Spring is here and with Spring comes the urge to give your house a good old fashioned spring clean. A cleaner more organised house means you will be less stressed when trying to relax in your home. We do however know how daunting it can be when faced with the prospect of cleaning the house from top to bottom so we have put together a handy guide to get you started…
Step One: Arm yourself for war … on dirt that is!
Make sure you have all the kit you need, let’s face it the last thing you want is to get halfway through the house only to run out of the polish. We recommend at the very least you ensure you have;
– Rubbish bags
– A dustpan and brush
– Rubber gloves
– An all-purpose cleaner
– Glass cleaner
– Carpet cleaner
– A duster
– Disinfecting wipes
– A few empty boxes
– Plenty of sponges and cloths
Step Two: Make a list
Make a list of every room or space in the house that could do with a freshen up so you can work through it systematically. This is also good if the clean is taking longer than you expected as you can pick up where you left off!
Step Three: Declutter your house first!
A spring clean is a perfect opportunity to not only clean the house but to get rid of all those things you do not need anymore. We are all guilty of hoarding, whether we admit it or not! Take your time to sort all rooms one by one clearing out drawers and cupboards. Remember, be ruthless and consider what you really need.
Step Four: Tackle the Kitchen
It’s the big boss battle of the Spring Clean – taking on your kitchen! Over the course of a year, this room is bound to build up grease, grime and dirt so start here and get things off to the best start.
Follow our lead and work your way through the kitchen using the following as your go-to guide:
– Empty out all your food cabinets and throw away anything that’s out of date
– While they’re empty give the cabinets and doors a good wipe down with an antibacterial cleanser
– Run your pots, pans and crockery through a dishwasher cycle (or wash them up yourself) while you do the same to their respective cupboards or cabinets
– Buy a kit to deep clean your oven – this should be done at least once a year and, trust us, you’ll notice the difference!
– Clean your dishwasher by emptying the filter of any old bits of food, refilling the salt and rinse-aid and then running it on an empty cycle using a commercial dishwasher cleaner
– Empty your fridge/freezer of everything and then throw out anything that’s past its best
– While empty, clean both the inside and the outside of your fridge/freezer using an antibacterial cleaner
– Clean and wipe down the microwave. This can be just a tad gross!
– Hit the oven hob next and get that stainless steel looking sparkly bright
– Use a cleaner to go round and clean up anything that sits out on your kitchen counter day-to-day. From toasters to utensil pots, you’ll be surprised how much grime these can accumulate
– Next, clean the worktop counter itself to get it sparkling
– Finish up by giving the floor a once-over with the vacuum and then a mop and bucket. Be sure to hit those areas you normally miss on your weekly cleans!
Step Five: Bathroom Brawl
The bathroom is usually just as guilty as the kitchen when it comes to picking up grime over time and this doesn’t always get picked up on your usual cleans. We know cleaning the bathroom is one of anyone’s least favourite tasks but follow these steps to achieve bathroom bliss.
– Put all your toiletries in a box whilst you clean
– Start with the bathroom furniture – including mirrors – polish off any dirt or grime
– Using a cream cleaner work your way from the shower to the bath, then to the sink and finally the toilet, needless to say… throw away your sponge after the latter
– Clean the shower partition – if you have one – with glass cleaner]
– Get the tile grout back to its original colour, this will take some scrubbing and probably some specialist cleaning product
– Use a mop over the bathroom tiles with a strong cleaning product
Step Six: Take Back the Bedroom
The bedroom should be the place in the house you feel the most relaxed but more often than not it can become a dumping ground. Give it a good deep clean…
– Organise the wardrobes and drawers so the clothes you wear the most are easily accessible
– Wash all of your bedding (including spares) and make sure they are all folded up and ready to be used
– Wash any mattress protectors and vacuum over the mattress itself
– Polish around any old furniture you have
– Clean off any grime or dust on the skirting boards
Step Seven: The odd jobs
Now the big jobs are out of the way you can wrap up the spring clean with a few mini-jobs that will make a difference.
– Clean your windows on both the inside and outside. As an extra tip – do this on a cloudy day to make sure your window cleaner doesn’t dry on the panes before you get a chance to wipe it off
– Disinfect your washing machine using a commercial cleaner to make sure your clothes stay super fresh
– Take stock of your walls and touch up any areas where paint has chipped off or been marked
– If you have a tumble dryer, de-lint the filter to make sure the machine has a strong airflow
– Consider hiring a carpet cleaning machine. They do the job fantastically, don’t cost too much and can really give your textiles a new lease of life
– Check your fire and carbon monoxide alarms. Very important!
Happy cleaning!!
Neil Newstead, FARLA MNAEA
CEO – Oakfield Estate Agents