Spring Cleaning 2022

Whether you live in a house or an apartment, in the city or the suburbs, setting aside time for spring cleaning is a must. Not only is it important for the upkeep and maintenance of your home, but spring cleaning is the perfect time to renew your space and your spirit. The Philadelphia Contributionship has been writing policies and caring about homes since 1752 and a large part of caring for a home involves understanding its upkeep. We have put together a Check List that covers the basics of Exterior Spring Cleaning and Interior Spring Cleaning and why it is important to your home. Then you will be ready to enjoy the sunshine and warm weather of spring!

Interior of Home: Room by Room

Kitchen:

Don’t skip the refrigerator:
You use this everyday so be sure to take some time to clean it. Spring brings lots of fresh veggies and fruits and with all the farmer's markets in Philly that pop up, you are going to want to have a clean fridge to put everything in. Be sure take all food items out of your refrigerator and wipe down the shelves with a mixture of warm water and dishwashing liquid. Have any stubborn stains? Use baking soda to remove them. Let everything dry before replacing the items.

Clean the Cabinets:
Our kitchen cabinets spend all year collecting dirt, dust, food splatters, grease, and other residues, so it is important to give them a solid clean. If you have metal, plastic laminate, painted wood, or vinyl cabinets, you can clean them warm water and dish soap. Don't forget to get into the edges and sides of your cabinets.

Cooking Appliances:
Start from the top and work your way down. Using whatever you cleanser you normally use, clean your stovetop and burners followed by wiping down the outside of the oven to make sure any grease or residue that’s accumulated from various holiday dinners. Take out all the racks from your oven, wash them and clean the inside of the oven before putting them back.
Be careful if you are using the self-cleaning feature on your oven. Temperatures can go upward of 500 degrees, and if you have a buildup of grease, it could cause a fire.

Finishing Touches:
• Wipe down and shake out the crumbs in your toaster or toaster oven
• Clean your microwave
• Disinfect and wipe down your countertops
• Sweep and mop
• Clean out spice cabinets and pantries for expired items

Bathroom:

Deep Clean your Shower:
You may use your shower and bath to get clean, but it deserves some TLC as well! Start from the top and wipe down the shower door, floor and wall tiles with an eraser sponge, like the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Use a soft scrub brush and a mixture of one part vinegar to two parts water and clean your grout to make sure no mold builds up. Wipe down the shower head and the faucet handle. If you have a shower liner, now is a good time to replace it.

Vanity:
Spray any tile, countertops, faucets, toilet, and bowl with all-purpose cleaner and let sit for at least 15 minutes before wiping them down. Spray your mirror with a glass cleaner, also starting from the top and wiping your way down.

Living Room:

Furniture Care:
Dust using a Swiffer Duster or Microfiber cloth working from one side of the room to the next. Wipe down everything from your TV and cable box to end tables and lamps, and end with window casings and fireplaces. Polish any wood furniture and use a dry cloth to clean any glass to prevent streaking.

Vacuum Everything:
Vacuum soft furniture, around the base of the walls, curtains. End with the floor to pick up all the dust and crumbs that could have fallen from the cleaning process.

The exterior of Home:

Have your roof inspected.
It is important to note of any leaks or loose shingles or metal. The freezing and thawing of winter weather could create big splits out of small cracks. If you notice any discoloration in your walls or roof, this could be a sign of a leak.

Inspect windows and doors.
Check for cracks, bent or broken hinges, frames or edges or holes and repair as necessary. Before you swap out your storm panels, inspect your screen and use a screen repair kit to fix holes or tears that bugs can sneak through.

Clean gutters and downspouts.
Dead leaves can accumulate in your gutters and weigh things down, while any ice that formed during the winter could have bent or even broken your gutters. If you are comfortable, clear any leaves and debris out, seal up any holes to prevent leaking, and make sure downspouts face away from the foundation of your home for proper draining.

Inspect the air conditioning unit.
Remove debris from around your cooling unit, and change the filters. Spring is also the ideal time to schedule a professional HVAC tune-up.

Repair and reseal woodwork.
Check anything wood – like a deck, fences or railings - for any signs of water stains, discoloration, and warping. Make sure no nails fell out during winter and that everything is safely secured.

Have a sprinkler system? Turn them on.
Turn your sprinklers on to check if the system is still working properly. Look for leaks or broken sprinkler heads. Adjust them so they spray the grass rather than the house, sidewalks or porches