5 Fantastic Spring Cleaning Secrets We Learned From the Pros
Spring cleaning time is upon us. It’s important for any home, but especially for a Waterloo Region home that is up for sale – or will be soon – and needs to be kept as clean as possible at all times.
It’s not really a task that anyone looks forward to very much though, as the idea is to actually deep clean rather than make do with the daily surface cleaning most us ‘get away with’ for much of the rest of the year.
With people spending a lot more time at home right now in response to the COVID-19 crisis like it or not, this really is the perfect time to do that deep clean, whether you are selling your home or not.
While we are not disputing the fact that spring cleaning is hard work, years of working with professional cleaners and home stagers have taught us a few interesting – and very efficient – spring cleaning tricks. Today we thought we’d share a few of our favourites with you:
Toothpaste + toothbrush = a really clean house!
Toothbrushes and paste – they don’t just bust plaque anymore. Toothbrushes for house cleaning are pretty self-explanatory. They can get into tight spaces and scrub away all kinds of nasty buildup, especially on tile grout in kitchens and bathrooms. But the addition of toothpaste is a total game-changer.
For cleaning, buy plain paste, not the gel kind. The cheap, basic tubes are actually best for cleaning. You can use it to clean tarnished silver and polish faucets and fixtures. It can clean scuff marks off flooring – just gently buff the paste in with a toothbrush and wipe excess away. You can even use it to get rid of sour smells on plastic storage containers (just remember to rinse them well before they are next used)
Never underestimate the power of a lint roller
Lint rollers aren’t just for sweaters and coats – they’re a really versatile cleaning tool. Use a lint roller to get the dust off of lampshades, or to dust heavy drapes and clean up dead bugs from windowsills. Use one to clean the felt on your pool table, or to pick up tiny shards of glass.
If your vacuum doesn’t have a hose or the right attachments, you can use a lint roller to clean up upholstery in a snap. If you have (slightly messy) kids use a lint roller to ‘de-fuzz’ much loved stuffed animals, or use it to pick up spilled glitter, confetti and the like. You can also run a lint roller across your keyboard to get any crumbs or dust sitting between the keys.
Keep glass shower doors gleaming
Getting everything immaculately clean is satisfying. However, the high you get is quickly taken down a notch by the realization that it’ll be dirty again soon enough. How many times have you shouted, “I just cleaned that!” One of the most frustrating areas are shower doors. After all, it’s a space that sees a lot of regular use.
Once you get all of that soap scum and hard water crud off, protect your hard work. After cleaning, rub each side of shower doors with lemon oil on a soft cloth. Use sparingly and buff to a soft gleam. Repeat weekly between thorough cleanings to keep those shower doors crystal clear and lemon-fresh.
Brush up on brooms
If you plan to spend money on cleaning supplies, consider making one purchase a new broom. Is the head of your broom curved? It shouldn’t be, as bent fibers don’t sweep stuff up as well. And buy more than one new broom.
Ideally, you should have one broom dedicated to indoor space use, and one for outside porches or patios. Stiff plastic fibers are best for outdoor concrete and tile. Natural fibers are suitable for linoleum and hardwood, provided you keep it in good shape.
For a longer lifespan, always store your broom head-up. Having the head sit on the floor makes it bend faster. This is also the time to get a new dustpan. One with a rubber lip will help keep it in place and stop dirt from just being swept under the dustpan so that’s usually a better choice than traditional flat metal.
Spring clean your interior air
Are things a little stuffy, sour, or musty in your house? It’s not always practical, necessary, or possible to stick everything in the washing machine. To solve the problem, start by opening up all the windows in your home. Hang comforters and curtains outside to get a good airing out.
Now pay attention to other areas which affect the air quality in your home. Replace filters and clean exhaust fans and don’t forget to wipe down ceiling fan blades and clean humidifiers, too. Take throw rugs outside to air and beat the dust out of them with the handle of a broom or mop. Your house will smell 100% fresher, and you didn’t even have to break out the heavy duty air freshener.