Historically this time of the year is when our thoughts turn to the big spring clean even though 40% of the nation believes it is a tradition of days gone by. A study by the cleaning giant, Domestos, claims that many working people have turned to professional cleaners to do their household chores spending an estimated £3 billion in doing so.
Despite the additional cost, 62% of respondents believe they have let their own standards slack compared to other generations and admit their homes might not be as clean as they could be. While over half (56%) of us say having a clean kitchen is important for their health, one in five struggle to find time to do the job properly. According to research, it is typically the kitchen areas which are overlooked in everyday cleaning, especially appliances such as ovens, microwaves and inside cupboards and fridges, but will receive the most attention at Spring Clean time.
Although cleaning your house will give you a fresh start for summer, it’s always worth having a good de-clutter first. Start small, maybe a kitchen cupboard; it can be overwhelming to tackle too much at once.
So with still a third of us keeping up the Spring Clean tradition, we have put together a few tips to help you home stay beautifully tidy and sparkly until the next time:
• Use self storage to help de-clutter. It’s so much easier to clean when there is less ‘stuff’ getting in the way.
• Sort all your miscellaneous items into 3 categories: ‘Keep’, ‘Remove’ and ‘Undecided’. Pop the ‘undecided’ items into a self storage unit and if you haven’t missed anything after 6 months, you are safe to dispose of it.
• Reduce multiples – how many cheese graters does one house need!
• To avoid bad smells from your kitchen bin try giving it a wash with some warm water and soda crystals. Then pour a handful of bicarbonate of soda into the bottom of your bin to absorb any future smells.
• To deep clean a microwave pour one cup vinegar (into a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl) and add one cup of hot water, turn on for 10 mins. Any stubborn dirty will easily wipe clean.
• Cheap and easy way to clean your fridge is to use a lemon, water and salt solution. Wash the fridge down using this solution for a fresh smelling clean fridge.
• Defrost a freezer quickly by placing a bowl of hot water inside and close the door. After 5 mins take a pan and fill it with water, get it nice and hot on the stove or use a bowl in the microwave. Place the hot water inside the freezer and close the door. After about 5 minutes remove the pan or bowl and reheat then put it back in the freezer. Continue until ice is melted.
• Vacuuming your mattress every now and then will not only keep it clean but can also help stop the build-up of any allergens in your bed.
