A beginner's guide to spring cleaning
Real Estate In Motion | For many people, spring cleaning can be a daunting prospect as it usually means deep, thorough, and time consuming work gettin...
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A beginner's guide to spring cleaning

For many people, spring cleaning can be a daunting prospect as it usually means deep, thorough, and time consuming work getting your home spick and span. The payoff, however, is well worth the effort, and your house will be a much cleaner and healthier place to live once you're done. Today, we're here to help you decide for yourself where in your home would be the best place for you to get started.

1. Handle your hallway


The hallway is the entryway into the home and is usually the first area guests will see. It's no surprise then that this is the first area we'll tackle in our guide. For any room in the home, the rule of thumb is to start from the top and work your way down. Begin by cleaning lighting fixtures, and then tackle the walls. Wash them if needed, or just give them a quick wipe down. Next, clean your doors and knobs, and then move on to any furniture items you may have in this area. Lastly, clean up the floors and your hallway should be in tip top shape. You can also reseal your grout lines if you have tile flooring, but only if it's needed.

2. Beautify your bedrooms


Often, these rooms are some of the most neglected, but they are also often the most important ones to clean. This is where you sleep, and you should be able to sleep in good health. Start by opening the windows; letting in some fresh air is always a good idea. Work from the top down by cleaning ceiling fans and light fixtures, then move on to the furniture. Since you keep all your clothes here, take the time to remove them from your drawers and wash each one before putting the clothes back in. Wash your windows and sills, clean your walls, and then move on to your furniture. It's also good to move the bed and sort what's underneath; you don't want too much clutter under there. Finish up by cleaning the floors.

3. Buff up your bathrooms


Bathrooms are another trouble spot in the home. You're in there quite a bit, and so are bacteria and germs. Make sure you empty all drawers and cabinets and clean inside them. Also, be thorough when you clean your countertops, toilets, and bathtubs. Scrub them well to be sure they're clean and disinfected. If your bathroom has windows, open them up and be sure to clean them well. Be sure to also clean drain covers, vent covers, and of course your mirrors. Wrap up by giving the bathroom floor a good cleaning.


4. Clean up your kitchen


With the kitchen, there are a couple of things that needs to be done besides the usual top-down deep spring cleaning checklist. According to Reader's Digest, you need to wash and sanitise your cutting boards. Believe it or not, they can harbour as much as 200 times the bacteria that you'd find on your toilet seat. Spray them down with straight 5% vinegar and let them sit for 24 hours or at least overnight. Another rather interesting fact from Reader's Digest suggests that you can also microwave your sponges for 30 seconds a day to stop them growing bacteria. You should clean and sort your freezer and your pantry and check all the expiration dates for your food. Also, be sure to clean and shine your sinks.

5. Dust your dining room


Of course, you're going to do much more than just dust. In addition to the top-down approach we've been talking about, you also need to take note of any china you might have on display as well as silverware. All should be cleaned well, and the silverware should be shined up. Make sure you also wash the linens for your table, and you can even create a nice spring vignette for your table as well. This is one of the main rooms used for entertaining guests, so give it that special touch.

6. Love your living room



Now we come to the showpiece of the home, usually containing the nicest couches, chairs, and maybe some antique pieces which may require specialist care or cleaning. This room, like the others, should be deep cleaned, and extra attention should be paid. For example, you should launder your throw pillows and any blankets or sofa covers you're using. Spot clean your sofas if needed, and thoroughly dust all furniture. You might also need to have your furniture or carpet shampooed if stains are present.

7. Don't leave out other areas


Other areas in the home, including family rooms, play rooms, and laundry rooms also need to be thoroughly deep cleaned from top to bottom, but there are some other spring cleaning tips you should know. In the family room, dust all electronics including TVs and sort through your DVD or Blu-ray collection. Discard anything that you no longer need and organise whatever is left. In the playroom, launder all stuffed toys and give all the plastic toys a good washing with soap and water; clean toys mean healthier kids. In the laundry room, don't forget to clean out the lint traps using soap and water as they accumulate residue from laundry soap and dryer sheets. For those living in houses with multiple floors, don't forget to deep clean those stairwells.

8. Don't overlook the outdoors


Finally, once you're all done with the inside, which is no small task, it's time to tackle the outside of the home. Sweep your porches and walkways as well as your driveway. Wash exterior doors and thresholds, and make sure you clean that welcome mat. Also, you should wash the siding on all sides of your house to give it that overall clean and beautiful look. You can also give your front door a new coat of paint if necessary.