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Clean it like you mean it: your guide to a glowing home after the school holidays…
Get your home back in tip-top shape, with this simple cleaning checklist to help streamline the post summer break clean up.
Floors: Kids will be kids and foot traffic over the summer break is usually characterised by muddy shoes and dirty feet by the masses, so give them some much needed TLC that they so desperately need. Start by sweeping or vacuuming (flooring finish dependent), then use a carpet cleaner to remove any deep-seated dirt build-up from your carpets or area rugs. Use a steam mop to sanitise the sticky mess on your hard floors and help kill those unwanted germs & bacteria. (PLEASE NOTE: If any carpets do not have backing, they require professional cleaning)
Kitchen appliances: Run cleaning product through the washing machine and dishwasher while they’re empty to clean the machines themselves.
Mats: Vacuum and machine wash all doormats and area rugs – ideally on a higher temperature as this helps to kill germs and bacteria.
Walls: Often overlooked, walls can endure a fair amount of abuse over the course of a year. Dust them from the top down, targeting corners and other hard to reach places. To solve for grease stains, food splatters and fingerprints, use a solvent-free degreaser. Just be sure to test the product in a small area to make sure it won’t damage your walls. Also remember that light switches receive a lot of grime and germ traffic, so pay special attention to these.
Light fixtures: Remove light fixtures and wash them carefully with soap and water. Also dust and wipe down ceiling fans.
Furniture: Gently beat your couch and scatter cushions outside to remove dust and surface dirt the kids, pets and friends may have left behind during the summer break. Look out for ‘secret stains’ (that went un-noticed/un-mentioned) and treat them according to fabric care labels or specific stain subject solutions. To clean under seat cushions and crevices, use a powerful vacuum hose.
Shower curtain: Replace your shower curtain liner.
Toilet brushes: Replace toilet scrubbing brushes.
Cabinets, countertops and sinks: Built-up dirt and stains will happen to cabinets and countertops regardless of how often you wipe them down. Baking with kids in the kitchen can mean some serious mess on countertops and cabinets – depending on how creative your children are. Use warm water and soap on a sponge to clean off fingerprints, food stains and other unsightly markings. If stubborn grease marks persist, use a solvent-free degreaser to target those spots. Don’t forget the areas in and around handles, since those often get the most use.
Fridge: Sweep and mop underneath your refrigerator and dust the coils at the back of your fridge. Be sure to unplug your fridge first though!
Detectors: Take this opportunity to replace the batteries in your smoke detectors.
For more clever cleaning tips and tricks, see our latest series of Bissell ‘Cleaning Tips’, and if you wish to use our infographic on your site you can use the below embed code to do so. We just ask that you please include www.bisselldirect.co.uk as the source!