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With the turn of a season and the weather warming up, there’s no better time to give your home a thorough cleanse. From floors to windows, dishwashers to ovens, here’s how to spring-clean every corner of your home.
No matter how diligently you vacuum, soft furnishings accumulate dust and bacteria. Large amounts of dust or toxins can impact the quality of the air you breathe, so it’s important to get rid of them, especially for people in your household who suffer from allergies and asthma. While vacuuming helps, giving your carpets a deep clean twice a year is recommended. This helps eliminate dirt, odours and embedded and visible stains. It’s also helpful in removing harmful bacteria, mould and allergens such as dust mites and pet dander.
Use steam cleaners and specialty detergents that work by reaching deep down into the fibres of carpets and upholstery. This will give your soft furnishings a thorough clean and it will also help extend their lifetime. (Carpet-cleaning machines can be rented from our Hire Shop.)
It’s a good idea to give your bathroom a thorough once-over every few weeks. This includes disinfecting all surface areas, including the floor and surrounding walls. To spruce up a grubby tub, spray with bathroom cleaner and leave for at least 15 minutes for it to work its magic before wiping and rinsing.
If there’s significant grime building up in your toilet, try scrubbing the bowl with a mix of baking soda and vinegar, or squirt in store-bought loo cleaner and leave overnight. If this doesn’t bring the results you’re after, try draining the bowl and using a light abrasive cleaner to attack any remaining problem areas. (To drain it, rapidly tip a bucket of water into the bowl, which will force most of the water down the trap. Use a sponge to soak up the small amount that is left).
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Window coverings gather dust, mould and stains; they should be cleaned at least every six months. However, don’t just bundle them into the washing machine without reading the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions first. Many can be hand-washed in cold water using a gentle detergent (not bleach) and line-dried from their hooks. If washing them seems like too much work, steam cleaning is an option for unlined curtains. Always wipe down the curtain rail and give the inside of the windows a clean before rehanging.
Like carpets, tiles and especially grouting need a thorough clean, particularly to remove any mould build-up. “Mould produces allergens, irritants and even toxins,” says Candice Cooke from Karcher. “Simply inhaling or touching mould spores may cause allergic reactions and, in some cases asthma attacks.”
Before you pull out the scrubbing brush, steamer or grout cleaners, understand what to use on your floor – check the manufacturer’s instructions. For example, steam cleaners are great for ceramic and porcelain tiles, but not for stone.
The slats of Venetian blinds are a dust trap. Many blinds can be cleaned with a feather duster, slat brush or vacuum cleaner. Others can be taken off their fittings and cleaned in the bath. Place towels underneath to avoid scratching and use a light detergent in warm water to help rub off grime. However, this method isn’t suitable for blinds made of timber or materials that swell. Timber blinds can be cleaned with a wood cleaner or furniture polish. A specialty brush – with multiple furry ‘fingers’ that fit between the slats – makes dusting Venetians easier.
It’s a time-consuming task, but cleaning windows is a must to give your home a spring-fresh feel. “Deposits of dirt created by winter conditions, exhaust fumes, pollen, fallen leaves or residues from insects not only impact visibility, but also shorten the life span of window seals,” says Candice. Window vacuums can lessen the burden of interior cleaning – simply spray on the cleaning agent, wipe with a microfibre cloth to soften and loosen the dirt, and then vacuum it away. Products that include a hose spray for touch-free cleaning can help reach higher windows.
A greasy, dirty oven is not only bad for the taste of food and the efficiency of your appliance, it’s also a dangerous fire hazard. If you’re noticing a waft of smoke drifting out when you open the oven door, it’s time to give it a deep clean. Depending on the level of work required, a baking soda and vinegar paste left overnight can be effective for loosening baked-on residue. However, if you’ve let things go for a while, bring in a heavy-duty cleaning product that can cut through grease and grime. Always check your oven’s manual or the manufacturer’s website and follow the recommended methods for your model.
Like the oven, a dishwasher needs a deep clean in order to operate at its full potential. Remove the bottom filter and run it under hot water, scrubbing with a plastic brush to clear any food remnants. Next, remove any gunk from around the drain area and door seal, and give other internal parts a scrub with hot, soapy water. Replace the filter, then pop in a cup of white vinegar for a cycle to remove any grease build-up. Follow with a cycle using baking soda to rid the machine of odours. (Always check your manual first).
Sticky fingers, dust and pet hair stuck to the screen and surrounds mean the TV also deserves some good housekeeping for optimum viewing. Screens are delicate, so use a microfibre cloth or electrostatic duster for dust removal. Be sure to turn the TV off first and don’t forget the remote controls – wipe these down with a disinfectant cloth.
Tip: Never spray harsh cleaning products onto your TV, as they may harm the screen and affect your warranty.
Check out our tips to improve your air quality at home.
Some products are not available at all stores, but may be ordered.
Photo Credit: Sue Stubbs, Getty Images, Brigid Arnott and Anna Robinson
