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Victorians may have needed a massive whole-house cleaning with strong cleaners after months of burning wood, oil, gas, kerosene and candles indoors for light and heat - but most of us today will probably squeak by just fine by tackling messes like a sofa covered with cat hair, or the mold, mildew, dust and grime that’s taken a toehold during the long winter’s night.
Getting to the heart of the grime — the allergens, dust and dirt, mold spores, etc. — is key to making the rite of spring cleaning relevant to today’s healthy family. A thorough cleaning not only begets a sparkling house, it provides a healthy environment for you and your family to eat, sleep, live, breathe and play in.
Sure, it’s far from Victorian perfection, but for today’s families — who may value quality of life and time together more than newly papered drawers and freshly aired mattresses — the goal is whole home deep cleaning with less-toxic products and methods that enables getting by with weekly surface cleanings the rest of the year. What can the kids do to help? See the chores-by-age list in the sidebar.
Here are 10 healthy tips to make your home sparkle again:
1. Bust bathroom mold and mildew. Do as much as you can with baking soda and water, which are safer, effective cleaners for your tub and shower area. Pop that mildewed shower curtain into the washing machine, after presoaking heavily mildewed areas in a bucket with 1/4 cup bleach per gallon of water (make sure it's safe for the fabric before attempting). The solution can then be used on other bathroom surfaces in need. Hang the washed curtain back up in your bathroom to dry. Ventilate well when working with bleach.
2. Vacuum, or dust mop floors with a microfiber dust mop; don't sweep them. Microfiber mops trap and hold fine dust and grime better than your broom does.
3. Electrify your dust cloth. Use an electrostatic dust cloth that attracts and holds household dust with static electricity. Then wash and re-use. No cleaning solutions required. A microfiber or damp cloth is also a good choice.
4. Cut clutter everywhere. Less clutter equals fewer surfaces where annoying and allergy-causing dust can settle. Look at each item in a room critically. If you decide you don't need it, throw it away, sell it or give it away. If it's a keeper, put it away in its logical, convenient and labeled place.
5. Foil fridge grime. Baking soda and water mixed to a grainy consistency is the perfect weapon for attacking chilled-on food, grime and fridge gunk. Rub on using a white nylon sponge, let set a minute or two, then rinse clean with damp paper towels.
6. Tame dust bunnies. Vacuum under furniture, in corners and beneath appliances. Zap the dust that collects there before it morphs into the dreaded (by conscientious housekeepers everywhere) dust bunny.
7. Aim high. Use a lambs-wool duster (a cotton-candy-shaped puff of wool on a stick) to remove cobwebs and dust on ceiling fixtures, exposed beams and in corners.
8. Clean carpets and rugs. Deep clean carpets and area rugs using a machine that you can rent or buy at least once a year, recommends the Carpet and Rug Institute. Or, hire a professional carpet cleaning service that uses less-toxic cleaners and methods. Get a referral from a local carpet retailer for a Clean Trust-certified cleaner in your area if you haven't used a service before; and watch what happens to the price with 'extras' such as spot removal, preconditioning, deep cleaning, pile setting or vacuuming before cleaning. These services ordinarily are included as part of a normal cleaning visit. Also be sure to ask before cleaning begins whether there's an extra charge to move your furniture.
9. Create a great garage. Set aside a spring Saturday (so the kids can help) for cleaning the garage. Try to send the little ones away for this occasion. Ages 8 and up will be of help. Anyone younger will be of hindrance.
Have big plastic bags everywhere: for charity, for trash, for sale, for re-situating. Sweep the floor, brush away cobwebs, get rid of oil stains. (Sprinkle oil stain with automatic dishwasher detergent or cat litter. Grind it into the oil a bit. Leave it on for several minutes, then pour boiling water on the stained area. Scrub the floor with a stiff brush or push broom, then rinse with water.)
Collect all your castoffs of old clothes, toys, furniture that are no longer needed, and call for a pick-up — or drop the items off to your favorite charity yourself.
10. Finally, when you've finished your spring cleaning and clearing routine, plan to recycle what you can. Here are a few good places to consider donating your hard-to-trash items to:
Cell phones. Check out www.collectivegood.com.
Computers. Visit www.techsoup.org.
Eyeglasses. Call your neighborhood Lions Club and ask about the'Recycle for Sight' program.
For more information on cleaning safely with kids, check out the free publication 'Keep Your Family and Home Clean & Safe ', from the Soap and Detergent Association (www.cleaning101.com).
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