Time for Spring Cleaning!

When the trees start budding again, and flowers begin to dot the yard with their bright colors, it's the perfect time to spring clean. While we might dread spring cleaning, it helps us refresh our home environment after a long, cold winter and move refreshed into a bright new season. But where should you focus your attention? Here is our Spring Cleaning 101 Guide.

Freshen your mats and rugs

Indoor and outdoor mats and rugs can collect a lot of dirt tracked into the house by people and pets over the winter months. Vacuuming doesn't always get everything, so you might consider buying or renting a portable steam cleaner. Pay special attention to the doormats inside and out since those collect the most dirt.

Clean windows and blinds

Seeing the difference between a dirty window and a clean one will make you feel a great sense of accomplishment. Your windows will get dirty throughout the year, so take this time to clean them. Start on an overcast day to make it easier to see streaks left behind by a cloth. Double-hung windows that tilt in for cleaning, can make it even easier. And don't forget to wash the blinds while doing this.

Wipe down your walls

While mopping floors and regularly cleaning counters is part of a usual cleaning routine, we seldom think to wash the walls until it's time to repaint. But doing it once a year will prevent a lot of grime from building up, making that task even more manageable in the future. Use a little all-purpose cleaner or vinegar and water on a clean microfiber cloth to freshen your walls quickly.

Refresh carpets

If you have carpeting in your home, you can buy or rent a steam cleaner or hire a company to do a deep clean. You only need a deep clean every few years, unless you have young children or pets, in which case you may need to deep clean more often. Otherwise, sprinkle deodorizer on the carpet according to the package directions, and your household vacuum cleaner should do the trick during spring cleaning.

Other spring-cleaning tasks

Don't forget these often-forgotten tasks:

• Toss any expired food from your refrigerator, freezer, or pantry.
• Run your oven's self-cleaning cycle.
• Clean your curtains and blinds.
• Replace your furnace filter.
• Change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.