News

It’s time to put on our work clothes and participate in the annual event that has taken place in America since the mid-to-late 1800s – spring cleaning! Back then, homes were lit lamps fueled by whale oil or kerosene and heated with wood or coal during the winter months. One can only imagine the build up of grime and soot in every area of homes. The arrival of spring brought with it the right environment to throw open the doors and windows and make things sparkle!

The first thing most women did was to throw out the men and completely empty the house before beginning their deep clean – which lasted about one week. Times have changed. Most women these days don’t have an entire week to devote to cleaning – much less the ability to send away their family. Don’t worry. You can accomplish modern spring cleaning with just a few steps.

MAKE A PLAN

Before you begin, it’s important to layout your strategy. Look at your calendar and block off a weekend or a few days that can be completely dedicated to cleaning. Make sure you get your whole family in on the process – all hands on deck! Then, write out the order in which you will clean. After that, inventory your cleaning products and shop for the ones you need.

PURGE

The first thing you want to do before cleaning is to purge! Going room by room, clean out closets, drawers and cabinets. There are four main categories in which to sort items: keep, toss, repair or donate. Items you decide to keep can be placed back in their proper places. Repair and donate items should be gathered in separate baskets in a central location and tended to after your spring cleaning is complete (a basket in the garage is perfect to store these items for the interim.) 

SEASONAL TASKS FIRST

There are certain tasks that need to be done each spring. Tackle those first! Clean up the patio, clean/repair the grill, replace smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries, clean the outside windows and store winter items.

DEEP CLEAN

Now it’s time for the elbow grease! Take one room at a time and clean from top to bottom, and eft to right. Don’t forget to clean behind and underneath furniture to capture runaway dust bunnies and pet hair. Walls should be dusted and wiped down to remove smudges and grime.

REMEMBER OFTEN FORGOTTEN AREAS

Most places in your home are obvious when it comes to cleaning – like the bathtub, toilet or kitchen sink. However, there are many places that are often overlooked. Make sure these are on your list to clean: ceiling fans, light switches and fixtures, cabinets (top, sides, doors and insides), vent hood, refrigerator coils, fireplace, dryer and air vents.

Now that your home is cleaned, you can concentrate on all the adventures of spring! Take a weekend road trip, begin working on the garden, or just spend time enjoying a good book poolside!

Don’t forget that Modern Gas can help with a few of your spring cleaning tasks with our Professional Chimney Sweep, Dryer Vent Cleaning and Grill Cleaning services. Call us at 229-435-6116 to set up an appointment.