Getting Your Home Ready for Spring
It’s Spring time, and while we still have some time before warmer weather is fully upon us, it is a great time to start some cleaning projects around your home. Plus, most of us are all home now anyway, so if you wanted to tackle one of these chores each day, there is more time for it!
Here are 12 tips to getting your home ready for Spring this year!
Clean Gutters. This one is quite a chore, and one that many people put off because it’s no fun. However, having proper functioning gutters is very important in keeping water away from your foundation. For this project you will need a ladder, hose, and gloves. The best and safest practice is to use a ladder that when rested against your gutter, rises three feet above roofline. See image for other ladder safety rules. While on your ladder, use gloves to remove as much debris by hand as you can. Use the hose to spray clean and push debris through the bends of downspouts. Make sure all your downspouts are directing water away from your foundation by at least five to six feet.
Scrub walls, baseboards, and outlet covers. Since we’re washing everything else with warm soapy water, why not get those walls too! You’ll need a bucket, soap, sponge or brush, and gloves (if you want to protect your skin). This one is a great chore for kids as it’s pretty easy and safe (walls and baseboards only!). Remember that outlet covers should be removed, washed, and completely dried before re-installing. Do not clean in place.
Replace filters. Replace all filters including water, range hood and air vent filters. You should replace these filters every 3-6 months depending on the type of filter you have.
Clean faucets and shower heads. Unscrew the faucet aerators, sink sprayers and shower heads, and soak them in equal parts vinegar and water solution. Let them soak for an hour, then rinse with warm water. This helps remove any build-up that can accrue over time.
Clean out dryer vent. A clogged dryer vent can be a fire hazard. To clean it, disconnect the vent from the back of the machine and use a dryer vent brush to remove lint. Outside your house, remove the dryer vent cover and use the brush to remove lint from the other end of the vent line. Make sure the vent cover flap moves freely.
Wash exterior windows. If you have a one-story home, cleaning your exterior windows is a chore you can take on yourself if you have the ambition. All you need is a bucket of soapy water, sponge, and a squeegee. If you prefer not to take on this chore, or if you have higher windows, you can hire this work out. A great resource for this project is Miller Window Cleaning. Tell him I sent you!
Keep allergens away. This is a big one! There are a few aspects to consider when keeping your home as allergy-free as possible. First up are dust mites. To combat these allergens, clean up clutter. The less stuff in your house, the fewer places for allergens to hang out. Get rid of old rags, newspapers, clothes and other porous items. Limit knickknacks, magazines, and other dust catchers that you don't use or enjoy. Focus on bedrooms especially, because you and allergens both spend more time there. You should also consider a deep clean of all upholstery and rugs where allergens can settle in over time despite the best daily cleaning tactics.
Next, clean the air by installing HEPA air filters and maintain a healthy humidity of 50%. There is a great, inexpensive humidity reader from Amazon that I highly recommend by ThermoPro that makes tracking humidity easy.
Another area to clean is the bathroom. Your bathroom is for mold what your bedroom is for dust mites — heaven at home. Check pipes for leaks, scrub away mold on pipes and fixtures, clean the walls with a non-toxic cleaner, and clean the vent from dust. You should also check that the vent is venting to the exterior (which means a trip to your attic!) and always run your fan for thirty minutes before and after showers.
Finally, consider choosing smart landscaping. Avoid adding allergenic trees like maple (male), birch and ash (male) to the landscape. Instead, choose low-allergy trees like dogwood, double-flowered cherry and magnolia. Female ash and female maple trees are considered low-allergy, too, but buy from a reliable nursery source to be sure of the tree's gender. Low-allergy flowers include astilbe, impatiens, hosta, scabiosa, columbine and viola.
Check foundation vents. A house with a crawl space has vents along the foundation walls. The vents provide air circulation that helps prevent excess moisture and mold growth, and they prevent critters from taking up residence underneath your home. The screens collect leaves and other debris from fall and winter. Spring is a great time to clean them out and check for damage. Clean the vents by hand or use a shop vacuum. Repair any damaged screens — critters can get through even the smallest holes.
Clean the grill. Your grill has most likely collected dust during fall and winter. Help your grill live a long life with these maintenance tips, whether you have a charcoal or gas grill.
Prep your garden. You can't have a successful garden without good soil. Follow these tips on how to prepare your soil to help you grow a lush garden.
Test smoke alarms. Test smoke alarms and CO detectors, and change out batteries as needed. It's cheap, only takes a few minutes and can save your family's lives.
Clean outdoor furniture. Outdoor entertaining season is just around the corner. Learn the best ways to clean all outdoor furniture (recipes included), from plastic to canvas.
