Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, over 50 percent of the American population is currently under compulsory stay-at-home orders. Consequently, most people with non-essential jobs have found themselves with a lot of extra free time. While this can cause overwhelming anxiety and uncertainty, you should take advantage of the situation. You can heed to the CDC COVID 19 prevention guidelines, and carry out your annual spring cleaning. That might seem like a daunting chore, but it can be an exciting venture if you implement a specific plan of action.
De-clutter the bathroom It is advisable to take spring, cleaning one room at a time. Since the bathroom is typically the smallest room in the house, you can start with it. Bathrooms are a high-traffic room and tend to be the breeding grounds for germs. So, clean the handles, doorknobs, and other hardware even before you start organizing. You should use the right cleaning supply such as the Exlime Strong to ensure optimum disinfection and elimination of rust and germs. Replace and get rid of old toilet brushes, trashcans, toothbrush, soap holders, curtain lines, and do not forget to clean the shower curtain. Also, sort through medicine cabinet and vanity while tossing away the expired cosmetics, medications, and personal care products.
Organize the kitchen A messy kitchen has beenlinked to poor health choices such as reaching for junk foods. From unused gadgets, expired foods and condiments, to miscellaneous objects, you can take everything out and sort it by category. Moreover, go through the pantry and get rid of unused, old, and expired items. Clean out the dishes and serve wear and throw out the cracked or chipped pieces and damaged food containers. Finally, clean the refrigerator and freezer shelves. It is recommended that you take everything out and give the shelves a good scrub down. Also, use a cleaning supply like the Green Unikleen 200 degreaser and a wet microfiber cloth to clear gunk, baked-on foods, and sauce spatters off the oven.
Re-work your home office Stay-at-home orders have made people work from home and do homeschooling. That tends to clutter the tables and counters where you are working on. Unfortunately, clutter can make it hard for you to focus on tasks.The optimal home office environment should have a balance of productivity and comfort. Start by picking the largest, most cluttered surface and clear it off by finding everything on it a home. You should also take inventory of bills, old files, and remove the papers that are no longer needed or those that are available digitally.
Give your bedroom a spring cleaning makeover A study shows that a disorganized bedroom can result in difficulty sleeping. So, you should organize and clean your closet. Since donating old clothes can be impossible right now, consider repurposing them and turning them into handmade masks. The has reported that because of the N95 mask scarcity, some hospitals are accepting donations of the homemade ones. Clean the beddings and pillowcases. Also, it is recommended to wash the actual pillows and duvets, since they usually go under-washed. You can dry-clean them or have them cleaned in an industrial machine because many duvets don’t fit in the standard machines.
Make more space in the living room With everyone at home now, the living room tends to become incredibly untidy. Start your living room spring cleaning by removing objects that do not belong there. Clean and fold blankets straighten the pillows to keep the overall neat appearance. Wipe down the inside and outside the windows, including the windowsills. You can open the window and vacuum any grime and muck that has accumulated over the year. Also, ensure to use the right cleaning supply and paper towel or cloth to avoid leaving streaks or dust. It is crucial to vacuum carpets regularly to keep the dirt, sand, and dander to the minimum. Use the changing season to carry out a thorough, detailed vacuum of the crannies and nooks- around furniture legs, under furniture, and across your baseboards. Also, get a cleaning supply to get rid of the stains on carpets and furniture. Run linens such as throw pillows, rugs, (especially high traffic rugs and outdoor rugs), and blankets through the wash for a fresher living room. Clean the doors and switch plates using a microfiber cloth dipped in the UniSource cleaning supply to remove fingerprints, germs, and smudges. Also, clear out dust and debris from the baseboards and ceiling fans. Check for dead bugs, dirt, and burnt out light bulbs in your ceiling light fixtures. Remember, having good lighting in your house can give you a homey vibe that you aspire to achieve in these trying times.
Get the family involved Spring cleaning during the stay-at-home time is an excellent way of getting the entire family to work together. Encourage the children to fold their own clothing and place things back in the drawers. Go through items with them while putting winter sweaters and ski gears in storage and bringing back the summer and spring items like shorts and swimwear. That can be therapeutic and will spark excitement for the days ahead. You can also try some music or establish a family reward as an incentive for getting the work done.
Follow the CDC guidelines While a significant part of spring cleaning is organizing, the frequently touched surfaces as well as high-traffic rooms. Clean the visibly dirty surfaces first using a cleaning supply and water before disinfecting it. However, some disinfectants aren’t safe for all types of flooring and furniture, and thus you should ensure that you choose safe, less toxic, and eco-friendly cleaning supplies such as the Green Unikleen. Cleaning is only half the chore, as the CDC directs spraying surfaces with diluted household bleach and cleaning supply or liquids with at least 70% alcohol. Also, household members ought to wash their hands regularly using water and soap (use the ammonia-free Green 4 Hands that removes the toughest germs and leaves a glove-like lanolin protective coating). If soap and water are unavailable, use alcohol-based hand soap or disinfectant.
Conclusion Spring cleaning is a tradition that allows you to freshen up your home and get a head start on the frenzied seasons of spring and summer. While this typically calls for diving into the forgotten nooks and crannies to snare dirt and dust, this year spring cleaning is taking a different route due to the coronavirus pandemic. It entails cleaning and disinfecting with the virus in mind. Also, virtually the entire family is at home, and hence it will require extra organization of spaces to help you refresh your mind, feel more relaxed, and gain clarity during this chaotic time.