April 26, 2018 at 6:46 AM

 

Spring Cleaning to Reduce Allergies

Spring has finally arrived and while many doubted it would ever return the snow is melting and the birds have returned.  Oh, and so have your allergies.  Not much you can do about the outdoors.  You can, however, tackle the perennial spring cleaning of your home and significantly reduce allergens. 

 

PRELIMINARY STEPS 

1. Get help -  Maybe this is a roommate, your family or consider hiring some outside help for assistance. 
2. Pick a date -  See what date works best for everyone and start early in the morning so you can all quit it time for some fun at the end of your day.
3. Plan food -  You and your helpers will be a lot happier with some healthy snacks and solid food to sustain yourselves throughout your day.  Food that everyone enjoys makes the day fun.  something simple for lunch like the proverbial crowd pleaser, pizza. 
4. Check Supplies – Vinegar, baking soda, a mop and bucket, vacuum, microfiber cleaning cloths and rubber gloves, etc.  No need to get cleaners with harsh chemicals.  Most professional cleaners simply make a variety of cleaners with vinegar and water then as needed add baking soda or dish soap. Search the internet for natural cleaner recipes.  Have your cleaners mixed up beforehand.  If you have allergies consider using a face mask to decrease irritation.
5. Declutter – Prior to your big cleaning day spend time decluttering the major surface areas of each room to allow helpers to be more efficient at completing the necessary jobs.
6. Spring Cleaning Day – Have your To Do List prepared ahead of time along with who is assigned to each job. Next, turn on some fun tunes to put everyone in a great mood. 

 

CLEANING DAY 

PRO TIP; Soak or run -  Many professionals start with running the dishwasher, putting in a load of laundry and starting any necessary soaking right away i.e. put toilet bowl cleaner in toilets, soak cooked on spots on the stovetop or in the oven, etc. This will allow for the continuance of cleaning tasks rather than waiting.

 

PRO TIP; Top to Bottom Cleaning Method – Start with the top level in your home.  Then, in each room start with the upper surfaces and work down i.e. dusting the ceiling corners, then the tops of windows, followed by furniture surfaces, etc. 

Bedrooms – 

• Remove the bed linens and lightly sprinkle baking soda over the mattress to help remove odors
• Weed Out - go through closets, drawers, and bookshelves to weed out unused clothes, books, toys, etc.
• Put items either in donation bin or consignment bin
• Dust and vacuum using top to bottom method starting with ceiling corners
• Vacuum baking soda from mattress and replace the linens with lighter weight summer linens or use one less blanket 

Bathrooms – 

• Remove linens and put in washer
• Wipeout cabinets and drawers and replace items in freshly organized manner
• Dust from top to bottom
• Using a toilet bowl brush thoroughly scrub bowl and wipe down exterior
• Clean sink, counter and shower with vinegar and water mixture
• Mold – Mix one-part hydrogen peroxide and two parts water in spray bottle and apply to mold (create a paste with baking soda and cleaning mix for difficult stains) 

Kitchens – 

• Put all linens in laundry including rugs
• Dust from the room top to bottom removing cobwebs, dusting tops of cabinets, etc.
• Weed out cabinets – out of date pantry items in trash, dishes and gadgets no longer used can be donated
• Degrease range hood and filters
• Run dishwasher on cleaning cycle

 

Family & Dining Rooms- 

• Dust from the room top to bottom removing cobwebs, dusting ceiling fan, lamps, etc.
• Drapes can be freshened in most dryers on the fluff or air cycle with a fabric softener sheet
• Vacuum upholstered furniture
• Vacuum floors 

Laundry Room – 

• Clean dryer and filter using lint brush purchased at hardware store
• Move dryer out and clean flooring underneath and dryer vent
• Move washer to clean flooring underneath
• Inspect your flooring or Suds Sentry Washing Machine Pan for any signs of water which could indicate small leaks and precede larger leaks
• Inspect drains, washer, laundry tub and hoses for mold
• Mold can be cleaned with baking soda as an abrasive and, a 50/50 white vinegar & water combination
• Clean washer using cleaning agent i.e. Affresh or by pouring ¾ cup white vinegar into dispenser, use the hot water setting and largest load possible with extra rinse
• Front Loader Rubber Seal Cleaning – Wipe down with a mixture of ¾ cup bleach and one gallon of water, leave door open for five minutes 

PRO TIP; If you don’t have a Suds Sentry Washing Machine Pan installed, this is the time to plan to have one installed.  Call your local plumber today and have it installed to protect your home from washing machine overflow.  We offer pans for a variety of sizes of washers including large capacity front loaders. 

At the end of the day your home will be like new so, order dinner in and spend the evening with family and friends enjoying your fresh, clean home.

 

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