Spring has officially arrived here in Christchurch so don’t let a dirty home ruin you welcoming the blooming flowers and longer days! Whether you’re living in a Christchurch rental or own your own Christchurch real estate, there is no denying the benefits of a good old fashion Spring Clean.
Spring cleaning is about going beyond your usual weekly dust and vacuum, to clean the entire house top to bottom and leaving no crevice uncleaned. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be such an arduous task. Cowdy & Co have compiled the top 6 tips to go about spring cleaning your Christchurch property with ease.
1. Make a plan
List all the rooms in your house (including hallways/stairs/storage cupboards/garage). Think about the size of each room, what occupies the room and what needs to be cleaned. Does the carpet need to be washed? Are there any fans that need to be wiped down? Drains that need to be cleaned?
2. Take your time cleaning your Christchurch property
Estimate how long you think it will take to clean each room of your Christchurch property and add another hour for good measure. If you only have the weekends free, set aside 3-4 rooms a weekend to tackle. Ensure you are not overloading on work, the more time you have to clean each room, the more enjoyable it will be. So there is no need to rush.
3. Be prepared
Ran out of floor cleaner? Don’t have enough window cleaner? Make a list of all the usual cleaning products you use, and ensure you have plenty of supply. There is nothing more annoying then getting half way through a task and running out of cleaning agents. Research tips for cleaning each room ahead of time, you may discover handy ways to clean your stubborn oven or remove carpet stains that you didn’t know about.
4. Declutter before you clean
One of the most therapeutic aspects of a good spring clean, is getting rid of old unwanted, unused stuff. We all have it, it creeps us on us, is discarded to the ‘deal with later’ pile and then long forgotten about. Sometimes you look at it and shiver in disgust, you hate it, but you don’t have the time to deal with it. Well, that’s what a spring clean is all about. Now that you’ve set the time aside, get ready to slash and burn your way through years, even decades worth of unwanted, ignored ‘stuff’. This is the perfect time to organise a garage sale or make a pile to take to the local charity collection.
5. Clean your Christchurch home top to bottom
Now that you’re working with a clean(er) home, it’s time to prioritise tasks in each room. Don’t make more work for yourself by vacuuming the carpet, only to dust the shelves afterwards. Where do you think all that dust is going to end up? Yes, you guessed it, on the floor! A rule of thumb is to work top to bottom, start with ceiling (light fixtures, fans etc) and work your way down the walls (shelves, artwork, cupboards), to the floor (carpet, tiles) for the final clean up.
6. Multi-Task
Some tasks will take longer than others, and some you will be able to tackle while others require waiting time. While you’re soaking your silverware before polishing, wipe down the bench tops. While you are putting the dishwasher through a cleaning cycle, discard old food from the fridge. Make the most of your time, and because you’ve already written a task list, you’ll have no trouble finding something to do while the laundry is on!
Don’t Forget!
It’s a big task going through with a spring clean, but it certainly is rewarding and your Christchurch property will thank you for it. Make the most of this time, do it once and do it properly and don’t forget the following:
Check your mattress; when stripping your bed linen, flip or rotate your mattress and check the warranty card.
Clean the dishwasher and washing machine; both of these machines save a lot of time doing the cleaning for us. To ensure they last longer, put them on their own cleaning cycle without dishes or washing to ensure they are working to the best of their ability.
Replace batteries/lightbulbs; a spring clean is the perfect time to check batteries in TV remotes, fire alarms and lightbulbs in less frequently used rooms. If they are okay, ensure you have stockpiled some for later. Saves you having to rush out and buy them later when it’s more of an emergency.
Clean the drains; have you ever thought about how much stuff you put down your sink? Kitchen or otherwise. Make sure you use a drain cleaner and flush them out, this will prevent blockages in the future and keep your plumbing (& plumber) happy!
Deep clean rugs; a quick vacuum is fine each week. But once a year, give your rugs some deep cleaning love. Use a shampoo and hire an extractor to remove stubborn stains and lift dirt, dust mites and other hidden gems in the woven fabric.
Dust the vents and fans; dust the outside of vents and fans. You may need to use a gentle cleanser mixed with water and a cleaning cloth. Take down light fixtures and gently wash and dry them before replacing.
If you own a rental property or are looking at selling your home after a Spring Clean, get in touch today.
