Pick up your sponges, disinfectants, and fill that bucket with some soapy water! That’s right… it’s springtime! This means clearing the last remnants of winter and giving our home that deep clean that we never got round to. To some, this seems a momentous task and needs to be planned. But don’t worry, help is at hand! We bring an essential guide to spring cleaning your home from top to bottom. Our tips come from those in the know and won’t take you long to have your home spick and span!
Get rid of stains using shaving foam
Yes… You heard it right, you can use shaving foam to get rid of stains on your sofa! It’s quite simple, just spray some shaving cream on the stain you want to remove. Rub it in and leave it for 30 minutes to an hour and then start to blot it dry. Be sure not to use shaving gel! Also, before you start, make sure you use the foam on a hidden area of the fabric just to be on the safe side!
Out with paper in with the microfiber
Save money and gain the ability to sanitise by using a microfiber cloth when cleaning your house. The beauty of using microfiber is that they can be used in any aspect of your spring clean, even to clean your bathroom and kitchens. You can use them on your floor, tiles and glass. When you are done, you just pop it in a washing machine and put it on the line to dry then you are good to go!
Give Your Shower Pressure a Boost
You may not think it, but it’s pretty important to keep your showerhead clean to maximise your shower pressure. So, while your spring cleaning frenzy takes place. You can use water and white vinegar to clean the inside of your showerhead. Pour the solution into a bag and make sure you seal it around the showerhead and leave it for up to one hour. This will remove any build-up trapped within the showerhead.
Check Those Rugs
It might sound simple, but you should take the time to shake and beat your rugs. It’s important to take your small rugs out and give them a good beating on a weekly basis. You may run the vacuum on your larger rugs, but spring is the perfect time to take them out to beat and shake. Just throw your rug over a line or fence and start beating with a stick, broom, etc. You should be doing this three to four times a year!
Clean Your Computer
Cleaning your computer tends to be a grey area, best avoid harsh cleaning products on computer screens and stay away from paper towels. Simply use a microfiber cloth to clean the screen and just wipe in circular motions – you can add a dash of water and vinegar. You can also use this solution to wipe down your keyboard and give it a good scrub.
As you go around your home cleaning and scrubbing like a mad thing! Here’s some food for thought… Did you know some practice cleaning as part of relaxation, while others use it as a way to keep fit? That’s true! Cleaning is soothing and satisfying, and it can relax your mind in the best ways possible. Looking for more ways to relax? Try reading a book or watching a favourite movie There’s only one way to find out…
Contact Junk It for junk removal in Toronto today. Our specialists will remove your junk and dispose of it responsibly.
Keep sneezing when you are at home? Do your clothes come out smelling a little stale after a wash? The modern home is filled with conveniences. And because they run so reliably, we take them for granted. But just because they don’t break, doesn’t mean they don’t need to be changed.
If that were the case, would your car ever need an oil change?
“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” Yes, we agree too. Replace it instead.
It might sound a bit oblique to suggest replacing ‘functional’ items around the house. But, once you’ve read our blog, you’ll be wondering how you missed them.
At Junk It we are big believers in reusing and recycling. Reducing waste is a good thing – just not at the cost of your health.
In this post we look at six items around the home that need to be replaced regularly – no, we aren’t talking toothbrushes.
1. Home appliances
It is wise to make full use of your appliances. Cluttering up landfills with serviceable machinery is not particularly helpful. Here are some drawbacks of appliances that have been with you from the days of yore, and why you should replace them:
- Electricity consumption – newer appliances consume less electricity
- Safety risk – Corroded wiring and failure risk injury and property damage
- Hygiene – Mould, bugs and critters will make your old ‘white goods’ their new homes
Get junk removal services in Toronto to help you rid your home of these electricity hogs.
2. Refrigerators
Anything interacting with food should not be kept for more than a few years. Fridges, in particular, are prone to accumulating food and grime in nooks and crannies you can’t even see. These will become breeding grounds and pose real risks of food contamination. What’s worse, you won’t see is how they are transferring on to you.
Worse still, as fridges wear out, the refrigerating gas can start to leak, flooding your kitchen with noxious fumes. Don’t let your fridge become a toxic watering hole for your family.
3. Carpets and mats
Everyone has smelt that stale smell carpets can start to give off after a few years. No matter how much you vacuum or clean them, carpets will collect dust and dirt. Inevitably, they will become welcoming homes for bugs too.
Moreover, as carpets fray, they become trip and fall risks. Whether it is you, your child or a visitor, it is simply inadvisable having such a risk of injury in your home.
