Homemaking

Spring Cleaning

It’s spring again! Time to breathe in that fresh air and look forward to a season of renewal! Of course, with all the new growth and life we’re seeing around us, there comes that natural nesting instinct. Spring cleaning has become a traditional activity for this time of year, hence the name, and as such is often the time when people start throwing out old dusty things in favor of new ones, as well as the usual chores.

General cleaning can be a daunting task, either we get help from a home cleaning service for a time-saving clean up or we do it ourselves. Of course that leads to the question where should to start.

Clean the Carpets, Furniture and Curtains

After several months of people being cooped up all day inside them, likely with the windows firmly closed and without as much movement, there’s a good chance that a lot of dust, dirt and grime has had a chance to settle on your home’s fabrics. So the first port of call is to get out the Hoover and start to vacuum them clean.

Objects you really want to pay close attention to are the carpets and rugs around places with heavy foot traffic, such as the hallways or just by the doors, the curtains, and, of course, the curtains. However, while some may settle simply for dusting them down, that may not be enough for the really deep, stubborn stains. If you really want to clean your fabrics, it’ll be necessary to shampoo them as well.

If you’ve never shampooed carpet before, start small. Pick a small, out-of-way section of carpet first to see how you do. If it doesn’t go as well as you’d hoped, you can choose that point to stop if you wish. There’s no need to move furniture out of the way completely, just shunt them enough to get under them then set them back where they were, placing waxed paper under the legs to keep both the carpet and legs protected. Open a window so air can circulate and help everything dry faster.

Replace the Mattress

If you’ve not done so for a while, maybe consider replacing the mattress as part of your spring cleaning regimen. After a while the springs in it will become worn, and beyond that the mattress itself can become somewhat filthy after years of grime and sweat.

Of course if you’re going to replace the mattress, may as well go all out and get a new one. If you’re in the market, consider getting a foam mattress instead. Foam mattresses are great for those with sensitive hips and shoulders, as they provide better support than less yielding springs, and they can easily provide for a better night’s sleep. Check in with a premium mattress supplier to see what they have on offer.

Empty the Fridge

You may well find, hidden in the back of the fridge, a tub of some left over something or other that you never got round to finishing after Christmas. That and several other things that have been lurking, forgotten, until at last you decided to rummage right at the furthest, iciest reaches of your icebox. It may be worth taking the time to go through it and check the sell by dates of all the food left in the house.

Should you find anything that expires soon, move it to the front so it can be cooked and eaten promptly. If it’s already expired, throw it away. Some may suggest that being in the freezer means it’s still okay to eat even after the expiration date, but it’s best not to risk those things.

You may also want the opportunity to clean the freezer and fridge out entirely, too. In which case, make sure you store all food somewhere cool until the process is done, with plenty of towels on the floor to soak up the melting ice.

Reorganize the Shelves

Dusting your shelves should already be high on your spring cleaning to-do list. However, while you’re up there, you may want to take the time to look through and reconsider just what exactly you’ve been storing all these years. In particular, have a look at any old books, DVDs, knick-knacks or other such oddities that may be taking up space. One of the bad habits every homeowner has is keeping useless junk they don’t really need, a fact that’s often only confronted fully when moving house.

In order to free up space and prevent clutter, consider setting up three boxes. One for objects you want to keep, one you want to sell, and a last one for things you want to throw out or give away.

It can be hard to throw away things in this manner, as we do have a habit of becoming sentimental even over the oddest and most inconsequential things. But doing so can really help clear out your shelves, and allow you to more easily fill them with new things that you’ll inevitably acquire later on in life.

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