It's almost springtime, and you know what that means … spring cleaning! Alright, it's not that exciting, but it is necessary. As much as I don't like to spring clean, there's nothing better than the fresh feel my apartment has when I'm done.
A spring clean doesn't have to take up an entire day if you do it right. With these cleaning tips, you can spend less time sanitizing and more time admiring your spotless apartment:
You can't start spring cleaning if you don't have the proper tools. Consider picking the following items up from a local store, or borrowing them from a friend:
If you have a dog or cat in your apartment, chances are your floors are caked with hair. Save your poor vacuum from getting instantly clogged with pet hair by turning to your shower squeegee for help.
This will remove the large clumps of hair from the carpet. Go through a second time with the vacuum to finish the job.
Even though my apartment's not that big, I always get a bit overwhelmed when I'm cleaning. I think this is partly because I attempt to tackle the entire space all at once.
However, it's easier to just clean one room at a time. You'll feel much better when you can cross a whole room off of your list and move onto the next. Somehow the entire process just seems much more manageable that way.
You may want to start with your least favorite room or the space that will require the most effort. Leaving that room till the end isn't the best idea, because you'll be exhausted by the time you reach it. You'll be happy you left the easy spaces for last.
It's going to be very difficult to vacuum your floors and dust your tables when there is clutter everywhere. Before you even break out the cleaning supplies, go through each room to either put away, recycle, throw away or donate items.
Organize your belongings into those four piles until everything has been put into its place. If you haven't used something in the last year, chances are it can be donated, thrown out, or recycled.
Gather all of your cleaning tools and place them into a shower caddy. This way, you won't have to keep walking back and forth to your cleaning supply closet to retrieve what you're looking for. You'll have everything you need right at your feet.
If you live with roommates, they should definitely be helping you out with this spring clean. But if you live in your apartment alone, you can turn to friends or family for assistance. Having a few people help you out can turn a full day of cleaning into only a half day.
Granted, nobody is going to excitedly volunteer for this task, so you may have to give them something in return. Free lunch, a free drink or promising to help them clean their apartment are good starting points. I'm sure you guys can figure something out.
No matter what room you're in, always dust ceiling fans, light fixtures, and wall art first. If you leave this task for last, you may end up cleaning your floors twice thanks to the flying dust. Use a microfiber dust cloth or the soft nozzle attachment on your vacuum to dust those dirty areas on your walls and ceiling.
Chances are, you'll be using a sponge to wipe down your kitchen and bathroom, but your sponges may be covered in bacteria from previous use. Germs and bacteria tend to grow there, so you'll only be spreading dirt around your apartment if you don't clean them first.
Wring all of the water out of your sponge and put it in the microwave for about one minute. Of course, if it's is all torn up and stained, it's probably time to just buy a new one.
TV screens tend to accumulate lots of dust, but when you use an all-purpose cleaner on them, streaks appear. Forget the spray cleaner and reach for a coffee filter instead. This will wipe off all of the lint and dust without messing with your viewing experience.
When sterilizing your tub, sink, and shower, you're going to have to apply a cleaning solution. Instead of instantly scrubbing after the solution is sprayed on, let it go to work on tackling grime and stains. Wait 10 minutes before rinsing– this way, you'll have to do less scrubbing.