Keeping your home healthy involves more than surface-level cleaning. Ongoing regular maintenance is vital to keep your home safe and clean for your family. Here are some items you should add to your spring-cleaning list:
- Check gutters and downspouts for damage and for any debris left over from fall and winter that may clog them.
- Inspect your crawl space for signs of possible water entry and if you may have a need for a sump pump.
- Check for proper operation of your sump pump, if you already have one.
- Open up your crawl space vents. When overnight temperatures start getting above freezing (if you have a traditional vented crawl space) consider alternatives to this by encapsulating your crawl space which can help your energy efficiency as well as moisture issues you may have.
- Clean your showerheads and faucets. You can unscrew sink sprayers, showerheads and faucet aerators and soak them in a half water, half vinegar solution for an hour, then rise them off and re-install them.
- Scrub baseboards and walls with a sponge or rag and mild soapy water.
- Wash all your home’s windows from the interior and exterior.
- Replace your filters; this can include your air vent filters and your range hood filter, if you have one.
- Clean and unclog your dryer vent. You can disconnect the vent from behind the machine and with a dryer vent brush, you can remove lint. You can also remove lint in the vent line from the outside of the house.
- Test all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries as needed.
- Clean off any dust or grime that may have accumulated on your grill during the winter months.
- Wash off and/or wipe down all outdoor furniture.
- Begin the preparation process for your garden, if you plan to have one.
