SPRING HOME MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST

Home cleaning and springtime go hand in hand! This is the season when countless homeowners turn their houses upside down to get rid of junk and deep clean the interiors and exteriors of their home. However, during this cleaning haul, the home maintenance aspect is completely overlooked. Hence, spring cleaning should always be combined with spring home maintenance! Here are some things to consider maintaining in preparation for the warmer months:

•  Touch up chipped paint

Whether it’s your walls or furniture, as you start cleaning up and moving things around, you’ll notice a few chips in some paint jobs. As small and unnoticeable as they may be, this will only lead to more peeling and eventually leave you with a tougher job of covering it up.

• Clean and service your air conditioner

Over the winter season, your AC will have collected dust which can clog your filters and vents. Worst of all, this dust and debris become airborne when you switch the unit on, causing allergies and the likes. Therefore, you should clean and service all your air conditioners when spring begins or have a professional do it for you.

•  Clean your dishwasher

This task is often overlooked when spring cleaning the rest of your home, yet it is very much necessary for proper functioning of the appliance. Moreover, a dirty dishwasher is unsanitary to say the least! Deep cleaning of your dishwasher can be done in 4, easy steps: 1) remove chunks or debris from around the drain; 2) place a bowl of 1 cup of white distilled vinegar inside and run an entire cycle; 3) remove the cup, sprinkle half a cup of baking soda at the bottom and run a short, hot cycle; 4) when the interiors cool down, wipe the inside with a clean, damp cloth.

• Maintain your yard/garden

Spring is a time where you can find both, dried up leaves and unwanted weeds growing in your garden. Use this time to maintain your yard by trimming hedges and bushes, mowing the lawn and fertilising your plants.

• Clean and check fly screens

Spring is the perfect time to let plenty of fresh air into your home. Make sure your screens are clean to limit the dirt and dust coming inside. Also make sure that there is no damage to the screens which will allow the dreaded flies and mozzies in!