Spring Cleaning Made Easy...Part 1 ~ Around the House

I received quite a few ideas for this blog posting. My interest was tweaked when Margaret from Winter Crochet (www.wintercrochet.etsy.com) suggested a post about spring cleaning, and I'm mean real get-it-done spring cleaning. So, I researched for tips on how to best get your home ready for spring. This will be a three part blog series, Part 1 ~ Around the House, Part 2 ~ Kitchens and Bathrooms, and Part 3 ~ Outside Home Spring Maintenance.

In our neck of the woods, ants are a real problem in spring. It seems just all of sudden the pests have descended and there's no way to get rid of them. Here are 10 tips on how to get your home organized for spring and to keep the pesky pests at bay.

1. Wash windows inside and out. Wipe down the sills. To clean window screens, rub them with a light weight oil (such as Grapeseed) on both sides, and then rinse them with soap and water. The oil clings to the dirt and grime thereby allowing for a thorough clean and keeps the screen material pliable to prevent pulling from the frame. By using the light weight oil it ensures the benefits while not leaving a greasy film.

2. To revive drab drapes, take them down, remove hooks and run them through an air-fluff cycle in the dryer with a damp towel. The damp towel attracts the dust and removes it from the drapes. Run the drapes for approximately 15 minutes and then re-hang immediately. If you own blinds instead, just wipe them down with a damp cloth. Do not soak blinds in water with cleaning products. This makes the blinds brittle and causes breakage.

3. Dust your home thoroughly. Take everything off shelves, tabletops and dressers to dust. Now is also the time to get all the places you've been neglecting throughout the year, including ceiling fans, above kitchen cabinets, baseboards and doorways.

4. Wash out trash cans. To really clean garbage cans, spray them with a hose and dump out the water. Next, spray the inside with a disinfectant spray, scrub with a handled brush and rinse. Then spray the can with a citronella based product, this will help keep the pesky pests away. Leave them upside down to dry. Be sure to do this in a well ventilated area.

5. Move furniture away from walls and clean underneath.

6. Deep clean your flooring. Have your carpets professionally cleaned and wax wooden floors.

7. Clean upholstered furniture. Vacuum pillows, as well as underneath the cushions. Look for stains and clean according to the care label.

8. Warm weather also means shutting down the heating system and turning on the air conditioning, be sure to change all the filters.

9. Check all doors and windows for leaks and drafts, particularly near the corners. Look for peeling and chipping paint, which can signal water intrusion. Seal any open areas between the frame and the wall to keep out water, which can deteriorate building materials.

10. Vacuum inside closets and watch for signs of insects. Be sure that the closet or area is also clean and free of anything that bugs might find delicious such as dust, other insects, crumbs or food and beverage stains....these are all attractive to pests.

These are a great way to get you started with your spring cleaning projects. Check back with me tomorrow for Spring Cleaning Made Easy...Part 2 ~ Kitchens and Bathrooms.

Cheers and Blessings,