The first day of spring has arrived and warmer weather is on its way! Finally the dark days of winter are coming to an end. The sun is showing its face and the world is becoming green and colorful again. Along with the brighter colors of this new season comes spring-cleaning. The best way to throw the dusty gray wintery days out of your house and bring in the warmth and happiness of spring. Here are a few basic spring-cleaning tips.

Organizing Closets: First get rid of all your unused items and clothing. If it doesn’t fit, don’t save it! The best way to organize your closet is by how you get dressed in the morning and by color. This will make your closet look more appealing and it will cut time off your daily routine.

Clean Windows:  The best way to clean a window is with a rubber edged squeegee. They are quicker and much more effective then a cloth. They also come with extensions so you can reach places higher up. Start by filling a bucket full of warm water, then add a few drops of mild dish soap. Wet the window and then use a sponge to rub away the dirt. Dampen the squeegee and start at the upper corner working your way down the window. Wipe the rubber edge after each stroke. Then dry the windowsills with a cloth.

Wash Blinds: Your blinds collect a lot of dust creating a disaster zone for anyone with allergies in the spring. Wipe down wooden blinds with a few drops of gentle wood cleaner on a nearly dry sponge. If you have aluminum blinds you can take them outside and wash them with a cloth. Rinse them off with a hose then dry them with a towel. Make sure they are all the way dry in order to prevent rust.

Clean out the Refrigerator: First get rid of all the old food in your fridge. Try to make a habit of doing this once a week. Then every few months wipe the interior with a solution of 2 tbsp. of baking soda for every quart of warmwater.  Be sure to let glass shelves come to room temperature so they don’t crack. Then use a toothbrush to scrub the nooks and crannies. Twice a year be sure to vacuum or brush dust the condenser coils to keep the system from over heating.

Replace Batteries: Batteries in all of your smoke alarms need to be replaced. You need to make sure you do this every 6 months. To keep this habit try making time for changing the batteries the same day that you change your clocks in the spring and fall.

Clean Curtains: Dry clean, vacuum, or steam clean your curtains to get rid of all the dirt and dust. If you will be replacing your heavier winter curtains with lighter ones for the spring months, this is especially important to do before storing them.

Clean Carpets: To clean synthetic carpet rent or purchase a shampooer/extractor. Then leave the windows open to help your carpet dry. If you have wool carpets or rugs call a professional for cleaning.

Now that you have all of the basic spring-cleaning tips down, throw out the winter and bring in the warmth and happiness of spring!

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