Spring signifies renewal so it's important to declutter your environment and get a deep spring clean. You can pluck up the courage and tackle the job on your own or…
All About Spring Cleaning
It’s that time of the year. The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping and the voices of kids playing echoes around. It’s also the time of the year when all of us look to clean our homes and office spaces thoroughly. It’s the time for Spring cleaning. As Robin Williams said: “Spring is nature’s way of saying, Let’s party!”
The Origins of Spring Cleaning
Spring cleaning, or a thorough cleaning of homes during the arrival of the spring season is fairly universal across many cultures. The origin of this culture is hotly debated amongst researchers.
Some researchers point to the Iranian ‘Khaneh tekani‘ (literally translates to ‘shaking the house’) festival, where the leading newspaper of Tehran describes it as a very comprehensive cleaning of all items, especially those which weren’t cleaned throughout the whole year, such as carpets, curtains, furniture, windows etc. Houses get a fresh coat of paint and sandalwood and other herbs are burnt for the aroma in order to invite Spring, the season which signifies the renewal of nature into their own homes.
Yet other researchers point to the Jewish ritual of thoroughly cleansing the home in anticipation of the springtime festival of Passover.
There are other festivals around the world where a thorough cleaning of homes and workplaces are warranted for the arrival of spring, such as the Thai festival of Songkran, or the Chinese New Year, and it is fair to say that spring cleaning is universal across many cultures around the globe.
Why Should I Clean My House/Office?
There are many questions about the need and benefit of a comprehensive cleaning of the house during spring time. There are physiological, psychological and social benefits to spring cleaning your home.
Health
A 2010 study found that dust in homes can exacerbate conditions such as asthma and can have negative effects on the immune system of the person residing in the house, and that cleaning the dust with a degree of regularity has benefits ranging from better general health to reduced episodes of asthma and other inflammatory diseases.
Dust might seem harmless, and one may ask what the all the fuss is about some specks of dust. An article by the Washington Post states that dust may not be so innocuous after all. An analysis of dust taken from different homes revealed the composition of the dust from an average household.
Pet skin cells, dust mites, decomposed insects, food debris (especially in the kitchen), fibres from carpet, bedding and clothes, and particulate matter from smoking and cooking are some of the things found in the dust, all of which may be potential allergens to us. So it’s recommended to undertake a thorough cleaning in all parts of the home/office at least once a year.
Psychological
There are several psychological benefits to spring cleaning as well. In a 2012 study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers at Princeton University found that disorganised clutter and a dirty environment can actually make it harder to focus on a particular task.
The visual cortex can get overwhelmed by objects that are not relevant to the task, making it harder to assign attention to a particular task and complete anything efficiently and on time. The article also points out that a dirty environment breeds irritability, which in the long term leads to a lack of productivity and mental health problems.
Don’t Forget the Office
If cleaning and organisation is so closely related to productivity, it comes as no surprise that a comprehensive Spring cleaning is of vital importance to offices. A higher level of cleanliness correlates significantly with a higher work satisfaction level of employees working in office environments.
There is also a significant correlation is found between the satisfaction of employees with their work as a whole and the perceived productivity of the employees.
In light of this, it is equally important for companies to clean and organise their offices as it is for us to clean our homes thoroughly at least once a year.
Why Should I Hire Cleaning Professionals?
Some of the deterrents we all have to overcome when taking on a big cleaning job is the time, energy and resources it takes to do a comprehensive job. For some, it’s even more difficult with allergies, disabilities and a general lack of time. There are also several dangers associated with trying to safely clean, broadly classified into the following:
- Hazards from exposure to harmful substances in cleaning compounds
- Biological agents that reside inconspicuously in dusty areas
- Physical injuries, both muscular and from sharp objects/electricity
Is it Wrong to Love a Good Spring Clean?
Fortunately, there are many professional cleaning companies which take all the worries off your shoulders and onto the cleaners shoulders. It is often underestimated how much technology has progressed in the cleaning sector.
In fact, the simple act of cleaning your own carpet might seem trivial, but carpet cleaning is a science, requiring several thorough steps, and modern technology.
Did you know that cleaning carpets (amongst other things in your house) with improper methods can do more harm than good and might lead to permanent damage? To clean the whole house, including hard to reach areas is an enormous task, especially without modern tools which professional cleaning services use.
What are the Benefits of Hiring a Professional Cleaning Service?
The benefits of employing a professional cleaning service include:
- Saving you a lot of time and energy
- Ensuring a comprehensive cleaning job is done, with the latest technology
- Cleaning is completed in a timely and efficient manner
- Avoiding exposure to all the aforementioned hazards
The Perfect Time to Enjoy the Outdoors!
Spring is the season which is best spent outdoors, but we should not forget about the cleanliness of the inside of our homes as well!
Many of us are unable to undertake a sizeable cleaning task, for lack of time, illness or disability, while others are simply put off by the time and energy it requires.
We are lucky to be living in times when professional cleaning services offer all this and more so that we can enjoy the benefits of a good clean, and at the same time, enjoy spring in all its glory. Contact Perth Home Cleaners today.
