If only spring cleaning could be like a montage from the movies. A string of flashy scenes of you dancing around the house, cleaning with a big smile and a sparkle in your eye. Every chore is an effortless display of whimsical fun with a soundtrack that would make Mary Poppins proud. Unfortunately, the magic of movies rarely transfers into real life. They forget to include the scenes of the hours of hard labour, the scrubbing, cleaning out vacuum cleaners bags and choking on a cloud of dust. Although that movie would be quite amusing to watch in a sadistic, at least I’m that person, kind of way.
Well, my friends, I love and hate to say it, spring has sprung. The weather is getting warmer, the flowers are blooming and the holiday season is just around the corner. The darker side of spring involves the back-breaking chores of cleaning the all the build up dirt and grime from sitting inside all winter. When it comes time to do your spring cleaning try and remain positive and tackle the job with zest and gusto. It won’t be a montage but a healthy attitude will make it less of a drag.
Luckily for you, I have some tips and tricks for you to aid in your Spring cleaning adventures, to hopefully make your life a bit easier and come as close to an effortless movie montage as possible.
Knowing Where to Start
The hardest part about the spring clean in knowing where to start. I always start up top and work my way down. It doesn’t really matter which room you start in, just work from top to bottom. Do the high parts first such as removing cobwebs from the ceiling and cleaning the walls. Then onto the furniture and last but not least the floors. I leave all the floors in every room to the end.
Windows and Doors
For glass windows and doors, a must-have item is a squeegee that can be purchased from any hardware store. They will make easy work of all your sliding doors and windows and dramatically cut down on the time it takes to clean. Vacuum out all the ledges because no doubt they are full of dead bugs and grimes. Your vacuum cleaner should have come with a variety of nozzles and surely there will be one to suit this task. If not just take off the head and do the best you can with the hose. It seems to work well enough.
Ceiling Fans
Don’t forget to clean the ceiling fans. No doubt there is a build up of dust on them. The easiest way to do this is to vacuum them first to get the majority of the scum off then get on the ladder and wipe them down with an all-purpose cleaner.
The Curtain Call
Spring is the time for cleaning curtains or drapes. Drapes can be a pain in the bum. It’s a bit tedious as you can’t just through them in the washing machine. Use a moist, rag and give them a wipe down. If you have a big enough rag you can fold it in half and do both sides at once. Curtains on the other can thrown in the washing machine.
Deep Carpet Clean
Spring is a great time to give your carpets a deep clean and that includes a shampoo treatment that will have them looking like new and smelling fresh ready for children and pets to drag more dirt onto them. Vacuum your carpets first, then hire a commercial carpet shampooer to finish the job. They are relatively cheap and will remove all the grime and muck built up from the year that was. Oh, and make sure you move the furniture and get into all the nooks and crannies. If something is worth doing it’s worth doing right.
Cleaning Furniture
Give all your furniture a good wipe down with an all-purpose cleaner, preferably a brand that uses natural ingredients. Also, the internet has an abundance of recipes and concoctions for natural cleaning solutions. If your sofa or couch are fabric, get the vacuum cleaner onto them and give them some of the shampoo treatment. You may be able to unzip them, take out the padding and throw the covers in the washing the machine.
Hire A Professional
This is the best option for those who dread the thought of a spring clean and the closest thing to a cleaning movie montage. Cleaning companies offer spring cleaning services and clean your house from top to bottom so you don’t have to. It’s ideal for the time poor or the lazy and to be honest it’s the best cleaning tip on this list.
There it is. The Spring Cleaning tricks and tips to save you valuable time and help get your home ready for Spring and to be made filthy again. Cleaning is a never ending facet of life, It’s a constant battle between you and the grime. So hopefully these tips will give you the advantage on the battlefields.
