The welcoming warmth of spring provides the perfect opportunity to spruce up your home with a little spring cleaning. It’s the chance to dust off the cobwebs, de-clutter the wardrobes and get to those hard to reach places with a little extra elbow grease.

Whether you’re thinking of selling your home, getting it ready to rent or just keen for a fresh start to a new season here are our top tips for spring cleaning.

Outside in

Spring cleaning isn’t just about the interior of a home. It’s the welcome opportunity to freshen up the exterior and just a little extra effort has a major effect.

Look to the outside of your property and start from the top down, checking the condition of gutters, your roof, and items like patio roofs and shade sails.

The best tool for the trade here is a water-blaster, which allows you to blast off the grime of winter, working around your house one area at a time. Start with water-blasting gutters and fascias, then get in under the eaves to blow off the cobwebs and any mould, followed by cleaning exterior walls, windows then decking and paths.

For hard to clean areas, or if you don’t have a water-blaster, give it a quick scrub with diluted sugar soap first, and then hose the area off.

Water blasting, or sugar soap and a hose also work beautifully for windows and flyscreens, just ensure you finish windows with a rubber scraper to avoid watermarks and streaking.

Once you’ve finished, touch up any tired areas with a lick of paint or decking oil.

Spring cleaning pro tip: Car polish can add a real sparkle to faded gutters and fascias.

Top down

Within the interior of the home it also pays to work from the top down. Clean any marks from the ceiling first and get rid of cobwebs in corners. Then hit dusty areas above pelmets or blinds, working wall to wall from the top to the bottom.

Again, a diluted mix of sugar soap and warm water on a moist cloth is great for cleaning marks off walls and giving them a new lease on life.

This is a great opportunity to get into those nasty areas behind furniture where dust, bugs and spiders tend to gather.

Curtains should also be on your list of items to freshen up. For curtains with backing, give them a warm wash by hand in the bathtub. Remove without wringing, then hang outside, ensuring the backing is face up and does not crease or touch other items.

Just before they’re dry give them an iron or hang them immediately to release any final creases.

Curtains that do not have backing can be washed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Blinds should be wiped with a damp cloth then dried. On the off-chance they’re plastic or metal venetians, take them outside and carefully water-blast away a year’s worth of grime. If they’re beyond redemption, it’s time to consider a fresh set.

Depending on your floor finish, consider getting in a steam cleaner to rejuvenate carpets. Steam mops are great for tiles, vinegar, water and a mop is fabulous for wood, and good old fashioned elbow grease is always a bonus for scuff marks or traffic grime.

Remember to shift furniture to ensure a thorough job. If you have tiles, take this opportunity to have a good hard look at your grout and be prepared to whip out the baking soda, water and a toothbrush to bring them up to speed.

In the kitchen, give your oven a good once over, along with your sink. And don’t forget the kickboards and cupboard doors – sugar soap’s great for these as well.

Spring cleaning pro tip: Metal polish or jewellery cleaner can make your sink sparkle like new.

Declutter

Let’s be honest, most of us have too many items we don’t require taking up valuable space on display, or on our shelves. Hit one area at a time to determine items you no longer need, and either put them in storage or get rid of them. If they add nothing to a room or if they’re looking tired, it’s time to go.

Behind closed doors

Most people hide all manner of sins within their household storage areas like cupboards. Work through a cupboard one room at a time, getting rid of items for donation or disposal. It’s a good rule of thumb that if you haven’t used it in the past six months and if it’s not sentimental, it’s ready to find a new home.

Tools of the trade

  • Water blaster
  • Sugar soap
  • Bucket
  • Scourer
  • Steam mop, ordinary mop and vinegar
  • Long handled cobweb brush, or broom
  • Fortitude and conviction

About United Strata

Specialising in the Macarthur region, United Strata prides itself on our extensive local knowledge and professional yet personalised service to guide sellers through the sale process. We provide free market appraisals that include a comprehensive report along with our recommendations of the value of your property.

Committed to reaching your sale goal, we go above and beyond the services of other agents. If we do not sell your property or it does not reach the agreed upon price, you will not foot the bill for our listing fees.

You can learn more about our services here, or contact us directly for further advice.