7 Great Home Cleaning Tips
After the holiday season, festivity and celebrations, getting into the “cleaning mode” can seem as an infinitely boring task. However, postponing the clean-up will result in even more clutter, so it’s better to get this over with as soon as possible. With these simple tips, you’ll get cleaning out of the way quickly and efficiently.
1. Deal with stains
If you’ve been hosting parties for the holidays, there might be some hidden stains around your home. You should check the carpets, area rugs and upholstery thoroughly in order not to miss some stains. If you come across any, spray a mixture of mild detergent and warm water and then use a paper towel for blotting. If you can’t remove some stains out of the carpets, try applying different cleaning solutions.
2. Declutter
With all those gifts, wrapping paper, decorations, boxes and other items, clutter can easily pile up during the holidays. You should sort out your belongings, store away decorations for the following year and repurpose some Christmas boxes and wrapping paper. You might have got some great new appliances or other items, so get rid of the old ones. Don’t hold on to broken or damaged items, but throw them away (unless you can repurpose them, of course).
3. Scrub the bathroom
If you’ve had guests over the holidays, the bathroom was probably the most frequently visited area in your home, so start scrubbing! From the bathtub, toilet and sink to mirrors, towels and shelves, clean everything meticulously. You’ll notice the difference straight away!
4. Let the fresh air in
Take advantage of a beautiful day and open up your windows to let the fresh air inside. This will help you ventilate your home and get rid of some airborne pollutants. If people have been smoking inside the house, you should consider getting the best air purifier available to increase your indoor air quality. This is especially important if you have children or if anyone in your family suffers from asthma or some other breathing problems. You should also consider adding several plants to make sure that your home is filled with fresh, pollutant-free air.
5. Wash the fabrics
The next step is washing the fabrics, from drapes and table linens to sheets and pillow cases, especially if you’ve had some friends and cousins sleeping at your house. The fabrics from the living room have probably collected dust and smoke, while table linens may have some barely noticeable stains. Just throw everything into your washing machine and let it do the job.
6. Dust and vacuum
Use a damp cloth to dust your surfaces and décor, and then polish them to give them a fresh shine. You can even freshen up your walls with a damp cloth. Afterwards, you should vacuum every corner, especially the ones you couldn’t reach while dusting.
7. Organise the toys
If you have children, your home is probably occupied by their toys, especially after all of those Christmas presents. You should involve your children in sorting out and organising their toys in boxes and chests. You should also ask them to choose several old ones to donate to less fortunate children. This way, they’ll make a contribution, learn a valuable lesson and help you tidy up your home.
With these simple post-holiday clean-up tips, you’ll have a tidy and organised home in no time.
