ST. GEORGE — The long, wet winter has kept Southern Utah residents inside, making now the perfect time to clean up the home for spring.
Household chores seem pretty basic, but there are some ways to perform these tasks more efficiently. Read on for tips and hacks for making the home sparkle for spring.
Happy housekeeping
Spring cleaning can seem like a daunting job, which is why Kim Galvin, owner of Better Home Cleaning in St. George, recommends employing a top-to-bottom, left-to-right, once-around-the-room approach.
“It saves you time backtracking and makes sure you’re not missing anything,” Galvin said. “It just brings everything down so you’ve got the room clean from top to bottom.”
Galvin said having good cleaning tools saves time and energy. Long pole dusters can be used to clean fans and clear away cobwebs. Microfiber cloths are great for cleaning surfaces and windows. Galvin said investing in quality scrub brushes can reduce the amount of elbow grease needed to tackle tough stains and dirt.
“A good pumice stone is great for hard water in the bathrooms,” Galvin said. “You can take the pumice stone and scrub it gently around the ring.”
Another tip for keeping bathrooms spic and span is to wash the shower curtain to eliminate mold and mildew. Shower curtains can be cleansed in the washing machine and hung up to dry. Remove hard water buildup on showerheads by putting equal parts of white vinegar and water into a plastic bag and tying it around the apparatus. Allow the showerhead to soak in the solution for about an hour and then wipe away the loosened material.
Galvin said many people have the misconception they need a wide range of products to clean their homes. In reality, Galvin said most jobs can be completed with a good evaporating cleaner for items like windows and glass, and a degreaser for other surfaces. One way to get some extra mileage from a cleaning solution and also save on scrubbing energy is to allow the product time to work.
“If you spray things ahead of time and just give them a few minutes, they can do a lot of the work for you,” Galvin said.
One inexpensive, green cleaning compound is vinegar. This works as a degreaser and can be used on several surfaces in the home. Galvin said she likes to add a few drops of Dawn dish soap to a two-to-one ratio of water and vinegar. This homemade cleaning solution works well on tough stains like hard water buildup.
Window washing
Winter rain and snow have left a lot of windows on the dirty, dingy side. Clean windows can really spiff up the appearance of the home. Casey Kirkland, owner of JJ’s Window Cleaning in Southern Utah, said windows can be cleaned using a mild detergent soap and a squeegee.
While some people use newspapers to clean their windows, Kirkland doesn’t believe this nets good results.
“The ink on the paper streaks your windows,” Kirkland said. “Microfiber towels are the best thing to use right now. They absorb water really well.”
Insects and dust are the biggest issues when it comes to dirty window tracks. Kirkland said using screens on windows helps keep the bugs out and reduces the amount of debris that comes in.
“You can clean the tracks with a vacuum or just a toothbrush if the dirt is caked in there,” Kirkland said.
Clean carpets
Carpets can make a home feel cozy and comfortable, but they can also trap allergens like pet dander, mold spores and dust mites. Tim Willyerd, owner of Carpet CPR, said carpets are the largest filter in your house. That’s why he recommends having carpets professionally cleaned once or twice a year depending on how much use an area receives.
Most of the problems Willyerd encounters in his business involve pet stains. Willyerd advises pet owners to apply bio-enzyme products to areas of the carpet where pets have accidents.
“A lot of times the directions say the longer it stays wet, the more active the enzymes are to eat away the contamination,” Willyerd said.
Thoroughly vacuuming on a regular basis can extend the life of the carpet and improve the overall cleanliness of the home. Vacuums also can be used to help with other chores such as cleaning out dryer vents and removing dust on blinds.
Hard floors in the home also need attention. Willyerd advocates using a mild, neutral cleaner on these surfaces.
“You do not want to use something that has a lot of fragrance in it because that can cause a buildup on the floor that will continue to attract dirt,” Willyerd said.
Keeping the grout on tile floors looking nice can be tricky. Because grout is porous, stains can penetrate, making them hard to remove. Willyerd advises scrubbing stains out with a small brush and then rinsing the area with water. For added protection, add a grout sealant after cleaning.
A breath of fresh air
Spring cleaning is a good time to pay a little attention to the quality of air in the home. The Utah Department of Environmental Quality estimates that one in three homes in Utah has high or unsafe radon levels. This is a serious matter since high levels of radon can cause lung cancer.
Brad Callister, vice president of Utah Radon Services, said residents can take advantage of free radon testing kits.
“Testing is the only way to know how much radon gas is in a home,” Callister said. “The U.S. Surgeon General has encouraged all homeowners to test their homes for radon.”
More than 25,000 Utah residents took advantage of the free testing last year. Click here to apply online for a free testing kit.
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