After a long winter, we all just want to sit back and enjoy the spring weather.
Spring cleaning is a must to be able to enjoy the spring weather to the fullest. That means before you can start hosting your backyard BBQs and opening your windows to let in the spring air, you’ll need to clean off your deck and dust your window sills.
Turn on your favorite playlist, take before-and-after pictures to admire your hard work, and follow these cleaning tips, spring cleaning may even feel fun this year.
COLLECT YOUR CLEANING SUPPLIES
Grab your cleaning supplies — from your glass cleaner to multipurpose spray to cleaning cloths — and put them in a convenient caddy or basket that you can carry from room to room. Work smarter, not harder!
For the most sanitary results, keep your cleaning supplies for the bathroom separate. You don’t want cross-contamination or to be cleaning surfaces with damp, old sponges. Try out microfiber cloths and reusable cleaning sponges that can be thrown in the washing machine and dryer.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
You may be tempted to start scrubbing away at your floors or toss your delicate bedding into the washing machine, but that can cause more damage in the long run. Take the time to find out the best way to clean your surfaces and belongings. Laminate flooring, for example, shouldn’t be mopped with lots of water — that can cause warping and swelling.
If you went to the store to purchase new cleaning supplies and products, be sure to test them on a small area of your floors or surfaces before applying them everywhere.
CLEAN ROOM BY ROOM
Spring cleaning can feel like a huge task, but you don’t have to get everything done at once. Be realistic. When you break down your list into smaller, more manageable tasks, you’ll be amazed at how much you can get done.
Instead of getting overwhelmed at the thought of cleaning your entire house and yard, just clean room by room. This also makes it easier to stop and start cleaning if you get interrupted.
WORK FROM TOP TO BOTTOM
To stay organized and efficient while cleaning, work from top to bottom. When you clean and dust off cabinets or the top of your refrigerator, for example, dust and crumbs will spread to your countertops and floors. As you work your way from top to bottom, everything will get as clean as possible.
FOCUS ON THE SMALL THINGS
If you’re already in the habit of regularly cleaning your home, spring cleaning can be a time to tackle the smaller tasks you usually don’t get around to.
Keeping in mind the top-to-bottom cleaning tip, dust off the tops of tables, appliances, and fan blades.
In the bathroom and kitchen, clean off your faucets and showerhead. Fill a bag with equal parts water and white vinegar, submerge your faucets, and tie the bag on with a rubber band. Wait one hour, then remove the bag and run water for a minute to get rid of any leftover vinegar and buildup.
While you’re at it, don’t forget your garbage disposal and drains. Pour distilled white vinegar down your drains, let it sit for 30 minutes, then run water for a minute.
To clean your garbage disposal, put ice cubes and a cup of citrus peels —- from oranges, lemons, or limes —- down the disposal. Turn on cold water and run the disposal for 30 to 45 seconds. Turn the disposal off and run hot water for about 15 seconds.
Next, wipe off commonly used but often overlooked items like remotes and doorknobs that collect germs and dust. This is as simple as using a disinfectant wipe or spray of a multipurpose cleaner.
TACKLE SEASONAL TASKS
As you spring clean, put away winter clothes and decorations and get out your warm-weather clothes.
Other seasonal tasks involve the great outdoors.
Once the soil has started to warm, put down mulch for your landscaping. Turn your outside faucets on, clean your gutters, clean your grill, and make sure your deck is in good shape for the spring and summer.
If you own a pool, get the chemicals and cleaning materials you need so you can prepare and open your pool for the summer.
GET WHAT YOU NEED AT MILLER’S BUILDING SUPPLY
Once you have your spring cleaning done, you can get to work on spring and summer home improvement projects. From simply replacing hardware to building a new deck, we have what you need at Miller’s Building Supply.
We even deliver to you and have tools you can rent!
Once you receive our quality products and experience our great customer service, you’ll see why so many builders and remodelers come to Miller’s.
Check out our products online or visit us at 1819 E. Monroe St. in Goshen.