When preparing your home for spring there’s a lot more to be done than you may initially think. We all keep our homes tidy even in winter, but spring is the time to undertake the largest clean-up of all, and it includes cleaning items you usually ignore as they don’t get dirty that quickly or simply don’t come to mind when cleaning. This article discusses some useful spring cleaning tips, and gives some ideas on how to redesign your home in spring colors.
Cleaning Tips
1.Thoroughly Clean The Carpets
If you have carpets in your home, then dust and dust mites will have gathered there, even with regular vacuuming. It’s good to give your carpets a thorough clean at least once, maybe twice a year if you feel up to it, or if a member of the family suffers from allergies. There are many carpet cleaning products out there, but to give it a thorough clean, a carpet cleaner is best. There’s no need to buy one, as you can hire them out for a day or a few hours. They do a better job than most carpet cleaning products, and this way you can get away with this thorough clean once a year.
2. Wash Your Window Treatments
Regardless if you have curtains or blinds, they will all need a good clean this spring. Lots of curtains are machine washable, but those that aren’t can be soaked in soapy water in the bathtub and then wrung out. Make sure that the curtains are dry before you hang them back up. Certain styles of blinds are a bit simpler. With venetian blinds or vertical blinds for instance, all you need is a damp cloth and to then clean between the slats.
Roller blinds need a different style of cleaning. Detach the roller blind and lay it out on the floor. Attach the brush to the nozzle of your vacuum and carefully vacuum up all the dirt from the blind. Then lay it in the bathtub with some washing detergent, and a bit if bleach if it’s a white blind and let it soak for several hours. Once it has had time to soak, gently wipe along the length of the blind with a soft cloth. Empty the tub of the soapy water and fill it with clean water to rinse the blind. Repeat until all the soap suds are gone. To dry just hang them from a laundry line or drying wrack.
3. Vacuum Furniture And Mattresses
Vacuuming in between the cushions of furniture is a good way to keep your living room fresh and clean. Although vacuuming mattresses is a pain, it’s important to do to keep dust mites away and prevent bed bugs from finding a home within your mattress.
4. Clean The Forgotten Places
Places like the top of fan blades, and the fan above the stove are often forgotten, either due to it being such a hassle or because you can’t see the dirt. It’s still important to give these a good clean. Humidifiers are also often forgotten, but they more than anything need to be cleaned on a regular basis. You’d be surprised by how much dirt they pick up.
5. Microwave and Oven
I’m sure you clean both of these items on a regular basis, but you might as well include them in the spring cleaning, too. Oven cleaner products are best for ovens, as they make this so much easier than having to scrub the oven for hours yourself. If your microwave has some tough marks and stains that just won’t come off, then put a bowl full of water with some lemon juice in the microwave and heat the water for 2 minutes. Be careful when you take the bowl out again. The steam from the water and lemon will make the stains easier to clean.
Design Tips
Now, that your home is spotless, it’s time to add some color and life to it. Spring is all about a fresh and welcoming home, so consider repainting your living room in one of the two spring colors of 2012. Sunshine yellow is one of them, which is undoubtedly no surprise for spring and Fuchsia is the other. Combine either of these two with accessories in the same color, to get a great design.
Another trend of 2012 is floral patterns. You can buy accent pillows with floral patterns in fuchsia or yellow to really highlight your couch, as well as wall art that displays interesting floral patterns. If you’d rather not spend too much money, you needn’t leave out wall art, as you can create your own. You can either paint some small canvases yourself, or cut some old material of old curtains, cushions or sheets into shapes and arrange them in a nice pattern and then frame them. Then simply hang these up in an interesting grid, and your wall design is done.
You may want to give some of your wooden furniture a revamp. If it’s a good piece, made out of expensive wood, then a quick varnish will soon have it looking like new. It’s a cheap piece you’ve never really known what to do with, consider painting it white or in a light blue or pink pastel tone.
Giving your home a fresh look can’t only be achieved by using bright and vibrant colors in your design, but also by ensuring that your home keeps that fresh and clean smell. This doesn’t mean that you have to repeat the spring cleaning from above every day, just be aware of the house’s smell and if need be either air it more, or use air fresheners or fresh flowers to give it an appealing aroma. Daffodils are perfect if you’ve opted for the sunshine yellow color, while purple hyacinth or pink roses will work with the fuchsia colors. Remember to use relaxing smells for your air fresheners, so people feel comfortable and at ease in your home. Scents such as lavender, sandalwood, chamomile, orange, lemon, and juniper are all great at calming frazzled nerves and helping your home smell fresh.
