GREEN LIVING Spring Clean Checklist
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hat a beautiful time of year Spring is! Everything is fresh and new. It’s an excellent opportunity to renew things indoors as well. I am often asked what tasks should be conquered in a deep, annual clean so here are some suggestions. Equipment needed will be vacuum, microfiber cloths and mop, squeegee, concentrated citrus cleaner, bucket for water and a step ladder. 1. First and foremost clean the windows, inside and out. What an amazing difference it makes with the season’s bright sunshine beaming in through crystal clear glass. It is really worth doing the outsides as well so if you have windows out of reach, hire professionals. Be sure to remove screens and gently spray clean with a garden hose. Take this time to also clean out the window tracks, vacuum first then spray with citrus cleaner
and wipe clean. If you have any mold or mildew built up from the damp winter months, use a diluted teatree spray (1tbs/500ml) to kill the spores. 2. Dust everything in all rooms. Most surfaces, vacuum first then wipe clean with a damp cloth. This includes hard to reach places, books and other items on shelves, ceiling fans, light fixtures and lamp shades, tops of cabinetry, window and door casings and remove cobwebs as you go. 3. Pull all furniture and appliances out away from the walls and thoroughly
clean under and behind them. Clean the floor and baseboards back there as well as the backs of the furniture pieces, which may not look dirty but will have been collecting and holding dust, pet dander, pollens etc. Gently beat cushions and throw pillows outside as well. 4. Roll up area rugs to clean under them. Small rugs can be shaken/beaten outside and vacuumed, larger ones need to be steam cleaned along with the wall to wall carpets. 5. Fabric draperies hold dust and odors, some can be vacuumed with the upholstery attachment on your vacuum, or taken down and washed in your washer, others need to be professionally cleaned. Check labels if you’re washing them yourself that they are pre-shrunk before tossing them in your dryer. Blinds can be dusted or damp wiped, slat by slat on both sides. If they are metal
or plastic and are very dirty the citrus cleaner will help remove the “greasy” dust that tends to accumulate on these. 6. Flip and rotate your mattresses, launder pillows, duvets and blankets then swap them out for summer weight bedding. Have a plan for your deep cleaning projects and work in logical sequence so as not to undo all your hard work. Compete all your dusting before having carpets cleaned for example and clean blinds before doing your windows. Whether you take on the job yourself or hire help, completing a deep Spring clean will be rewarded with a fresh, healthy home.
Tracey Hanson, local mompreneur and green cleaning professional
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