SPRING SPRUCE UP—LET’S CLEAN!!

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!! Or at least, I really hope so…I’m tired of bringing a “just in case” winter coat everywhere I go.

With spring here (knock on wood) you know what that means—it’s time to collect all of those dust bunnies that have been sitting in the corners of your home and do some deep spring cleaning!

Frequent home maintenance and cleaning are some of the most important things homeowners can do to maintain the value of their home and ensure they realize their home’s full investment when they go to sell. I think maintenance and cleaning go hand in hand—when you clean, you can uncover problems now that could save you a huge headache in the future.

I take the time during spring not only to do a deep clean, but also make a checklist of items that need maintenance that I’ve been putting off for another day (i.e. power washing the outdoor concrete, calling a handyman to fix my storm door, replacing the utility sink that’s been on my to do list for a year, etc.)

Below are reminders of commonly missed items when cleaning that should help you get spring off on the right foot!

**Clean the grout in the kitchen and bathrooms.. I mean, really scrub it (though be careful not to deteriorate the grout when scrubbing.) Or re-grout if needed.

**Clean your shower head. Soak it in vinegar to remove mineral build up.

**Vacuum your bathroom ventilation fan. This is one that I tend to forget, then I look up and see the dust collecting and am mildly horrified. Always a good one to remember during a deep clean!

**Wash your walls, baseboards and interior doors. This is something that I tend to ignore throughout the year until spring hits—then when I finally get around to cleaning them, I’m always shocked by how dirty they are.

**Have wall to wall carpet? Call a carpet cleaner to get them steamed (or steam them yourself if you have the tools!) I recommend doing this at least once a year to keep carpets fresh. If you have area rugs, you can send them to a cleaner (even if you vacuum regularly, this is a good idea as vacuuming doesn’t always collect all of the dirt/dust.)

**Clean your windows, inside and out, and the screens.. This one is important as it’s also good to periodically check out the window condition and make sure they’re in good condition with no potential areas for leaks.

**Pay special attention to your kitchen appliances (and don’t forget to clean the filter in your dishwasher!) This helps keeps your appliances running in tip top shape.

**Replace your furnace filter. You should do this every 2-3 months—put an alarm in your calendar so you don’t forget!

**Clean out your dryer vent to prevent fires (or, if you have a ventless dryer, clean out the condenser.)

**Check your smoke detectors. Make sure they’re still functional and replace batteries if needed.

Peep our mascot Cleo, getting in the spring cleaning spirit!

I also recommend checking out GoCleanCo if you have any questions on the best way to clean these items—she has great tips on the best products to use for cleaning! https://www.youtube.com/@gocleanco

If you need any cleaning service recommendations or maintenance contractor recs feel free to reach out to us.

BEST OF LUCK AND HAPPY SPRING CLEANING!