Spring is coming, and although the weather outside may not be cooperating, summer will be here before you know it! Who came up with the idea of spring cleaning and why do we still talk about it?
Some studies have traced the idea of spring cleaning back to country of Iran and the Nowruz (Persian New Year) celebration, which falls on the first day of spring. Iranians today still practice the habit of khooneh tekouni, or literally “shaking the house”, in preparation for this celebration.
It’s also a good idea because with warm weather comes the sun and all the healing and disinfecting properties that it carries. After a winter of sickness and germs, airing out and cleaning things properly can bring health inside the house just as the sun is bringing it outside.
Maybe you’re the type of person who stays on top of the cleaning throughout the year, or maybe the thought of tackling your house is overwhelming–either way, here are a few baby steps you can take to starting the “spring cleaning” process with Wyoming Self Storage Units!
Start at the top
If you have an hour one day, start at the top of the rooms in your house and spend some time dusting. The tops of windows, doorways, high shelves, and crown molding could probably all use a dusting and wiping. My favorite method is to use the vacuum hose to get off some of the dust, then follow with a dusting mitt, and then finish by wiping with a damp microfiber cloth. Don’t forget about your ceiling lights and fans!
Make a laundromat trip
Spring is a great time to give all your bedding and linens a good washing after a long winter. Plan to make a big trip to the laundromat to wash all the bed comforters, washable rugs, bed skirts, slipcovers, and curtains in your house.
Clean the drains
Get some Drain Snakes from Amazon or your local hardware store, and clean out all the drains in your showers, sinks, and bathtubs–you’ll be surprised at how much has built up in them, and how much faster water will drain after you take care of it.
Replace the air filters
This should ideally be done once every six months, but less frequently is better than never! While you’re changing them, wipe down the return vents throughout the house to free them of dust and hair.
Clean your washer and dryer
If you do a lot of laundry, the cleaning of your washer, and especially, your dryer should be a top priority. Dryer fires are common and can be destructive, and it’s mostly because of build up in the vents. Here’s a good tutorial for cleaning your dryer, and it would never hurt to hire a professional for this type of job!
Rent a power washer
If the weather cooperates, renting a power washer for a weekend would give you time to work on several areas of the outside at once. You can do your porch or patio, driveways and sidewalks, the siding of your house, and even work on the exteriors of the windows.
Clean the oven and grill
The oven and grill use a lot of the same cleaning techniques, so why not combine their cleaning to prepare for a summer of grilling and clean up after a winter of baking? Here’s a good article about using ammonia to clean out baked-on areas of the grill and oven.
Over the next few months, plan to spend a few Saturdays completing some of these tasks as a family, so you can enjoy the rest of the spring and summer knowing that your home has been maintained and taken care of!
If you find yourself needing to get rid of boxes, furniture, and clutter to be able to clean the way you need to, why not give a storage unit a try? At Self Assured Storage, we are experts at keeping your belongings clean and safe, so you can get your house back to the way you like it. Give us a call today!
