Tips to Prep for Spring Cleaning

It’s almost that time of year again! Spring is (hopefully) right around the corner, which means it’s time to come out of hibernation and straighten up a bit. Don’t worry, this isn’t a list of top-to-bottom, deep cleaning tasks. Think of this as a pre-checklist of things you can knock out now to lessen the blow of actual spring cleaning.

start small

Let’s get those little tasks done and out of the way first. For instance, remember your smoke alarm? When was the last time you changed its batteries? Go do it. In fact, take this time to check every battery-operated device in your home and see whether they’re due for a change.

waste not, want not

Christmas has come and gone, but those lights you’ve been meaning to untangle remain in the attic. Grab the bundle(s) and test each strand before throwing any away. And while we’re on the subject of Christmas — see some toys your kids don’t play with anymore? Donate them to a secondhand store!

one carpet at a time

While the kids are at school, take time to shampoo a dirty carpet. Drying takes a little while, but the house will be empty for a stretch of time. New to deep cleaning carpet? Check out these helpful tips to get the most out of your deep clean.

clean your phone

This one might seem a bit obvious, but most people do not sanitize their phones properly or often enough. A recent Stanford University study showed that our phones are 18 times dirtier than a toilet handle. And wiping the screen on your pants doesn’t count! Grab a tube of multi-surface sanitizer wipes and give your phone a good wipe down, followed by drying with a clean paper towel. Do this at least once a week.

prep the grill

Winter weather have you dreaming of grilling in the summer? Those dreams can quickly turn into nightmares if the grill is not properly put away at the end of the season. Caked-on grease or a cracked hose can really put a damper on the first cookout of summer. Look over these five tips to prep your grill for the season!