Spring Cleaning Checklist

Spring is here! Whether you’re at home for spring break with your kids or enjoying the nice weather after work there is one thing to keep in mind. Spring cleaning! Yes, we all hate it but it’s the best time of year to declutter your home. Start your spring cleaning inside your home and gradually make your way to the outside of your home. We understand you just spent six months inside, battling the cold weather, snow, and possibly ice. Yet, what better feeling than a clean and safe home. Therefore, we created our spring-cleaning checklist to make sure you’re getting all the right areas in your home.

Indoor Care

Dryer Vents Cleaning. In the winter we tend to layer up to stay warm. With that we find ourselves doing more loads of laundry to accommodate. While you should be cleaning your dryer lint filter after every load of laundry. You should also do a thorough cleaning of your dryer vent. This vent is attached to the back of your dryer and leads outside. If the vent is not cleaned out thoroughly, lint can accumulate and cause a fire in your dryer. To avoid a fire, we recommend using a dyer vent brush to clean out your vent.

Refrigerator Coil Cleaning. Spring is the best time to give your refrigerator a good cleaning from the inside out. Make sure you don’t forget your refrigerator coils; these coils are located on the back or the bottom of your refrigerator. The coils allow your refrigerator to cool down by releasing heat. Over time dust and dirt collects on the coils making your refrigerator work overtime if not properly cleaned. Cleaning the coils can help increase the life expectancy of your refrigerator and save you money on your energy bill. Easy tools that can be used to clean your coils are a coil brush or vacuum.     

Checking Your Detectors. The U.S Fire Administration states you should be checking your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every month. However, you should replace the batteries in your detectors at least twice a year. Typically, this is done once in the fall and again in the spring! If you notice your smoke detectors not working properly for any reason be sure to replace them immediately.

Don’t Forget to Declutter Your House. Start with recycling old unwanted paperwork and filing important documents. Donate old or unwanted clothes. Lastly, get rid of the junk, we mean stuff, you stored for three years in your basement or garage. Just because said you “needed it” and haven’t touched it, doesn’t mean you really need it. Yes, we all like to keep everything but getting rid of some clutter can help clear out space inside and outside your home. Decluttering your house helps declutter your mind.  

Outside Care

Gutters. Whether you endured, snow, rain, ice, or just some chilly weather for the last six months, now is the time to clean out your gutters. Your gutters protect your roof from leaking and helps to avoid water damage on the interior and exterior. Depending on where you live you must be prepared for the rainy weather ahead. Remember April showers bring May flowers!  

Needed Lawn Care. We all want a nice healthy lawn. The snow is gone, and it is time to pick up the leftover fallen leaves and the scattered branches. Once your lawn is cleaned up, using some lawn fertilizer can help make your grass start looking greener and ready for the summer.

Be BBQ Ready. BBQ season is right around the corner and now is the best time to prepare for it. Start with dusting off the outside of your grill. Make replacements on your grill, like fixing your broken BBQ igniter. Or replace your broken or burned grill grates. Your family will thank you when don’t have to spend hours cleaning the grill during the first use of the season.

Getting Your AC Unit Ready! The warmer weather is slowly coming. Be prepared to turn your AC on in the summer. Start with changing the filters in your unit. Once you start using your AC unit be sure to replace the filter every month to ensure your AC works properly. Clean the outside of your unit. Cut the grass around your unit and remove and weeds growing around it. Remove any leaves or debris that may be blocking your unit.

All in all, spring cleaning may not be enjoyable, but it is necessary. So, before you start truly enjoying the nice weather outside, remember your home also needs some attention to also be ready for the nice weather. Maintaining your house can help reduce the number of repairs that you may need to do in the future.