Babyboomers.com

Traditionally, spring is a time to throw open the shutters, roll up the rugs and engage in some heavy-duty cleaning. Spurred on by warm air and sunshine, we tackle once-a-year chores the likes of:

• washing window screens and mini-blinds
• vacuuming/dry cleaning curtains and valances
• cleaning walls, ceilings and woodwork
• stripping old floor wax
• cleaning decks and patio furniture
• washing vinyl siding, and
• painting indoors and out

Taken at once, such tasks can seem overwhelming, even to dedicated “white-glovers.” But with the right tools and a little organization, the job becomes manageable, according to home-care expert Gerry Luepke, who doles out household tips daily via a toll-free consumer information hotline.

“The list of home chores always grows in the spring,” Luepke notes. “So, I recommend mapping out a game plan first. Determine which jobs have top priority and schedule blocks of time for each. If you’ve enlisted the support of your family, this is the perfect time to decide who’s going to do what.”

Following are Luepke’s tips for making your spring cleaning a breeze:

• Get the right cleaning accessories! As with any job, cleaning is much easier if you’re working with the right tools. Take inventory before you begin, and make sure you have a: broom, dust pan, scrub brush, mop, vacuum, cleaning rags, bucket, sponges, extended duster (to reach ceiling cobwebs), a step ladder, paper towels and household gloves.
• Select the appropriate cleaning products. Spring cleaning requires more heavy-duty cleaning products than you are likely to use for everyday chores. While there’s a specialty product for virtually every task tile cleaners, wax strippers, wall and wood cleaners you may find it easier to select a product with multiple uses, notes Luepke.
• For sheer convenience, I recommend having an adequate supply of a mutli-purpose cleaner on hand. For example, a product like Professional Strength Soilax — which can be found in hardware stores — has been used by professional painters for decades to prep walls for a fresh coat, but it’s also great for stripping wax from floors, cleaning dirt from window screens and patio furniture, removing grease from garage doors, and so forth.”
• Dust, sweep and vacuum before you wash. You’ll want to rid each room of as much loose dirt as possible before you introduce a liquid cleaning solution. Also, freshen your solution and change your rags frequently as you clean.
• You may find it convenient to map a “cleaning route” through your home to avoid backtracking and/or tracking fresh dirt to the areas you’ve just cleaned.
• Take this opportunity to clean out old clutter as well. As you move furniture, boxes, knick-knacks, etc. to clean, take a moment to decide whether they should stay or be swept away with the rest of the winter build-up.

For more tips and information, you can contact Luepke at (800) 284-2023.

Courtesy of Article Resource Association, www.aracopy.com