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…
When Should You Start Spring Cleaning in Perth?
You know that feeling when the days start getting warmer? When it’s ok to leave the doors open for long enough to properly air out the house? When the rain stops for weeks on end and you get 10+ hours of sunlight?
It’s pretty common then to feel like giving your whole house a badly needed Spring Cleaning. Sure you kept the house relatively tidy during Winter, but you need lots of airing time for a proper clean.
When should you start Spring Cleaning in Perth? Spring Cleaning starts in the first week of September. Wait for the first stretch of warm, dry weather. In 2019, Spring Cleaning began on 6 September.
If you look at the weather for September 2019, the ten days between 6 September 2019 and 16 September 2019 would have been a perfect time to start Spring Cleaning. It was a bit cold, wet and overcast before that, and there was a patch of wet, overcast weather in the middle of September.
Cleaning the house can help you stay on top of allergens that may lead to the sniffles or hayfever. A basic Spring Cleaning includes the following steps…
Clean Behind Appliances
Some stoves and refrigerators have wheels and can be conveniently rolled out of their positions. Be careful not to pull any wires. If necessary, use the vacuum’s wand attachment to get behind appliances. You’d be amazed (and horrified) by how much crumbs, dust and dirt can be found behind there.
If it’s really filthy behind there, turn the appliance off, unplug it and move it out of the way. That will allow you to really scrub behind there.
Clean Inside Your Oven and Refrigerator
Clean the inside of your oven and refrigerator with proper cleaning agents. If you’d like to avoid chemicals, many ovens have a “self-cleaning” feature. It’s not recommended to use this feature on a hot day. Be sure to open your windows and run some fans, as the fumes from baked-on grease can be overwhelming.
For your refrigerator and freezer, some simple hot water and a little dish soap should do the trick beautifully.
Clean Your Carpet
You may hire a professional carpet cleaning service to clean your carpets, rent a carpet cleaning machine and do it yourself, or buy a basic carpet shampoo from a retail store.
Make sure you use the right cleaning agent. Using ordinary soap or cosmetic shampoo can discolour the carpet.
Clean Crevices and Grout
When cleaning the shower, sinks, backsplash and tiles, be mindful of grout between the tiles, as well as in the corners of your sink, tub and shower. As wet areas are constantly exposed to water, mould and mildew are quick to form. In addition to being unsightly, wet conditions can also cause breathing issues over time.
Now is a good time to check the grout in the shower for cracks or holes. The last thing you want is to have to deal with rising damp on the other side of the wall.
Use Both Sides of a Sponge
Disposable sponges are inexpensive and highly durable. Many sponges have a textured “rough” side to aid in getting hard to clean areas. The soft underside of a sponge may be used to gently wipe away all the loosened dirt that comes after a thorough scrub.
Disinfect All Surfaces
Although visible dust and dirt remain, bacteria that lead to viruses are microscopic and should be killed with a bleach solution, or any other cleaning agent that specifies it kills germs on the label.
What’s the Difference Between Tidy and Clean?
Tidying is when you put things away neatly. Cleaning involves actually making the surfaces clean. We’d consider vacuuming and scrubbing to be part of cleaning, rather than tidying.
The difference might be merely semantic, but it helps to remember that you should be tidying every day and cleaning every week. Of course your living situation may vary.
We all know about basic tidying. We all grew up being told, “Go clean your room.” But home cleaning is more complex than simply putting things away.
Like with many things, doing a bit of tidying as you move through a room makes the whole job a lot easier. It’s the same with cleaning.
You know how you work best. Play to your strengths, whether that’s focusing on one room at a time or one task at a time. For example, you might vacuum the whole house one day, wipe down the walls another day, clean the windows another day, etc.
Or you might work best by doing the kitchen one day, the bedroom another and the laundry on another.
We’re not here telling you how you should clean or how often you should clean. We’re just explaining that just because your parents cleaned in one way, or you saw a celebrity clean in one way, doesn’t mean you have to. Experiment and figure out what works best for you and your lifestyle.
While tidying up is a crucial part of the cleaning process, it’s only the first step. For your home to be truly clean, disinfecting and sanitizing is the next step to have a truly clean home.
To help your entire home be as clean as possible, it’s best to clean in stages:
Form a Plan
Is your spring cleaning goal to rearrange the whole house, or would you simply like to clean up?
If the goal is to put everything back where it was, make a mental note of where your belongings are placed, so you can return items to their original positions after you’ve cleaned up.
Dust and Vacuum
Be sure to get all surface dirt. Put the dishes in the dishwasher and scrub the sinks, tubs and showers.
It’s Time to Disinfect
Aerosols such as Febreze can eliminate germ-causing odour in your fabrics. However, nothing does the job better than a washing machine.
Wash Your Bedding and Pillows
Check the tags before you wash your bedding or pillows, but you can usually put bedding and pillows in the washing machine, or send the linen to a laundry service. Be sure to specify if your items are dry clean only.
Call a Professional Furniture Cleaning Service
You may hire a furniture cleaning service to come to your home and disinfect the couches if aerosol cleaners aren’t strong enough. Be sure to alert the cleaners if you have pets or small children.
Clean Tiles and Countertops
Use a bleach and water solution for your tiles and benchtops. When using bleach, always pay attention to the safety precautions on the label. Open windows and ventilate the area. Avoid contact with your skin.
Easy House Cleaning Tips
- For hardwood floors, use a milder cleaning agent. Be sure to use one of the several cleaners that specify they’re safe and effective for hardwood. Using anything too harsh will strip away the wood finish and damage the floors.
- Clean any picture frames and collectables on the mantle and shelves. Dust books using a gentle feather duster.
- For antique wood and other furniture pieces, modern cleaning agents are too harsh. Use a soft, dry cloth or a feather duster. For persistent stains and damage, contact an antique restorer in the Perth WA metro area for advice. The furniture may need to be refinished.
Once your home is properly sanitized, you’ll feel that wonderful spring clean sensation that many people around Perth look forward to.
