Spring cleaning or deep cleaning is a common practice at the onset of the warmer weather after a long and cold few months. It’s when people gather their cleaning supplies and freshen up their homes to prepare them for the new seasons ahead. While most people might know what a spring clean means, not everyone knows what it entails. Here are a few common spring cleaning mistakes you might be making that are best to avoid.
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Not Changing Your Air Filter
One of the first things worth doing when undertaking your annual deep clean is replacing your air filter. A clogged, dirty air filter, even a quality MERV 13 filter, can not only lead to HVAC system failure but can cause a whole host of other problems.
As it’s working harder to push air, it’s using more energy and increasing your power bill. It may also be so blocked that it’s not giving your home the air it needs and can even cause particles to settle in your home rather than be caught up in the filter.
Most people see the value in replacing their MERV 13 air filter every 60 to 90 days. Fortunately, the replacement process is fast, easy, and affordable. You may even notice a difference in your energy bill.
Not Having a Plan
As spring cleaning is a much more intensive task than your regular household chores, it’s crucial to have a plan. Without one, it’s easy to spend the entire day doing a scattering of different jobs, only to end up making no noticeable headway once the day is over.
In the days leading up to your chosen deep cleaning day, form a list of jobs that you can tick off as you go. They can be vague like ‘clean the kitchen,’ or specific, such as ‘organize the pantry.’
Given how much time some cleaning tasks take, such as carpet washing, it may be in your best interest to organize this plan to take place over several days.
Using Harmful Cleaning Products
The cleaning aisle of your local supermarket can be overwhelming. There seems to be a product for every job, and some of them have some questionable ingredients you may not want in your home.
Even though some jobs may call for heavy-duty products like bleach, most won’t. You can often enjoy a clean, germ-free home with simple solutions like vinegar mixed with water.
Not Clearing Clutter
We tend to accumulate a lot of clutter in a short space of time. It’s easy to dust around the clutter, but you can also use spring cleaning as an opportunity to get rid of it altogether.
Separate your possessions into four piles – keep, donate, sell, and throw away. Everyone in the family can get on board to help you declutter and enjoy a far more spacious, tidy home for the seasons ahead.
Neglecting the Hard-to-Reach Places
You might not pay much attention to the layer of dust on your ceiling fan or spiderwebs accumulating on light fittings, but they’re there. Gain an immense sense of satisfaction by cleaning those often neglected and hard-to-reach places.
Spring cleaning can be labor-intensive and time-consuming, but it can also be incredibly satisfying. Any time you undertake a deep clean of your home, consider factoring in some of this information above.
