Dare we say it? Winter looks to finally be behind us! Bring on the blue skies, springtime flowers and extra hours of sunshine. Well, more likely spring-time showers (knowing the British weather!), but at least the rain will be marginally warmer. Chances are, the hours spent at home, over the last few months, has seen the heating notched up high and the windows firmly shut. And now spring’s finally gracing our horizon, that warm ‘cosy’ feel, we attributed to our households over the winter, have left our homes a little musty and stale. With that said; it’s time to open the windows and freshen up your home!
Now we’re not just talking about briefly vacuuming a path around the kids’ toys or casually plumping the sofa cushions. We’re talking air vents, mattresses, light switches and fixtures. Yes, it may seem a daunting task, especially given the fact that the majority of us dont have the energy to do a deep clean what with the schedules we have to keep or, merely the fact that cleaning is hardly one that incites a feeling of thrill or excitement. The reality is; a cleaner, tidier home equates to a healthier, more enjoyable living space that you can feel proud of. So, first thing’s first...
Before you can get to grips with any actual dust or dirt; it’s a good idea to have a good and thorough ‘throw-out’ session. Make yourself a rule of thumb to go by – for example; if an item hasn’t been used within the past two years and doesn’t serve an important purpose, it goes! Check bathroom cabinets for expired medical supplies; make-up drawers for separated nail polishes; charity shop clothes that you no longer wear and shred any redundant paperwork. And do you really need the four dead AAA batteries in your ‘useful drawer?’ Get recycling! This stage of our spring detox is definitely one of the most rewarding stages, given that your home will instantly have a more open and spacious feel to it, which in turn, lowers stress and anxiety levels.
If you’ve ever watched a single episode of Four in a Bed; the TV show where B&Bs go head to head in order to win a cash prize, you’ll know that dust can be found just about anywhere. Lampshades, cushions, curtains, air vents, picture frames…we could go on! To give your home that truly thorough clean; make sure to move items, rather than simply dusting around them. Vacuum behind sofas, under seat cushions, and picture rails.
While vacuuming removes the majority of surface dust and dirt; some areas are more effectively cleaned by hand with a good old-fashioned duster or dust cloth! Bookshelves, wood furniture, mirrors, picture frames and light fixtures can be that little bit fiddly and are better tackled by hand. Although dust is majorly formed from textile fibres, outdoor soil particles and human skin cells; according to a study published on the BBC,
‘the dust in our homes contains an average of 9,000 different species of microbes.’ Plus, households also contained, on average, around ‘7,000 different types of bacteria.’ This number increases for households with pets. Dust has also been known to aggravate certain allergies, and dust mites have been linked with childhood asthma. Removing excess dust in your home will consequently improve family health.
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On the washing list, you might want to consider; soap dishes, pillows, toothbrush holders, doors, skirting boards and bins. Bins are one of the main culprits depriving a home of that springtime freshness. Aesthetically, doors and cupboards often incur scuff marks, spillages and dirt, which causes brilliant white paint to look… well, not-so-brilliant! Removing such stains will give your fittings and fixtures a new lease of life. Don’t forget the door handles either; a large proportion of germs are passed on by touching infected surfaces.
Let’s face it; most kitchen appliances could do with a bit of T.L.C. (tender loving care)! We neglect our kettles, microwaves and ovens, and soon find that our coffee makers are dusted in granules and our toasters, coated in crumbs. Dishwashers, refrigerators and freezers seldom meet the weekly clean list in most households, and the oven hood can escape the cleaning ritual for months! Outside of the kitchen, shower heads, mattresses and the under-bed space are probably due a good clean too.
Alongside your spring clean; a good habit to practice is to replace batteries in the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Needless to say, these important little devices save lives, but cannot continue to do so with expired batteries. Other items that may need replacing are the air filter for the cooker’s extractor fan and your refrigerator’s water filter - for both practicality and health reasons.
Those adorable bath-time toys your kids love so much are prone to harbouring some not-so-loveable mould. Before throwing them out; there is a chance that you can remove the mould with a vinegar solution. Gaming consoles, keyboards, phones and remote controls are all commonly forgotten during a deep clean but are some of the areas most prone to germs. Make sure to wipe over these devices with an antibacterial wipe. Having tackled all of those commonly neglected areas in your home;
you’ll find that you have a fresher, cleaner and healthier space to live in. Although most people think to undertake a thorough home detox such as this each springtime; realistically, it is a good practice to clean your home in this manner each season, if not, monthly. This will help to reduce build-ups of dust, dirt and expired food matter, such as old toast crumbs around the toaster, and will be beneficial to all who live in your home. Happy cleaning!
