Spring Clean Your Home in 6 Easy Steps
As the temperatures rise, the snow melts and flowers start to bloom, it’s the perfect time to pay special attention to cleaning and decluttering your home. Many people participate in some form of spring cleaning. But where should you start?
Give your house a refresh this spring with these 6 products and 6 steps.
Step 1: Start with a Plan
A formal plan and list can help make spring cleaning less overwhelming and more efficient. Explore each room in your home and make note of areas that will require attention.
Step 2: Gather & Inventory Cleaning Supplies
Now that you have a comprehensive list, ensure you have the tools and solutions to get the job done. Inventory the current cleaning supplies you have and make a shopping list for anything you might need. A good place to start would be…
- Bravo® Paper Towels
- Glass Cleaner
- Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- General All-Purpose Cleaner
- Floor Cleaner
- Furniture Polish
Step 3: Declutter
You have the tools. You have a plan. Now it’s time to start the deep clean! Start by putting items in the places they belong. This is a great time to prepare a box of items you no longer need to donate to charity or a family in need.
Step 4: Clean Top-Level items
Dust and debris can fall downward, so it is important to start up high. First, examine and clean any mounted ceiling light fixtures and fans. Use and foot stool and remove the glass part of the fixture carefully, keeping it level as to not spill any stored debris. Now, you can safely wash the glass with soap and water and dry using a highly absorbent Bravo Paper Towel. With the same towel, wipe down the metal parts of the fixture and ensure lightbulbs are working properly before re-installing the glass. Each sheet of Bravo Paper Towel is durable enough to be used again and again.
Use your foot stool and check ceiling corners for cobwebs and wipe down any crown molding or detail work that appears dirty.
Step 5: Clean Mid-Level items & Surfaces
Throughout the House:
Working your way down towards the floor, the next step will likely be windows and window treatments. If you have vertical or horizontal blinds, apply an all-purpose cleaner to Bravo Paper Towel and carefully wipe down each blind. Be careful, aluminum blinds can be sharp! If you have curtains, remove from the curtain rod and take outside to shake out any dust and debris. If curtains are extra dirty, wash them in your washing machine after consulting the care instruction tag.
Window treatments? Check. Windows come next! Grab a fresh Bravo Paper Towel and your glass cleaner and apply a healthy spray to each window. Wipe in a circular motion for a streak-free shine.
Continuing down, grab a Bravo Paper Towel and wipe down light switches and light switch plates. Using the same paper towel, clean doorknobs using an all-purpose cleaner. Tarnished with brass? Read our recent feature on restoring the shine on aged brass handles and more.
Grab a fresh Bravo Paper Towel and use furniture polish to clean any dust and debris from wooden coffee tables, end tables and kitchen tables.
In the Bathroom:
Lint, hair, soap scum and toothpaste, bathrooms are small rooms that can hold a lot of mess. Start by using an all-purpose cleaner to wipe down the vanity in your bathroom, including the sink. Rinse that paper towel and use it to wipe the exterior of the toilet. Grab some white vinegar to tackle soap scum in the shower. Use a rubber brand and a Ziploc bag to submerge your showerhead in vinegar. This will eat away at any mineral buildup without requiring you to scrub or remove the showerhead. Let this soak for at least 30 minutes.
Working your way down, next is the shower curtain or door. If using a shower curtain, examine for staining or mold and replace if needed. If a shower door, grab an all-purpose cleaner and rinse your paper towel to reuse. Wipe down your shower door in a circular motion to remove soap scum buildup. Rinse and reuse to clean around the base of the toilet next, paying special attention to the areas around the bolt caps. Remove the Ziploc bag and grab a fresh paper towel to wipe down the showerhead, removing minerals. Once clean, give everything a good rinse.
In the Kitchen:
Clean your garbage disposal by tossing some ice cubes mixed with lemon/lime wedges along with a steady stream of cold water to freshen it up. Turn off the disposal and continue to run water for 30 seconds.
Everything AND the kitchen sink. Wipe down the sink next using an all-purpose cleaner and a fresh Bravo Paper Towel. Rinse and reuse to wipe down the inside of your emptied dishwasher. Remove the dishwasher filter, scraping off any debris and rinsing thoroughly.
Clean appliances like the refrigerator, oven, stove and microwave as needed. If using an over-the-range microwave, check the filter for grease buildup and wash with dish soap as needed, drying with a Bravo Paper Towel before replacing.
Step 6: Clean Lowest Level Items
The worst is over. Grab a snack and a glass of water as you continue to the final level—the floor. Shake out small rugs or runners and leave outside as you give the full house a good vacuum, paying special attention to areas underneath furniture and along baseboards. Grab another paper towel and get it wet before wiping down the baseboards. This reference can offer more details on the best ways to clean baseboards.
Grab your mop and floor cleaner of choice and give the wood floors, laminate or tile a good cleaning, emptying the water as needed.
Take out the trash, light a candle, sit back and admire your work. Spring cleaning can be an undertaking, but with soft, absorbent, durable Bravo Paper Towels, homeowners can clean more with less. Find Bravo at a store near you.
Sources: https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/cleaning-tips/spring-cleaning/spring-cleaning-plan