We all love the arrival of spring, but spring cleaning… not so much. And, really, it’s not as important as it was in the days before electricity when homes were lit with kerosene lamps and heated with wood or coal. But it still needs to get done – even though you’d rather be outside enjoying the beautiful weather. So to help you get it done and get outside where you want to be, we offer these 5 spring cleaning tips for homeowners in Kauai.
1. Plan and Prepare First
The thought of deep cleaning your entire house can be pretty stress-making and overwhelming, but preparation and planning can make any large task more manageable. So the first of our spring cleaning tips for Kauai homeowners is that you prepare properly before doing anything else.
Before you ever get out the vacuum cleaner or scrub the tub or dust furniture, do the following:
- Draw up a list of cleaning priorities
- Purchase and gather all your cleaning products and supplies
- Make appointments for, say, carpet cleaning well in advance
- Create a playlist of music to listen to while you clean
“Keep in mind, a thorough spring cleaning will likely take more than a day, or even an entire weekend, which is why putting everything in writing is the only way to help keep you on task. Remember, it is okay to start small. . . . Commit to completing three tasks every day, and by the end of the month, your house will shine like brand new.”
2. Declutter and Organize
And, of course, you can’t do a thorough job of cleaning if you have too much stuff in the way. That’s why this next one of our spring cleaning tips involves a strong exhortation to declutter and organize your home.
“One of the biggest parts of spring cleaning is often getting rid of clutter. A systematic four-step approach can be helpful for this. Identify problem areas, analyze reasons for the clutter, determine solutions, and implement these remedies. Sorting your belongings into four categories – trash, give away, store, or put away – can also be effective as you go through the spring-cleaning process. Move the clutter out as soon as possible, whether it’s bringing a donation box to a charity or planning a yard sale.”
3. Work From Top to Bottom and Include Walls and Windows
Any thorough treatment of spring cleaning tips should include a cleaning strategy, and here’s ours: work from top to bottom and don’t forget walls and windows.
When you work from the ceiling down, the dust and debris you knock loose will be picked up as you work your way down in the cleaning. Otherwise, you would have to keep re-cleaning surfaces and areas.
And don’t neglect the walls and windows. “People almost always clean their floors, but they typically forget about walls and windows. Not all dust settles on the floor and other surfaces. Just use a damp towel to wipe down walls and blinds (starting from the top). Remove and wipe down the window screens outside. When it comes to the actual window, we don’t suggest using chemical cleaners. A steam cleaner with a squeegee is a great way to clean windows.”
4. Minimize Cleaning Products
It’s also a good idea to keep cleaning products to a minimum, just using the basic and most effective products. If you buy all kinds of cleaners that you don’t really need, you’ll have just that much more clutter to work around.
When it comes to spring cleaning tips in this area, here’s what the pros recommend: “Myriad cleaning supplies can create unnecessary clutter, and you probably don’t need all of them to keep your home fresh and clean. Opt for a good all-purpose cleaner and microfiber cloths. Those items will cover the majority of surfaces in your home. Then, purchase other specialty cleaning supplies only as needed.”
5. Clean Your Air, Too
Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t include among our spring cleaning tips for homeowners in Kauai a reminder to clean your air as well. This means chiefly replacing the filters in your HVAC system, but also hiring professional duct cleaning if needed/
Usually, replacing filters will do the trick. New, quality filters will catch the dust particles that have built up in air-conditioning ducts over the winter and keep them from being released into your home when you turn on the AC. If you don’t do this, you’ll probably have to re-dust the whole house.
When spring rolls around and after the spring cleaning is done, many people begin to think about buying or selling a home. Spring is, after all, one of the best seasons to do so. And if buying or selling in your plans, you’ll need a good [market-city] real estate agent. After helping you with these spring cleaning tips, we’re ready to assist you with the next step, so contact us today at 808-634-4518.