Spring cleaning: tips to keep the home healthy & clean

The birds are chirping and the leaves are growing, but the garage is still cluttered and the sink is full of dishes. Well, it must be time for Spring cleaning!

Don’t wait a lifetime to get a jump on this year’s annual tidy-up, start small habits today.

Here are some Spring cleaning tips that will turn your Winter wasteland into a clean, healthy and fresh smelling home.

Clean Your Doormats

Even though it’s often overlooked, cleaning your doormat is important. Your doormat is the first line of defense for any clean home. Why shine the floors if people are tracking dirt in your home? The best way to avoid bacteria from entering your home is by stopping it before it is able to enter. Sprinkle baking soda into the mat fibers to deodorize and scrub out that dust so people don’t need to second guess entering your house!

Apply Wax or Sealer to Kitchen Floor

Once your doorway is looking neat, give the ground some attention. Some of the most noticeable mess areas are floors. Harmful particles can be tracked into the home during the wet season and kicked up during the dry seasons. For lasting protection, add a buffer or wax to the floors after you clean them. Avoid any slips or falls by placing non-skid rug pads underneath all carpets once your floors look shiny! This way your home is inviting and we won’t see you for any unfortunate surprise visits.

Give Your Fridge a Makeover

Before you start to clean your fridge, get rid of anything that might have expired. That means you, 2014 salad dressing! A study from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows that 76 million illnesses come from foodborne diseases yearly. One sure way to cut this number down is by making sure expired food is tossed and bacteria breeding areas are cleaned. For the best looking fridge, make sure to clean its entire interior with a mixture of warm water, mild soap and about a tablespoon of baking soda per quart of water.

Don’t Forget About Your Closet

We know you’ve been putting this off, but your closet isn’t going to clean itself. First, you’ll want to decide what items should stay and what outdated pieces should go. Once you’ve sorted this out, think about selling the latter to an apparel resale store or donating them to a charity. A clean closet can lower stress levels especially when in a rush, and cleaning out ones closet and enforcing a daily routine can help him stick to a diet, according to one health coach.  Once the load is lightened, consider some space-saving DIY fixtures so you have more room in your wardrobe.

Consider an Oven Liner

Have you noticed that your bake times have become increasing longer over the years? Clogged or blocked oven burners can decrease your oven’s power and elongate cook times. As mentioned earlier, many illnesses come from bacteria in food, and food left in wrong temperature can contribute to this. Bacteria in food doubles in less than 20 minutes when it is left between 40°F and 140°F. Make sure to keep your cold foods cold and your hot foods hot to prevent foodborne illnesses. To be sure, check that cooked meats are the right temperature with a clean thermometer. To help proper cooking try using a non-stick oven liner. It’s quicker, easier to clean and much less work than scrubbing the bottom of your oven.

Remember the Bathroom

Last but not least, make sure your toilets are nice and clean. A fun tip is to drop some Tang mix into the bowl. The citric acid is non-toxic and best of all, it helps scrub the toilet and fight stains. Your bathroom is prone to skin contact and can be a breeding ground for infectious diseases. Past cases have shown transmission of diseases in the bathroom such as strep throat, E.coli, hepatitis A and food poisoning. In addition to using cleaning additives, scrub the toilet bowl with a toilet brush to ensure bacteria are swept away.

Now that you have covered the spots easiest to overlook during Spring cleaning, don’t forget to tackle the more visible messes. While you’re cleaning, try to have fun! Invite over your friends, blast some music and take advantage of your day off. Remember, sick days aren’t meant to be sick!