Spring has sprung, which means it’s the perfect time to refresh your home or rental property with a deep clean. Aside from creating a cleaner living environment, deep cleaning has several benefits. Read along as we discuss when to start your spring cleaning journey, the benefits of a clean environment, and spring cleaning tips for rental properties.
- When Should You Start Spring Cleaning?
- What Are the Benefits of Spring Cleaning?
- 10 Spring Cleaning Tips for Rental Properties
- How to Get Started on Cleaning Your Home
- Preserve Your Properties With BMG
When Should You Start Spring Cleaning?
Most people start their spring cleaning in, you guessed it, the spring! That said, when you choose to start your cleaning journey may vary depending on the weather or personal preferences. However, most people start their spring cleaning around March or April. This gives you time to take advantage of warmer weather and longer daylight hours, allowing you to do more during the day.
Ultimately, the best time to start spring cleaning is when you feel motivated and have the time and energy to get started. Remember, it’s called “spring cleaning” for a reason–it’s an excellent opportunity to refresh your home as nature comes back to life after the winter months. As Baltimore property managers, we understand the importance of keeping a clean rental home, whether you’re a tenant or owner. So, read along as we give our spring cleaning tips for rental properties.
What Are the Benefits of Spring Cleaning?
Spring cleaning offers several benefits, as it can be good for your brain, body, and home. Here are some of the main reasons a spring refresh can benefit you in more ways than one.
- Reduces Stress- Spring cleaning can give you a sense of accomplishment and control, which can alleviate stress and anxiety associated with clutter.
- Promotes Health and Hygiene- Thorough cleaning removes dust, allergens, and germs, helping to reduce respiratory issues and allergies. By disinfecting surfaces throughout your home, you promote a healthier living environment.
- Increases Productivity- An organized home minimizes distractions, allowing for better focus and efficiency in everyday tasks. Cleaning your home can boost motivation and productivity in every aspect of life.
- Reduces Home Hazards- Spring cleaning uncovers potential safety hazards, like loose wires, blocked vents, or even mold. Addressing these during your cleaning spree makes your home a safer and healthier place to live.
- Gets You Moving- Cleaning is a great way to get your body moving and improves overall health and well-being. Tasks like scrubbing floors or decluttering keep you active, burn calories, and improve your mood and fitness.
10 Spring Cleaning Tips for Rental Properties
While some people love to deep clean their homes, it’s not always the most appealing chore. However, knowing how and where to start can motivate you to do it. Here are ten spring cleaning tips for homeowners or renters.
- Start With Your Daily Cleaning Tasks
- Use New or Clean Sponges
- Avoid Using Harsh Chemicals
- Wash Your Bedding
- Deep Clean Floors and Carpets
- Deodorize Your Mattress and Couch
- Clean Your Walls and Baseboards
- Freshen Up the Garbage Disposal
- Get Rid of Expired Food and Products
- Don’t Forget About Appliances
Start With Your Daily Cleaning Tasks
If you’re unsure where to start, doing your everyday cleaning tasks can help boost your energy to keep going. Once you have your regular routine done, like decluttering the counters, doing the dishes, or vacuuming, it’ll be easier to see what else needs to be done. For instance, you may take your normal routine of cleaning the floors a step further by mopping instead of just vacuuming.
Use New or Clean Sponges
Start with clean sponges when you’re ready to tackle a large cleaning spree. After all, you don’t want to spread more germs while cleaning by using dirty sponges. You can buy all new sponges, or you can disinfect the ones you have by running them through a dishwasher cycle or soaking them in full-strength vinegar. Either way, cleaning your sponges regularly and replacing them every two weeks is best.
Avoid Using Harsh Chemicals
You don’t have to buy many harsh cleaning products for a clean home. Some popular cleaning products, even those marketed as “green” or “eco-friendly”, have harsh chemicals that may irritate the skin, eyes, nose, and throat and be poisonous if swallowed. Many cleaning tasks can be done with products you already have at home, such as vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, and hot water.
Wash Your Bedding
When was the last time you cleaned your bedding? If it’s been a while, now is the time to do it. Start by stripping your bed of all the sheets, pillowcases, and blankets, and wash them like normal in your washing machine. You can even take this time to wash your pillows, too. However, remember that every pillow or comforter is different, so it’s important to read the care and cleaning instructions for your specific bedding to ensure you don’t ruin it in the washing machine.
