In Southern Ontario, it seems as though we have gone straight from Winter to Summer, skipping over that beautiful time of year when the weather is perfect and the flowers start to bloom.
Many of you have probably missed out on that all-important task – Spring Cleaning! But we cannot let the chores of the season slip away because of the heat. With the recent threats of COVID-19 still fresh in our minds and lives, now, more than ever, we must be diligent with our efforts to clean and disinfect our homes.
We’d like to share with you this blog by CREBNow and their suggestions for clearing the clutter and ridding your homes of dirt this season! Happy cleaning!
Health Canada recommends regular cleaning and disinfecting of hard surfaces with either household cleaning products or diluted bleach (created using a ratio of one teaspoon of bleach for every 250 millilitres of water). A list of hard-surface disinfectants and hand sanitizers that meet Health Canada’s requirements for COVID-19 is available here.
Focus on high-traffic areas of the home first, as these are the places where viral buildup is most likely to occur. Also, stick to a few all-purpose cleaning products to save money and simplify the process.
Depending on the size of your home, the number of people in your household you recruit to help and how thorough you want to be, your spring-cleaning routine could take anywhere from a couple of hours to a few days. So, assess the situation and plan accordingly.
The following checklist is a solid baseline for any spring clean, but feel free to add and subtract tasks to customize it to your home’s layout.
As a bonus, if some of these tasks become part of your regular cleaning routine, next year’s spring clean will be a breeze!
Spring cleaning checklist
Entry
Wipe down the door
Shake out doormats
Wipe down railings
Organize shoes or store them in the closet
Kitchen
Tackle the pantry – purge, clean and reorganize
Deep clean appliances (e.g., microwave, oven, fridge, etc.)
Wash kitchen cabinets
Bathrooms
Disinfect the bathtub and/or shower (including the showerhead)
Clean and disinfect the toilets
Wash bathmats, shower curtains and liners
Wipe down counter spaces and mirrors
Clean and reorganize the space beneath the sink and/or the medicine cabinet
Clean floor tiles
Bedrooms
Wash bedding (including pillows)
Vacuum and flip mattresses
Clean and reorganize closets, as well as any belongings stored underneath beds (purging old clothes as necessary)
Laundry room
Clean/sanitize the washing machine (vinegar works well)
Empty the dryer lint trap and wipe down the interior
Clean behind the washer and dryer, but be careful not to damage the hoses
Dining room
Wipe down the table
Dust any furniture, decorations and light fixtures
Wash chair cushions (if relevant) and placemats
Living room
Vacuum furniture/upholstery and lampshades
Wash throw pillows and blankets
Polish wood furniture
Clean carpets
Scrub windows and mirrors
Sanitize remote controls
Garage
Declutter and get rid of any junk that has accumulated
Sweep out the garage floor, then hose it down to clean off stuck-on grime
Wipe down windows, the doorframe and any shelving
Leave the garage door open for a while to air out the space
Throughout the home
Sweep/mop floors
Vacuum carpets
Wipe down walls and baseboards
Clean windows, window coverings and doors
Wipe down houseplants
Dust light fixtures and ceiling fans
Declutter wherever possible and discard or donate unwanted items
Clean air vents/registers
Sanitize door handles and light switches
Test and replace batteries in smoke and CO alarms