Spring Cleaning Before House Guests Arrive

Your extended family is coming in for a wedding and staying at your house while they’re in town. It’s the perfect incentive to get your deep cleaning out of the way. Do you know where to begin?

There are some overlooked areas of your home that collect germs, dirt and everyday muck. Here is a list to keep handy about as you go about your spring cleaning.

Light Switches and Light Plates

You touch light switches daily and everything you come into contact with throughout the day is resting on your switch plates. Never spray cleaner directly on the switch plate. Rather, make a bath of warm soap and water and wash the switch plate down and dry completely. Go through the house and make sure you get every switch in the home before your guests arrive. (This is also a good rule of thumb for doorknobs.)

Baseboards and Hard to Reach Areas

We often see (and clean) things at eye level but put off surfaces that are out of reach or otherwise inconvenient. A few examples include the tops of door frames and artwork, crown molding/architectural accents, plantation blinds, baseboards, light fixtures and ceiling fan blades. Grab an extender for your duster and tackle one room at a time.

Kitchen Cutting Boards

Plastic versus Wood? There are hidden little cuts in the wood that can harbor bacteria and germs such as E. coli, listeria and salmonella. We cut vegetables, meat, fish and fruit and think it’s clean with a swipe of the sponge. To do the job, the Pioneer Woman recommends lemon, kosher salt, vinegar, and baking soda. Avoid soaking your board in water and never run it through the dishwasher.

But, don’t throw your wooden cutting boards away in favor of plastic. In a recent study, the U.S. Department of Agriculture found no scientific evidence to support plastic cutting boards were better than wooden boards.

A study conducted at the University of Wisconsin found, “Basically, wood cutting boards kill bacteria. Wood binds up water, which bacteria needs to grow. Wood also contains antimicrobial compounds. (Given that many other plants can be used as natural antibiotics, this is not entirely surprising.) Old or new, wood cutting boards add an extra line of defense to your kitchen.”

Kitchen Drawer Pulls and Cabinet Knobs

The decorative and functional knobs and pulls in your kitchen could use a little TLC and disinfecting. With so much activity happening in the space, countless hands are leaving their mark (and germs) behind. Ideally, you’ll remove the knobs and pulls and soak them in warm water and vinegar (followed by warm water and dish soap). Once your hardware is sparkling, you may be inspired to dust the top of your refrigerator and make your cabinets shine.

Range Hood and Filter

The filter in your kitchen range hood needs regular attention. Clean My Space has a helpful video with instructions. For a stainless steel range hood, Martha Stewart comes to the rescue.

Household Cleaning Supplies

The very things you use to clean and dust your home need to be replaced or disinfected on a regular basis. Rinse out your mop thoroughly after each use to avoid a rancid smell and toss your sponge after one week of hard work. Dust mops should be shaken out to loosen dirt and rags should be washed between use.

Walls

We mop our floors regularly and vacuum the carpet, but how often do we think about the walls in your home? Take a quick look around and dust down the walls, get rid of the cobwebs in the upper corners, wash away little grimy handprints and food and beverages that have been accidentally splashed while walking from one room to another. Here’s a quick primer on how to clean your painted walls by Better Home & Gardens.

Windows

For crystal clear views, you may want to hire a professional (especially if your home is multiple stories). If you’re feeling industrious, This Old House shares tips on how to make windows sparkle.

Grout

Depending on your flooring, you may have grout lines that are asking for a good scrubbing. Bob Villa provides a list of options from mild to powerful.

Bath Mats

Wash your cloth bath mat every week. It’s easy to forget since you see it only a few minutes per day, but all kinds of bacteria, as well as hair and dust can accumulate and fester. If your mat is close to the toilet, it tends to stay damp from droplets of water that are released into the air and can be the perfect storm for nasty germs to develop.

Soap Dish

A commonly asked question is, “Is bar soap more hygienic than bar soap?” According to an article in The New York Times, bar soap poses little threat of transferring germs. However, allow the soap to sit in the wet soap dish, even on a plastic base, is less desirable than a soap pump with the nozzle cleaned regularly. It’s unsavory to wash your hands or take a bath with a bar of soap used by multiple people before you.

These are just a few items to add to your spring cleaning list. Additionally, a good decluttering of closets, cabinets and drawers is always beneficial. What is top of your checklist?

You may also like Guest Room Essentials: Nine Must Haves for a Cozy Guest Room. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow Diane on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. Buy her new book, Modern Etiquette for a Better Life.