Spring cleaning is all about getting our homes ready for a new season of sunshine, warmth and time outdoors – and indoors, too – especially if that’s where you’re spending a lot of time right now. Get ready to wipe off the grime, clear out the cobwebs and refresh your living spaces.
Add these project to your spring-cleaning checklist, and you’ll be rewarded with a home that feels brighter, cleaner and more functional.
Best of all, you can knock out most of these jobs in a weekend.
Wash windows, inside and out
Some say clean windows make your whole home look better, and we think it’s true.
For a DIY cleaning job that yields professional results, use a solution of water, ammonia and white vinegar. Apply the solution to your windows with a large sponge, and remove it with a professional-grade squeegee.
Clean refrigerator and air conditioner coils
These appliances create a cooling effect by circulating air through the coils. Over time, dust builds up on the coils and decreases their efficiency, making your refrigerator or air conditioner work a lot harder.
Unplug the appliance, then vacuum out the coils with your vacuum’s crevice tool. You can also use a special refrigerator-coil cleaning brush, available at most hardware stores.
Check ceiling fans
Clean your ceiling-fan blades to remove winter dust build up.
And if you reversed your ceiling fan’s direction to clockwise for the winter, turn it back to counterclockwise for the warmer months. This sends the air straight down, creating a cooling effect.
Clean dryer vent
Cleaning a dryer vent is easier than you might imagine. First, unplug the dryer from the power source. Next, clean out the vent with a special dryer-vent cleaning brush or a vacuum.
Deep-clean carpets
Even if you vacuum regularly, a thorough carpet cleaning once a year will reach deep down into the fibers to clean out debris, dust, and food particles.
If you don’t own a carpet cleaner, you may be able to rent one from a home improvement store or even your local grocery chain store.
Inspect roof, gutters and chimneys
Spring is the perfect time to check your roof for damage that may have occurred over the winter. If you can’t use a ladder to get up on the roof, try inspecting it with binoculars.
Check decks and patios
If the finish on your wooden deck still looks good, that’s great! You might just need to clean the deck to get it ready for summer.
If the finish appears to be worn, then you’ll want to consider both cleaning and resealing the deck. For decks made of composite material, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and preserving the deck.
Prep lawn equipment
Get those lawn mowers, weed whackersnand pressure washers out of storage, turn them on, and make sure they are running properly. Sometimes a little lubricant or cleaning is all you need to get your tools back in shape.
Clean outside furniture
Use Murphy Oil Soap for wood furniture. For most other types of outdoor furniture, a solution of dishwashing liquid and water should do the trick.
Freshen up your front entrance
Sweep and/or wash the front porch and steps. Shake out your welcome mat, or replace it if it’s starting to fray or fall apart. Add a pot or two of brightly colored annuals, and your home will feel renewed!
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Originally published April 2017