Deep Clean Floors and Carpets
Deep cleaning your floors and carpets is essential during spring cleaning sessions. Chances are, you vacuum or sweep the floors on a regular basis. But how often do you shampoo the carpets or mop the floors? If this isn’t a regular part of your routine, do it while you are motivated to do spring cleaning. Fresh and clean flooring can help you stay motivated to get the rest of the house clean.
Deodorize Your Mattress and Couch
You may not think about cleaning your mattress or couch cushions often, but it’s important to do it every once in a while. To clean them, take a vacuum with an upholstery attachment and vacuum the surface of your mattress or couch to remove dust. Then, sprinkle each area with baking soda and let it sit for about three hours. Once the time is up, vacuum them again, and you’ll have cleaner and fresher-smelling furniture.
Cleaning your walls and baseboards is likely not a part of your normal cleaning routine. However, whether you see it or not, your walls gather fingerprints, dust, scuffs, and grime all year long. So, wiping walls and baseboards in every area of your home is essential for spring cleaning. First, remove dust with a dry floor mop or microfiber cloth. Then, take a bucket of warm water and a small amount of dish soap and clean noticeable areas with a sponge, ensuring nothing gets too wet.
Freshen Up the Garbage Disposal
Is your kitchen sink starting to smell? It may be caused by your garbage disposal. Luckily, cleaning it isn’t difficult at all. Just sprinkle half a cup of baking soda and one cup of white vinegar into the disposal and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then, run hot water to rinse while the disposal is running. If you want to go the extra mile, you can even place a few lemon rinds into the disposal while it’s running, allowing it to take on a refreshing scent.
Get Rid of Expired Food and Products
How closely do you pay attention to expiration dates for food, health, and beauty products? Take some time to go through your fridge and pantry and get rid of anything past its expiration date, whether it’s canned food or old leftovers.
Looking at expiration dates for your health or beauty products is just as important. Many items, like lotions or makeup products, have expiration dates or timeframes in which they should be used up. So, go through your bathroom and ditch those that have passed their expiration date during your spring cleaning spree.
It can be easy to overlook large appliances while spring cleaning your home or rental property. However, cleaning your appliances is just as important as any other area of your home. To clean the fridge, take everything out and wash each shelf and drawer with hot, soapy water. Then, wipe with clean water and dry with a towel.
To clean your dishwasher, start by cleaning the filter and drain. Then, pour two cups of white vinegar into a dishwasher-safe container, place it on the bottom rack, and run a normal, hot cycle.
Even your washing machine could use a deep clean every once in a while. So, run a hot cycle with two cups of white vinegar instead of detergent to clean it. Then, scrub the basin with a sponge and a mixture of white vinegar and hot water.
How to Get Started on Cleaning Your Home
Not everyone has the motivation to get up and start cleaning. Or maybe you’re not sure where to begin, and that’s okay! Getting started is the hardest part, so here are some tips that can help kickstart your cleaning spree.
- Make a Plan- So, you want to start cleaning your home, but it all seems too overwhelming? Make a plan, and don’t expect to get it all done in one day. Write down the most important tasks and come up with a plan to complete them. Breaking it down into smaller steps can make it feel more manageable.
- Start Somewhere- Starting is the hardest part. However, whether you’re feeling motivated or not, you have to start somewhere. Choose an area of your home and just get started. The sooner you start, the sooner you will finish.
- Tackle the Largest Area First- If smaller cleaning tasks don’t motivate you to get started, tackle the largest area first. Maybe seeing the largest change will kickstart your motivation to get more done.
Preserve Your Properties With BMG
Whether you’re a tenant living in a rental or a landlord getting a property ready for a new tenant, these spring cleaning tips can help you revitalize the space. Spring cleaning has several benefits, including better hygiene, less stress, and extending the life of your belongings.
Another great way to preserve your properties is by hiring a professional property management company. With a comprehensive team like Bay Property Management Group, you can rest assured knowing your properties are well-maintained and cared for by both property managers and tenants.
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