Do you ever just look at your house and think, “WOW, it is dusty in here. How did it get like this?” Don’t worry - everyone goes through this. This is your queue to begin spring cleaning. Follow these 5 steps and your house will be sparkling in no time!
Step 1: Plan of Action
The beginning of a deep clean is always the scariest part. You think, “I have so much to do...I can’t possibly accomplish this large of a task”. Don’t think that way! You CAN do it. You just need to break the larger project down into smaller steps. This is where a plan of action comes in handy. Write down everything you would like to accomplish. What is your goal for the house? How do you want to feel when you walk in? Think about every room. Make a list of all that needs to be done in each room. It’s important to plan this for a day where you have enough time. It is demotivating to make a list without having the time necessary to accomplish your tasks.
Step 2: Gather your Cleaning Supplies
Gather your cleaning supplies in a caddy. You will need an all-purpose cleaning solution, a window cleaner, a few cleaning rags, a step ladder, a bucket, a mop, a broom, and a vacuum. If you are in the market for new cleaning supplies, there are lots of environmentally friendly options online. You can find an array of reusable microfiber cloths and natural cleaning products.
Get creative! You may have all the ingredients for a DIY cleaning solution in your house. Distilled white vinegar mixed with water and essential oils is a great natural alternative to a store bought cleaning spray. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, you could use castile soap as a substitution.
Step 3: Bedrooms and Living Areas
Organize: Before you get started with the cleaning process, put your belongings in their places. Remove clothes from the floor and return them to the closet. Remove clutter and knick knacks from desk and table surfaces. Donate any items you no longer use.
Clear the room: Carefully move furniture pieces out of the room, to maximize cleaning efficiency. Let your bed mattresses air outside as you clean. If possible, move your bed frame away from the wall in order to clean under and around the bed. Open the windows to let fresh air in as you work.
Work from top to bottom: Clean the ceiling fans, the blinds, and the windows. Then dust the walls, wipe down furniture pieces and door frames. Clean the baseboards with a rag and multi surface concentrate (mixed with water). Vacuum the edges of the room and the floor. Wash sheets, linens, curtains, and bedskirts. Put everything back into the room.
Step 4: Kitchen
The same cleaning philosophy should be applied in the kitchen: organize, clear the room and work from top to bottom.
Clean: ceiling fans, lighting fixtures, the inside of the refrigerator, the refrigerator vent, the inside of the stove, microwave trays, draperies, and windows.
Dust / Wipe: Cabinets, drawers, tables, chairs and islands (follow the recommendations for your type of cabinetry).
Sweep / Mop / Vacuum: behind the stove and refrigerator, the baseboards, under tables and floor surfaces.
Step 5: Bathrooms
Bathroom Walls / Counter Surfaces / Floors: You guessed it, folks - work from top to bottom! Wipe down the bathroom walls with a non abrasive teflon sponge. Clean the toilet. Wipe down counter surfaces, air out bathroom rugs, clean baseboards, sweep and mop floor surfaces.
Showers / Bathtubs: Beware of mold, lime, and soap build up! Spray any visible mold with Tilex and let it sit for 5 minutes. Remove the Tilex with a teflon sponge and water. Spray the shower wall with a tub-safe multi purpose cleaner and scrub it with a teflon sponge to remove soap build up. Use vinegar and water to remove lime build up off of shower doors. Use a sponge to remove the vinegar. Dry the shower door with a clean rag.
La Voilà!