Spring has sprung, which means you’re ready never to see a snow shovel or a wool sweater again. It also means, it’s time for spring cleaning. It’s a lot of work, but we at DCH Toyota of Oxnard think there’s nothing quite like the lightness and renewal that comes from a good spring cleaning. Put on some of your favorite music and get cleaning.
Spring into action
A thorough spring cleaning is a serious undertaking. Make sure you’ve set aside enough time to do the job right. Here are some basic tips you can apply to each room as you go.
Work from top to bottom. Unless you were bitten by a radioactive spider you probably won’t be scrubbing the ceiling, but you should start cleaning each room in your house from the top down. That means dusting ceiling fans and wiping away any dusty cobwebs. While you’re up there, now’s a good time to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
And while they, whoever they are, might not do windows, you should. Nothing makes a bigger difference than clean windows. Wipe them down first. Then use newspaper and a water and vinegar solution to clean them. Drying with newspaper will help minimize streaks. Don’t use towels, they’ll just leave naughty little fibers behind. Don’t forget to clean the screens when you remove them to do the outside.
Be sure to take down all of the window treatments (curtains, blinds, swanky valances) in each room and clean or have them cleaned.
And, bring a donation box with you into each room as you clean so you can toss unwanted items immediately.
In addition to the usual clean routines (dusting, mopping and vacuuming), here are some room-specific jobs you should tackle.
Kitchen
Kitchens take a beating during winter. That means they need extra love when it comes time to clean.
- Change the shelf paper in the cabinets.
- Wipe down those small kitchen appliances you have stuffed in the back of cabinets.
- Clean the fridge. That old jar of olives has to go. Don’t forget to clean on top of the fridge and vacuum the coils if you can reach them.
- Clean the oven and stove. Be sure to follow instructions on how to clean your particular oven and be prepared to find Jimmy Hoffa in your drip pans.
- If you’ve “inherited” more plastic containers than you need, set some aside in your donation box.
- Clean the trash can.
Bonus: Now is the time to clean that utility drawer. How many old sets of keys do you really need?
Bathroom
- Wash the walls. It’s amazing, and frankly, horrifying, what gets stuck on them.
- Clean the air vents and fans.
- Scrub the tub, toilet, shower and sink. You may want to take a long soak in the tub when this is all said and done, so be sure it’s clean.
- Clean the trash can.
Bonus: Clean the medicine cabinet. Ten year old NyQuil is just plain scary.
Bedroom
- Clean the ceiling fan if you have one
- Flip your mattress
- Wash your bedding
- Pull furniture away from the walls and get behind them
- Don’t forget to clean under the bed. You can safely trap and release any wild dust bunnies if necessary.
Bonus: If you have any strength left, tackle the closet. Now is the time to get rid of the clothes you don’t wear and make room for new acquisitions.
A quality spring cleaning is hard work. But, once you’re done, your house sparkles. And, best of all, you don’t have to do it for another year!
