Spring is festival season in Singapore and not only is there a big possibility of visitors to your home and parties but this is also the time when you might have some days off. This is an excellent opportunity to clean up and organize some areas of your home. You might also want to hire someone to help you clean up around your home if the task seems daunting to you. Before you start, the following are some very helpful spring cleaning tips which you should take into account for a cleaner home and faster cleanup.
1. Keep your home basically clean and organized always. Despite spring cleaning being the best time to organize and clean up your home, you should still try to make an effort to organize and keep your house clean everyday. Most people feel tired after their daily jobs and only find them to sweep the floor and wipe surfaces during the weekends.
2. If you are going to hire someone to help clean your place, check out cleaning services in the city which your friends have used or come highly recommended. Reputable firms take special care when it comes to hiring their workers and train them for all sorts of situations and cleaning tasks. This is a case where paying more may be more beneficial for you in terms of avoiding theft and being taken advantage of.
3. It is important to plan your cleaning strategy before you start. Clear your daily schedule according to how extensive the work might be. Spread your cleaning plan through several days because an extensive cleanup cannot be achieved in one day. Set aside a few days for cleaning and organizing.
4. Get your cleaning materials and paraphernalia ready. It would be such a waste of time to continually go out to buy cleaning supplies when you have already started cleaning. Here is a list of cleaning materials that you should have on hand:
– all around vacuum cleaner
– duster/microfiber mitt/ sponges
– rubber gloves
– large pail
– squeegee
– trash bags/liners/bins
– cleanser/ surface scrub
– heavy duty hand brush/ scrubber/ toilet bowl brush
– dust wipes
– bleach
– glass cleaner
– furniture polish/ leather care solution/ furniture shampoo
– broom
– dustpan
– mop
– toilet bowl cleaner
– baking soda
– mold remover
– ladder
5. Remove unnecessary clutter from one area at a time and organize these according to need. Not all clutter should be thrown out but they should not be left out in the open also. Assess which you should keep and which to give away. If something is destroyed or damaged, it may be best to dispose of it responsibly instead of trying to give it away to a charity or organization. Know when something is useless or useful.
6. Get new and more efficient appliances when you can. Sometimes we make do with our old, inefficient appliances because of time and financial constraints as well as sentiment. It may be more cost efficient to get a new unit than to keep on using a dangerous and damaged one. When cleaning appliances, please remove their plugs from wall sockets to avoid electrocution and other injuries.
7. Organize your closet. Although Singapore sits pretty close to the equator, you may have some winter clothes taking up some space in your closet. It may be best to wash heavy clothing for colder times according to their instructions, put them in a vacuum bag or box and store them in the attic or a storeroom. Space is a premium in Singapore and attics or storerooms may not be readily available so you can store the vacuum bag under your bed instead.
8. Clean from the top to the bottom. When dusting or wiping, it is best to start from the top since debris and dust will settle or fall to the bottom. The accumulated debris and dust can be swept or vacuumed afterwards. In the same way, start cleaning from the inside going out. Start with innermost rooms or areas and eventually make your way to the door or outside.
9. Don’t forget to clean air vents, louvers, HVAC units and windows properly. Since it is spring, allergens abound in the environment and it is important to remove any accumulated dust in the units that provide ventilation and air to your house. Extensive cleaning of the HVAC unit is done better by professional cleaners. Allow your unit to dry (if you are doing the task yourself) before turning it on. If it is still wet and you turn it on, the dust that comes with the air will stick to the wet areas and turn to mud.
10. Change your curtains and drapes regularly. These trap dust better than anything else in your home because these are usually placed in windows and open spaces. Although they help to filter out the dust that enter your home, they can also store dust and expel these when they are moved. If you are doing the washing, rinse out the dust first before washing the curtains and drapes with soap. This will prevent a possible muddy accumulation in your washing machine.
11. Wax your floors so the dust will just sit on top of the waxed surface and be easier to sweep or vacuum out. Follow instructions on applying the wax and buffing floors. A coating of wax protects wooden floors from damage and water seepage from spills. Take care when buffing too well because shiny floors can be slippery ones.
12. Take time to personally clean your expensive items yourself. You might be tempted to breeze your way through a shelf full of crystal figurines with a large and bulky duster; don’t! Take time to clean each individual item; gently brush the crevasses free of dust and wipe broad surfaces with a microfiber cloth. Handle these gently and carefully. There may be special cleaners for the kind of material each object is made of. If you have hired someone to help you clean, and you do not mind them handling your expensive things, give explicit instructions regarding the objects’ care.
13. Carpets and wooden floors need extra special care. You might have to bring your expensive rugs and carpets to a professional cleaner if there are stains and debris on them. Do not try to clean these out yourself if you do not have any idea how. Wooden floors often get nicks and gouges from heavy foot traffic. There are special ways of removing shallow damage and restoring the shine of your wooden floors. Deep gouges might need expert care and attention.
14. Beds and other upholstered furniture will benefit from a thorough vacuuming every spring or every couple of months. Sometimes you may be too tired or lazy to thoroughly vacuum these items weekly and they may have accumulated dust, debris and even small bugs. These contribute to respiratory issues and exacerbate allergies.
15. Read instructions before trying out new cleaning supplies and appliances. Some supplies are toxic and harmful if they come in contact with your skin. Please take the precaution of getting to know the cleansers that you use before even opening the containers. Some vacuum cleaners also have special attachments and functions which you might need to get used to. If your vacuum is new, ask a sales clerk to show you how the functions work before having it delivered to your home.
16. Your safety is the priority when cleaning your home. Wear protective gear such as industrial grade gloves, face mask and thick sturdy clothing when doing extensive cleaning. Tie your hair up if it is long or use a bandana to cover it. Lift heavy objects the proper way and do not use a rickety ladder or stool to reach high places. Instruct hired help regarding the right way to use materials and
supplies.
These are some very useful and effective tips for spring cleaning in 2016. Always bear in mind that if the task seems difficult or too much, there are several cleaning companies in the country that can do the cleaning for you.