Spring Cleaning Check List
Spring cleaning was once a dreaded time of year. Then one day, someone asked, “Why do all these things need to be cleaned in the spring? The answer is that it doesn't if you keep up on it. If you haven’t yet realized that you can clean easier throughout the year, check out our other season cleaning checklists (Summer, Fall & Winter). Keep reading though because the best part is a lot of the cleaning is done outside and you can enjoy the beautiful weather.
Walls
Once a year, you should wash semi-glossy and glossy painted surfaces and vinyl wall paper. If you have flat painted surfaces or delicate wallpaper, only clean stains with a damp cloth. This is especially important if you have smoke (from fireplaces or cigarettes), fingerprints, and grease in kitchens.
It’s usually only necessary to wash those walls affected by such stains. If your walls don’t look dingy, you don’t have children, and there’s no fireplace or cigarette smoker, you’ll probably only have to clean the kitchen walls.
You can clean with a solution of;
- 1 cup ammonia
- 1 teaspoon dish soap
- 1 gallon of water.
When you clean walls, work from the bottom up, starting at the base boards to prevent staining of streaks through dirty walls. Follow with a clean cloth dipped in clean water, and then dry with another clean, dry cloth.
Don’t scrub your walls as you can cause damage to painted or wallpapered surfaces, and be careful around wallpaper seams. If you have hair spray on the walls of your bathroom, diluted shampoo works great.
Dryer Ducts
Take the dryer duct off the back of your dryer and vacuum it to make sure it’s free of lint. Every other year (or every year as they are not expensive), you should replace the duct instead of cleaning it. This will prevent possible fires and make your dryer work more efficiently.
Also take this opportunity to check your vent cap (on the outside of the house). Make sure it’s there and in good repair so it doesn’t let in mice or other creatures.
Refrigerator & Freezer
This is the time to do a thorough job where you take everything out and clean the shelves. It won’t take long enough to worry about food spoiling if you just get in there and do it.
Use an antibacterial household cleaner and clean off all the shelves. Take out the drawers and wash them in the kitchen sink. When you’re done, take everything out of the freezer and put it in one side of the sink. Use the same cleaner to wipe down all surfaces.
If you have ice cube trays, wash them in the top shelf of the dishwasher or let them soak in the sink.
Air Conditioners
If you have a central air conditioning unit and you don’t use a cover for the outside unit, you should have the unit serviced before it is used. The company will professionally clean and test your unit to make sure it’s free from debris and working properly. Before starting your unit for the first time, you should restore power to it for at least 24 hours. You should also vacuum all inside vents and registers.
Smoke Alarms
Twice a year (spring and fall), you should change the battery of your smoke alarms. You should also take off the cover and vacuum the alarm to get rid of dust or cob webs that might make it malfunction. Test the alarm afterward by blowing out a candle underneath it. If it doesn’t work, contact your local fire department for advice.
Sheds & Garages
For most people, this will be your biggest outdoor spring cleaning project. It’s time to de-clutter and clean your shed and/or garage. The easiest way to accomplish shed and garage cleaning is to enlist help.
It’s definitely worth your while to beg or bribe children and teenagers (try forcing them under the euphemism of “family bonding”). If you don’t have help, it’s still doable, but you should break it down and do a little at a time. Get some music on the radio, lots of trash bags, and go.
Get rid of anything you haven’t seen and haven’t missed in the last year. Throw away ancient bird seed and fertilizer. Take everything out, sweep the floor, and put things back in a logical and orderly way. Return tools back to their proper places. This is usually the time to have a garage sale or make a large donation to a local charity.
Gutters
Before the spring rains, it’s an excellent time to clean and flush your gutters to make sure they will do their job. Remove any debris from the gutters and downspouts, and then flush with a jet spray nozzle on your garden hose.
Patio Furniture
To be able to enjoy the spring weather outdoors, you’ll want to clean your patio furniture. It’s very simple to do, but it can be avoided completely if you purchase weatherproof covers for your furniture.
Start with a broom or stiff brush and get all of the dirt, debris, and spider webs off the furniture. Using a mild solution of dish soap (or dishwashing detergent) and water, brush the furniture clean. Rinse and wipe with a clean cloth.
Birdbaths, Houses, and Feeders
Birdbaths, bird houses, and bird feeders can get grungy, but birds are pretty particular. They aren’t happy when there is soap or cleanser residue in the baths, homes, or food. To avoid this, use water only or a damp cloth on houses and feeders when you can. Surprisingly, birds have no reaction to a weak bleach solution.
This is what you should use to clean birdbaths and very soiled bird feeders. Sometimes you’ll find that a wasp or spider family prefers it for a home. Be very careful, and never just grab a birdfeeder or birdhouse. I always whack my birdhouses and wooden feeders with a broom handle before I touch them.
Lawn Mower
Spring cleaning means the lawn needs attend to. Check and replace (if necessary) the air filter on your lawn mower. To make your lawn mower last longer, you should have a professional tune-up at the beginning of the mowing season.
In summary, spring cleaning does not have to be an insurmountable chore. If the tasks are attended to before the job gets overwhelming, you'll have much less work over all to deal with. We hope this spring cleaning checklist will help you stay on top of the task.
