What’s So Special About Spring Cleaning?

Spring cleaning means different things to different people. For some it is just a good vacuum and dust through the whole house, but in fact the old fashioned spring clean is much more than that.

In the days of open fires and poor lighting homes used to get very dusty during the winter months when fires were blazing away all day. Doors and windows did not fit as well as they do these days and there were constant draughts which kept the dust moving around.

The onset of spring was the perfect time to open up the windows and doors, and let the sun shine in on the dust and cobwebs that had built up over the winter. This meant moving all the furniture, and getting rid of the dust that had built up behind it, taking down curtains and washing them, shaking or beating rugs and cushions and sweeping as much dust out of the house as possible.

Nowadays, cleaning is a lot less arduous and thankfully, a lot more effective than in years gone by. It is, however, still time-consuming when it is done throughly.

It is recommended to tackle each room in turn. Firstly, put a new bag and filter in the vacuum cleaner – it will greatly improve efficiency and minimise the amount of fine dust particles being pushed out with the exhaust.

Begin by taking down the curtains and remove any rugs and other loose upholstery. These should ideally be washed or dry cleaned. At the very least give them a good shake in the open air. Then open the windows and tackle the cobwebs by running the feather duster systematically over the ceiling and walls. Even if you can’t see cobwebs, they are there and you’ll be amazed at what you collect. If you have ornaments on shelves remove them and wipe down with a slightly damp duster any shelves, tops of cupboards etc where dust may have built up. If the dust is very thick it is best to use the dusting attachment on the vacuum cleaner to remove it prior to damp wiping, then do the same with skirting boards, moving as many items of furniture as possible and dusting behind them. If the furniture is too big and heavy to move safely, use a flat duster specially made for the purpose. Don’t forget to clean behind radiators as these are also great dust hoarders.

Lamp shades and light fittings also collect dust. Be careful with fabric lamp shades. Vacuum them if your appliance is not too fierce but if the fabric is fragile a gentle damp wipe will remove loose dust. Books are also wonderful hoarders of dust. You should either take them outside and shake the dust out of them or, if your vacuum cleaner has an adjustable power range, gently suck the dust away with the dusting attachment.

It is now time to vacuum the chairs and sofas. Take your time over this and make sure you do the backs as well. Soft chairs absorb a tremendous amount of skin particles which we shed each time we sit down. By removing this from the upholstery you will be cutting down the amount of dust that is pushed out into the atmosphere each time you sit down.

Having got rid of all the dust you should clean the windows and wash over doors and other paintwork. Wipe over light switches and electric sockets and remove any marks that you can see on the walls.

Finally it is time to vacuum the floor. If you have fitted carpet make sure you go round the edges with the crevice tool and wherever possible vacuum underneath furniture as well. If you have hard floors a final mop over with a good detergent will make the whole area smell wonderfully clean and fresh.

Having done all of the above, the whole room will look bright and sparkling and you will be in need of a strong cup of tea, so sit down in your lovely clean room, put your feet up and relax for at least an hour!