A bathroom or kitchen mat should be replaced still more frequently as it can become a breeding ground for germs.
Get garbage bin rentals services to make your task of tossing out old junk that much easier.
4. Filters
Filters are present around the home. Their job: to protect us from contaminants and protect equipment from damage. As they become saturated, they can reduce efficiency, pose a health risk and even raise the risk of fire. Where you will find filters:
HVAC: Furnaces and air conditioners have filters to ensure dust, debris and insects are not blown into your home. There can be filters on inlets too.
Washing machines and dishwashers – These employ a number of water and soil filters. Make sure to replace them frequently, lest your clogged filter grinds your appliance to a halt.
Dryers – Especially with clothes dryers, filters will collect dry lint. A tear in the filter will cause this fibre to accumulate in the vent leading outside, posing a serious fire risk.
5. Fire extinguishers
First, if you don’t have one – what are you waiting for!
Most people buy the disposable type of fire extinguisher for their homes. Make no mistake, these have an expiry date. And even after sitting for a few years, they can lose a lot of pressure. Even the effectiveness of chemicals will reduce over time.
If you have tenants then you should make it a point to replace fire extinguishers for them very frequently. Be a responsible landlord and make sure you don’t risk someone’s safety with an expired extinguisher.
6. Mattresses
It may be essential for a good night’s sleep, but a mattress typically receives little attention. With time, these will sag and lose the support they used to provide.
Don’t wait until you start to wake up with a backache to replace your old mattress. Bad sleep will, of course, affect your mood. More than that, it will affect your posture too.
An old mattress can become a breeding ground for bed bugs. Again, your best efforts to clean it will be in vain. Better to replace it – and fast!
Junk It Helps You Stay Junk-Free
At Junk It we know that every time you do your spring cleaning a lot of junk will be found. That’s why our services are so flexible and our trash removal dumpsters so mobile. Homeowners love us because we are just so effortless to work with.
Call Junk It now and keep your home junk-free.
Spring Cleaning Workout
If you are like most people, you may have stuff that takes up space in your attic, basement, garage or maybe all three. This stuff or “junk” has not been used in years. It just takes up space and adds clutter to your home and life. Spring time is a perfect time to tackle getting rid of this stuff and fitting in a workout at the same time. Forget the mantra, “no pain, no gain”. Doctors now say that short bursts of mild exercise will make you healthier. Just 30 minutes a day can really help you. Intensity is very important. It’s also important to work quickly. “To get more benefit, speed up the time in which you do something,” says Mary Findley, a former professional housecleaner who now owns Mary Moppins, a mop-manufacturing company in Eugene, Ore. According to Webmd, here are some tips for making spring cleaning a workout:
• Put on some fast music — rock and roll, salsa, whatever you like. This helps you pick up speed, Findley says. A bathroom should only take 20 minutes to clean, she says. So get moving!
• Whenever you’re doing chores, tighten your abs. This prevents you from slouching.
• Stretch extra-high to knock down those cobwebs or prune that limb. You should feel it along your side.
• Strive for large up-and-down movements. When cleaning a shower door, for example, make big circles. “I am a trainer and I feel like my arm is about to fall off!” exclaims Mandel.
• Carry heavy baskets of laundry or supplies up from the basement, if your conditioning allows.
• Climb on a stepladder every chance you get. “What’s the difference between this and a step class?” Mandel asks.
• Scrub floors on your hands and knees. And get on your hands and knees to pull out all that dust and clutter hiding under the bed.
• Do lunges while vacuuming (keep toes pointed straight ahead, and don’t bend your knees further than 90 degrees). You’ll feel it in your thighs.
• When putting away dishes, face forward and twist to reach the cabinets.
• In the garden, lunge toward weeds. “Some of them have roots 5 feet long,” Mandel says. “Those’ll give you a workout!”
• Pruning requires forearm strength (and helps develop it). It also requires reaching on your toes — like a calf raise, Mandel says. So volunteer for this chore, and don’t be afraid of thicker or higher branches.
• Pouring mulch or fertilizer from a heavy bag requires a squat. Remember to use your legs, not your back.
• Wielding a weed-eater is like fencing, almost. Pull in those abs and pay attention to your form.
• If you have area rugs,
beat them using a clean broom rather than vacuuming. This means more steps to get outside and more exercise for your arm muscles. Once you are done your spring cleaning, you may have lot’s of junk left over. Call a junk removal company to come by and pick it up. The service is convenient and will allow you finally have space in your basement or garage.