Spring cleaning tips

Spring cleaning can be a nuisance, but it’s amazing how a tidy, clean home makes us feel more comfortable. There’s also a pleasant added benefit for this time when so many people are working from their home offices: it’s easier to work in a sparkling clean home office. With that in mind, we’ve put together a few tips to help you do this major annual cleaning quickly and efficiently.

Make a checklist
It’s much easier to clean when you have a system. Make a list of the cleaning supplies you need, then which steps you’re going to do when. It is important to plan enough time. If you can, it’s better to clean on days with milder weather. You can throw open the windows and ventilate properly whilst the dust is flying.

The right supplies
There’s no need for specialised – and often expensive – cleaners. You can get rid of most dirt with hand dish-washing liquid, all-purpose cleaner, scouring milk and a citric acid cleaner. Remember: too much is worse than too little. The active ingredient in many cleaning substances can form a film on surfaces, which can even go on to attract dirt.

If you want to protect the environment – and your wallet – you can also make your own cleaners. You make your entire house shine with home remedies such as vinegar, powdered citric acid, baking soda and bicarbonate.

Organise before cleaning
Before you start cleaning, you should first tidy up the room. Sort out what is lying around and immediately dispose of everything that is broken or no longer needed. This culling should also include decorative objects, clothing and furniture.

Everything in its place
Clean everything before you put things back in their place.

• Vacuum upholstered furniture. Depending on the manufacturer’s recommendation, you can send removable covers to the dry cleaner or wash them yourself.
• Clear out shelves, drawers, cupboards, chests and cabinets. Wipe everything thoroughly. If needed, replace the moth protection in any closets or wardrobes. As a final step, you can polish the furniture.
• Vacuum thoroughly or wipe the floors with a damp cloth, depending on the surface. When wiping with a damp cloth, pay attention to the dosage recommendations for the cleaning agent.

A clear view with no streaks
For clean windows, soap the glass thoroughly, inside and out, with a viscose or microfiber cloth. Then the best thing to do is to use a squeegee to draw water from the window, wiping it in serpentine lines from left to right. This way, you can remove the cleaning agent from the glass without leaving any streaks – and all that without repolishing with newspaper. Finally, remove dirt from the inside and outside of the frames. You can also use this opportunity to wash the curtains.

Finally: the kitchen and the bathroom
Since you’ll be fetching water and cleaning your utensils in the kitchen and bathroom, it is best to wait until the end to tackle these rooms. Then, you can remove any traces of the cleaning from the other rooms.

Since you’re thinking about cleaning, we should mention that our wide range of products has everything you need to keep things spick and span – and not just in spring. Check out our catalogue to get started.