How to Get Your New House Sparkling and Ready to Live in
by: Teresa Greenhill
When you move into a new home, you want it to be clean. However, most homes, especially older ones, are usually not quite move-in ready. Here is what you need to know to clean your new home thoroughly before moving in.
Where to Start
The best advice when cleaning is to start high and work your way down. Lighting fixtures and ceiling fans should be dusted and wiped down before you worry about cleaning the floors. If your home comes with a fridge, it is wise to get the refrigerator clean before anything else so you can store perishable food right away. Use microfiber towels when dusting to help you catch stray particles. You may want to repair as you clean, so take note of any nails in walls, dings or scratched paint. Look for damaged flooring that may not have been previously noticeable. Before you move your furniture in, get these things taken care of.
Improving Air Quality
You don’t need to have a respiratory problem to appreciate having cleaner air in your home. One way of doing so is by ditching chemical-heavy cleaners and choosing more natural alternatives. Plants can help to filter out toxins from the air, but make sure they don’t get moldy from standing water. A purifier is another excellent means of keeping your air clean. Particle filters don’t do the job you might expect, especially in regards to gases and odors. Perfumes, scented soaps, and air fresheners can all contribute to chemical build-up. If you have pets, make sure you’re grooming them regularly to keep dander levels down. Hardwood furnishings are generally healthier for our lungs than fabric ones, as they do not usually contain chemicals like formaldehyde. Always, always ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in good working order and your air filters are fresh.
Allergy Protection
Those with allergies know that cleaning frequently can help to reduce exposure to allergens. Having a schedule you stick to may significantly improving breathing ability. Dust, wash sheets, and vacuum weekly. Pay particular attention to curtains and anything close to windows. Keeping your home dry can prevent mold and mildew from forming as well. Drying clothes outside can increase allergens in the home, as wind carries pollen and other allergens onto your clean laundry. Allergen-blocking pillow cases can help you and your loved ones breathe at night, especially when they’re cleaned frequently. Another way to reduce allergens in the home is to get rid of your carpets in favor of hard floors, either wood or tile.
Maintaining Your Progress
Once your home is spotless, you’ll want to keep it that way. Maintenance does not have to be exhausting if it’s done regularly. For example, a cordless vacuum does wonders for cleaning quickly and is easy to store. Not only that, they pose less of a tripping hazard (especially for pets and children), and it takes much less time to clean with this kind of model than with a corded one. Doing a little work, even just twenty minutes a day, can keep your home feeling fresh and new. Don’t let things like dishes and laundry pile up. The bigger the pile, the more intimidating it becomes, and the longer it takes to deal with. Having multiple sets of cleaning supplies throughout the house can make touch-ups easier, as you’ll always have cloths and cleaners handy. Even little details, like doormats at every entrance to clean feet before entering, can go a long way to keeping your home spic and span.
We all want to have beautiful, clean homes, especially when they are new to us. If you are moving, it’s good to have a plan of action for cleaning and keeping your home toxin-free. Our homes should make us feel wonderful, not sick and polluted, after all.
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