Spring Cleaning

Its finally March and I couldn't be happier about it.  Spring is coming and with that comes the need to clean out your houses and apartments of all the dreary winter clutter.
Here's some tips on how to get it done:

• Work from the top down, inside to outside, to avoid getting what you just cleaned dirty again. Saving yourself time and effort!
• Do one room, even one area of one room, at a time to avoid unfinished jobs. The satisfaction of seeing one room sparkle will make the hard work feel like it's worth all that effort.
• When tidying, reduce trips around the house by temporarily depositing items in one spot en route to but not at their final destination, or a clutter pile until you're ready to make a trash run.
• Do two things at once. While laundry is going, scrub the shower stall.
• Make small repairs. If you're not handy, hire someone. Updating shower rods, towel bars and hooks in the bathroom are just a few ways to spruce things up a little.
• Invest in good rubber or vinyl gloves to protect your skin and nails, us ladies need to protect those french tips!
• Dust before vacuuming or cleaning the floor. Try feather dusters, especially extendable ones for reaching above window and door casings and into corners. Household rags are perfect for jobs requiring a damp cloth – natural fibers work best. My personal favorite is microfiber!
  
• Buy mops with a squeeze mechanism (great for vinyl, linoleum or ceramic tile floors) and a decent-size heavy-duty pail – one with a measuring scale helps get soap-to-water ratios correct.
  
• Don't stand your brooms on their bristles. It will destroy their shape and diminish their effectiveness. Instead, get a broom holder or a hook on the wall.
  
• Use a Swiffer for light dusting, or your favorite broom or vacuum attachment to clean hardwood floors. Then damp-mop with a mild general purpose cleaner for a nice shine. It makes the floors glow and smell good too.