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AHH SPRING. Time for regrowth, freshening up, warmers days, young love and ... cleaning.
With warmer days comes the motivation to shuffle out of hibernation and, after a sluggish season, come to terms with the need to clean. But where do you start? Whether its over a day or a weekend, there are plenty tips available to get you on the path to a cleaner home.
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Top down. Start cleaning at the top - both of the house and of each room. By tidying, dusting, cleaning and then vacuuming - in that order - you will ensure you wont need a do-over with the floor being the last surface to be cleaned.
Bed-ginning. Start your cleaning routine where you spend the most time - your bedroom. As well as being a hot-bed for bodily detritus, such as skin cells, hair, sweat, this is also where anything youve picked up during the day (pollen, dirt or dust) can end up. As well as a good spring clean, you should clean your sheets once a week and use a mattress protector (which should also be washed, but slightly less often).
Lighten up. An extension of the top-down philosophy is remembering to clean your light fittings and ceiling fan blades. Remove the parts you can and wash with warm soapy water; fixed fittings can be wiped with a damp cloth.
Its curtains. Quite often the least likely item to get cleaned. Some curtains will require dry cleaning (heavy or particularly delicate materials, lined curtains), others can be put in the washing machine (after removing any hooks). If you can remove cushion covers from your couch, they can also be given a whirl in the washer.
Clean cleaners. Before you start your big spring clean, make sure your equipment is cleaned and ready to go. Of particular importance is a clean sponge. This germiest of items can be given a quick bleach bath (one part bleach, nine parts water).
Use it or lose it. If you you come across items - whether it is sporting gear, musical instruments or clothes - that you havent used in the last 12 months, it may be time to move them on to a new owner via your nearest op shop.