After a long winter, especially this year where most of it was spent inside your home, you may notice that the dirt and grime have started to build up in your home.
Photo by form PxHere
With the longer days and nicer weather, you may find that you finally have the motivation to give your home the deep clean that it deserves. Here are 5 tips to help you get the most out of your deep summer cleaning.
Disinfect High-Touch Surfaces
While the CDC recommends cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces to prevent the spread of Covid, we also recommend the cleaning of these surfaces to prevent the spread of dirt and other bad-smelling bacteria. High-contact surfaces are places that people in your household touch often like light switches, doorknobs, countertops, tables, and toilet handles. Cleaning these surfaces regularly (every 48 hours or so) with any store-brand disinfectant keeps you from spreading grease and dirt to other areas of your house. Plus, who wants to look at a dirty light switch or a greasy counter!
Clean the Air-conditioning Filter
One item that is often overlooked in cleaning is the air filter. Mold, dust, bacteria, and mildew grow quickly in warm, humid climates and a dirty air filter can promote the spread of all of these things. If your air filter is showing any build-up at all, then you should look into cleaning it. To clean the air filter take the following steps:
- Remove the filter from the vent
- Run over it with a hand vacuum
- If it is still dirty, let it soak for an hour in a solution of one-part vinegar, one-part water
- Rinse off the filter before reinstalling it
Make sure to replace your air filter at least every six months. They are fairly cheap at your local grocery or home-improvement store and can go a long way to maintaining a healthy house.
Wash the Windows
Take advantage of those cool, long summer evenings and wash the outside of your windows. Dusk is the best time to wash them as the afternoon heat can leave streaks. In addition, if you haven’t washed your windows in a while, use soap and water instead of window cleaner to really work at the build-up of dirt and grime.
While you’re at it, mine as well clean the window screens as well. No one wants to breathe in the mold when a warm summer breeze is flowing through their house. A simple mixture of soap and water should do the trick and leave your house smelling clean while the windows are open.
Dust and Reverse the Ceiling Fan
It may have been a while since you last needed to use your fan. While this is a chore that is often neglected, using a telescoping duster can make the task easy and go a long way in reducing summer allergy symptoms.
You should also check to make sure your fan blades are going counter-clockwise. This helps keep cool air down and can help you save money on air-conditioning costs.
Don’t Forget the Patio
Wipe down your outdoor surfaces every so often and spray your patio with a mixture of water and bleach. This can help kill moss and lichen, as well as help reduce contact with summer allergens.
Try spraying an outdoor bug preventative about thirty minutes before you use the patio to keep your space free of unwanted critters.
Conclusion
It may have been a couple of months since you took the time to do a deep clean of your house. Follow these tips and take the tip to really dig in and you will have a clean space that you can be proud of all summer long.
Leave a Comment