Spring has finally sprung, so it’s time to get your house in order. Nothing is better than a fresh spring cleaning to usher in a new vibrant season of life. However, when it comes to cleaning and organizing, there are a lot of spring cleaning mistakes you could make. Let’s go over the eight most common missteps so that you can avoid them and do your spring cleaning right.
1. Starting Without a Plan
If one day you wake up and suddenly decide you want to clean your entire home, chances are you will go at it in a sporadic way that will end up taking more time than it should. Instead, make a plan of attack ahead of time and stick to it.
Do your cleaning room by room, from the top down, or from one side of the house to the other. Keeping your cleaning isolated in one area at a time will help you avoid more messes.
Cleaning in an organized way instead of upheaving your entire home will help you stay motivated and get the job done quicker, so don’t skip this step. As hard as it sounds, you shouldn’t start cleaning until you have a well-thought-out spring cleaning strategy.
2. Cleaning From Bottom to Top
Vacuuming can immediately make a room feel clean and fresh, so it makes sense that you would want to do that chore first. However, you’ll end up costing yourself more time and hassle in the long run if you clean each room from the bottom to the top.
As you move on to the walls, windows, and furniture, the dust you wipe off will settle onto the floor, which means you’ll need to clean it all over again. Instead, start at the top of each room and work your way down.
If you have crown molding, dust the entire perimeter of the ceiling first. Next, work on the light fixture or ceiling fan. Then move on to the walls, windows, and light switches. Furniture is up next, and then you can finally clean the baseboards. After each of those tasks is done, you can move on to the flooring.
Cleaning in this order is more efficient and guarantees a more thorough clean without any wasted elbow grease.
3. Not Airing Out Your House
If you don’t open your doors and windows while you do your spring cleaning, it won’t be long until your entire home is full of dust. It may seem harmless, but dust can lead to some pretty unpleasant allergy symptoms if you breathe in too much over a long period of time.
Another thing you don’t want to breathe in too much of is your cleaning products. Airing out of your house while you work will help reduce indoor air pollution, which will protect your lungs in the long run.
4. Skipping the Decluttering Process
It’s easy to stuff things into drawers, under beds, or in closets so you can start deep cleaning right away. But eventually, those hidden things will creep out of their hiding spots and make your home look messy all over again.
Don’t let your hard work go to waste. Before you start deep cleaning, go room by room and do a decluttering. If you haven’t done this in a while, chances are you have some belongings that you don’t use or need anymore.
Make piles of things you want to keep, donate, recycle, sell, or throw away. When you’re done, put everything you want to keep back in an organized way that makes sense. Then you can start cleaning.
Decluttering first will make the entire deep cleaning process much easier, and it will go quicker since you aren’t constantly moving around your extra belongings. You’ll also feel lighter and more excited to make the rest of your home sparkle.
5. Not Using the Right Home Cleaning Tools
If you’re using the same rag and cleaning solution to clean in every room, you’re doing it wrong. Different surfaces need different types of materials, tools, and products to get the cleanest. For instance, wood floors should be cleaned with a microfiber cloth instead of a steam cleaner.
For your stone countertops, avoid glass cleaners and vinegar solutions and use dish soap and water instead. For intense pet hair, use a vacuum attachment instead of just the vacuum. For shower and bathtub grout, scrub with an old toothbrush instead of a rag.
Learning a couple of tips and tricks like this will make sure you get the best clean in a shorter amount of time.
6. Not Wearing the Right Spring Cleaning Clothes
Spring cleaning isn’t for the faint of heart. You will get dirty, so don’t risk your favorite clothes. Reserve a couple of old t-shirts and pants that you only wear for cleaning, so it doesn’t matter how dirty they are at the end of the day.
7. Trying to Do It All in One Day
Spring Cleaning is a multi-day process, so make sure you have the time to put aside to get it all done. Trying to do it all in one day will just leave you frustrated and make you rush. You’ll also miss cleaning crucial areas.
If you can’t take a whole week to do it all, set aside a few hours each evening instead. Permitting yourself to take your time to do the job right will help you have better expectations and stay motivated until it’s all done.
8. Not Hiring a Professional Service
At the end of the day, spring cleaning is a huge job. You can do a lot of it on your own, but if you want to save time and guarantee a really deep clean, hiring a professional cleaning service is the way to go.
They will clean areas you didn’t even think about, and they have the tools to get to those hard-to-reach areas. You will not regret bringing in the pros to finish the job.
Avoid Spring Cleaning Mistakes
Steering clear of these spring cleaning mistakes will guarantee a spotless home in no time. You’ll feel so refreshed and ready to take on the new season when all the work is done.
If you decide to hire a professional cleaning service to help you out, Bellos Cleaning is here for you. Request a free quote for your home today.