Tips to Make Your Spring Cleanups a Success

Our legs and arms are starting to see the sun again. Flowers are starting to bloom. It means spring is here. It also means it’s time for your annual spring cleaning. Make sure to check out our post about five tips for preparing for spring cleaning if you’re just starting to think about the process. If you’ve already covered all your bases and you’re ready to go, we’re covering some more tips here to get the most of your time.

According to Heathline.com, spring cleaning provides a number of benefits:

• Strengthens your immune system
• Decreases stress and depression
• Prevents illness
• Promotes more healthy eating and an active lifestyle
• Reduces risk of injury

If these benefits surprise you (or even if they don’t), it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get started so you can begin to enjoy them.

Get Rid of the Clutter

As part of your spring cleaningup prep, you should’ve created bags and piles of stuff you’d like to either donate, recycle or dump. This includes clothing, furniture, toys, appliances, magazines/newspapers. It’s time to stop ignoring what was once your favorite recliner that now just sits broken in the corner of a spare bedroom. You should’ve also already scheduled local property cleanup experts to help. Even if your neighbor has a truck and is willing to give it up for a Saturday, it’s wise to work with professionals who know how to properly lift and load without getting hurt. Our team at Junk Bros will also sort through your items to determine which can be taken to a local charity and which will need to be properly disposed of, such as electronics or hazardous materials.

Once you’ve gotten rid of all clutter, you can put on your gloves and get down to business.

Work Your Way Around the Home by Room

Experts believe it’s easier to tackle your spring cleaning going room by room. Determine where you want to start, possibly in the kitchen or bathrooms, areas of high traffic that need the most sanitizing and will provide the most instant satisfaction.

Kitchen

Take all items off the countertop. You can put them in a box or simply on the floor in another room if small children won’t get into them. Grab your checklist you’ve already completed and go down the line. Your checklist should include the following areas:

• Countertop – Use a diluted solution of water and mild dish soap or a disinfectant to wipe them down.
• Sink – Sinks are surprising feeding grounds for bacteria. Fill your sink with hot soapy water and one cup of bleach. Leave it for one hour, then scrub with a baking soda and water paste. Rinse the area well.
• Appliances
  • Small appliances – Clean the outside with a cloth dipped in mild dishwashing liquid and water.
  • Microwave – Boil a cup of water in it then let sit for one minute. Wipe the outside down with a damp cloth, warm water and a little baking soda. Clean the window with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Heavy grease will require a degreaser. Please note to spray the cleaner onto the cloth first, not directly on electronics.
  • Dishwasher – Yes, even the dishwasher needs a good cleaning, especially if you have hard water issues which can lead to calcium buildup. Pour a couple of cups of white vinegar in it and run a hot cycle. Remove and rinse the dishwasher filter to make sure this super-important machine is even doing its job properly.
  • Refrigerator – Take everything out so you can wipe down shelves and drawers, ridding them of sticky food and crumbs. Wipe down the outside as well, where germs can likely live.
• Cabinets – These areas get touched a lot, so make sure to wipe them down with a disinfectant.
• Trash can – Disinfect your trash can with one cup white vinegar and two tablespoons rubbing alcohol and 20-40 drops of tea tree or lemon-eucalyptus essential oil.
• Floor – Vacuum and mop the floors. A 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar, one gallon warm water and two tablespoons of a mild dish soap make for a great eco-friendly mixture.

Bathrooms

As in the kitchen, remove all items from the shower/tub and vanity. The areas to hit include:

• Countertop
• Shower/tub – Clean the shower walls and/or bathtub with a multi-purpose bathroom cleaner. Use a scrub brush and special cleaner if necessary on the grout. Use a non-streaking cleaner for the door.
• Toilet – Use a toilet bowl cleaner and scrub brush to get all around the bowl, including the often-ignored underside of the rim. Wipe down the outside and handle with a disinfectant or multi-purpose bathroom cleaner.
• Run your shower curtains and bath mat through the wash. Note that you can’t put a bathmat in the dryer if it has a rubber backing.
• Sink – Use a multi-purpose bathroom cleaner or mixture of baking soda and a few drops of vinegar.
• Mirrors – Use glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth for best results.
• Floor

If you’re still struggling with mold, use a mold and mildew cleaner or create your own solution, such as with one part bleach, two parts water.

Bedrooms and Living Spaces

Bedrooms and living rooms require a lot of the same attention. Make sure to hit these spots:

• Blinds, ceiling fans, picture frames and lamps – Use a microfiber cloth to remove dust from these surfaces.
• Vacuum furniture and clean with a steam cleaner if necessary.
• Mattress – Strip the bed, sprinkle baking soda on your mattress to deodorize it, leave for 15 minutes or preferably a few hours, then vacuum it up. Rotate it to prevent heavy indentations.
• Windows – Hit the inside and outside.
• Floor and baseboards

Washer and dryers

Whether your washer and dryer are in the garage, a hallway closet or even kitchen, one thing most of us have in common is neglecting to clean them. You’d be surprised how dirty these helpful machines are. While the concentration of bacteria isn’t high enough to make most people severely ill, they shouldn’t be neglected. Get rid of mineral and detergent residue with two cups of white vinegar and a full hot water cycle. Scrub the lint tray with a brush, and then clean the vent, vent pipe and hoses. The U.S. Fire Administration says 2,900 home dryer fires are reported each year, causing an estimated five deaths, 100 injuries and $35 million in property loss.

With Junk Bros’ Boise junk removal experts to help you clear out your home before the big cleanup, as well as following our tips here, your spring job will go from being extremely overwhelming to extremely efficient and even rewarding. Reach out today if you haven’t already scheduled your pickup. Free Estiamtes at 208-297-8720.