Spring has officially sprung, which means it is time to clean. We’ve enlisted the help of two cleaning experts to share some tips on how to tackle spring cleaning this year.
Debbie Bruce, owner of Neat Freak, on cleaning the bathroom
Shower Curtain Lining
“The bathroom is the room in the house that we as cleaners are most obsessed with. The curtain lining, which is really simple to clean, is usually missed. Just remove it and throw it in the laundry with your towels. The towels will rub against the lining and remove the buildup, and then you just hang it to dry.”
Shower Maintenance
“To maintain the cleanliness of your shower and keep dirt from collecting, get a trigger bottle with a fine mist tap and fill it half with peroxide and half with water. Mist the shower curtain and tiles before you get out, especially the lower third.”
Wall
“Watch for the drips on the wall under the towel rack. Use an all-purpose cleaner, I recommend method or Seventh Generation, because they’re natural and non-toxic, and apply it to a micro-fiber cloth, never directly on the wall, and wipe.”
Baseboards
“For baseboards, use a very mild cleaning solution, like the diluted peroxide solution, spray the baseboard and then wipe it in a downward angle. Then swipe the top with a toothbrush – this will remove everything that accumulates under towel racks and windows, which are especially bad in spring from the condensation and cold air coming in all winter.”
Bathmats
“People should make sure to clean their bathmats at least every season change, because that’s where all the water and dead skin collects. They can be thrown into the washing machine on a gentle cycle, but do not put them in the dryer – the rubber backing will get hot and peel apart.”
Yvonne Schoff, owner of Cinderella’s Organic Housekeeping, on cleaning essentials
Vacuum
“Never sweep if you can vacuum. I suggest you vacuum the walls and furniture too. Point the vacuum air-flow in the direction that is already vacuumed so it’s not blowing dust bunnies around the cleaned area. My favourite thing to do is to add a drop or two of your favourite essential oil in the air filter of your vacuum.”
Dust Last
“Before you start vacuuming you will want to wipe off the counter tops and anywhere with a large amount of crumbs and dirt. Otherwise, dusting should be done last. Always use a slightly dampened flour sack cloth or soft lint-free linen and don’t only dust the tops of surfaces but also the sides and legs.”
Find a Safe Product
“Choose a safe effective cleaning product. There is nothing worse than trying to clean something with a product that is not doing what it is supposed to do. Cinderella’s Organic Housekeeping’s All-Purpose Cleaner can be used for all your spring cleaning indoors and out. We use no artificial or harmful preservatives, additives or perfumes in our product. It is scented with beautiful essential oils like orange and lavender.”
Be Prepared
“Be prepared with proper storage containers. Have a plan for a storage area, garbage removal, and have the right cleaning tools for the job.”
Find Professional Help
“My first advice for spring cleaning is to seek a professional. If you really have a lot of clutter, dust, debris, webbing hanging from your walls and last year’s shrapnel still stuffed away in the corners of the kid’s rooms and boxes, you might want to seek out a professional organizer.”
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