass being too warm which makes the solution dry too quickly.
CLEAN THE OVEN
Howard says ovens should be given a deep clean every six months. “After a summer of BBQs and alfresco dining, ovens are often neglected and stubborn grease will have formed,” he warns.
BLEED RADIATORS
Jessica Steele of Best Heating (bestheating. com) says summer’s the best time to bleed radiators, as they aren’t needed.
This gets rid of pockets of air that could be in your radiators, preventing them from moving into your boiler or heat pump.
“It won’t take long to bleed all the radiators in a home, probably just 20 minutes, and you only need a bleed key, cloth and towel to place underneath – or a bowl if there’s lots of excess coming out ,” she advises.
“Not bleeding them could cause internal corrosion and damage parts linked to the boiler.”
Once this has been done, the pressure gauge on the boiler may have dropped, so if that’s the case top it back up.
“It should be between 1 to 1.5 when the heating is turned off, and 1.5 to 2 when in use.”
GET THE BOILER SERVICED
For peace of mind, Jessica says a boiler should be serviced annually to ensure it’s working safely and efficiently.
“In fact, the majority of boiler warranties require this,” she notes. “An engineer will inspect the boiler to make sure everything’s in order, look for potential gas leaks and corrosion, and ensure the gas pressure is at an appropriate level.
“The whole process only takes around 20 minutes, and having this service during summer will make sure a boiler will be in prime condition for the winter months.”
“Don’t forget, a more efficient boiler will also cost less to run.”