Many people avoid spring cleaning simply because they don’t know where to begin. But the process of decluttering and then cleaning a space is actually pretty easy. Each task is quick; the tough part is getting started.
That’s where this 30-day checklist comes in. This spring cleaning plan outlines a set of tasks to help you declutter and clean every nook and cranny in your home. It will keep you moving from room to room, which goes against traditional advice to work on one room until it’s complete before heading to the next. But with a big project like spring cleaning an entire home, the impulse to quit when you get overwhelmed or bored can be strong. So tackling a few projects each day will ensure that you stay motivated.
What You Need
Before you get started, prepare some boxes. Here’s what you need:
Box Category 1: Donate/Consign. Anything you want to donate or consign goes into these boxes. If the items won’t fit into a box (e.g., a couch), then keep a running list of them.
Box Category 2: Repair. While you’re decluttering and cleaning, you will come across items that need to be mended or repaired. Place these items in a box until you’re ready to get them fixed. Don’t let repairs sidetrack you until you’re done cleaning.
Box Category 3: Put-Away Box. Say you’re cleaning out a drawer in your kitchen and you find a misplaced pair of earrings in it. Don’t stop decluttering that drawer to go put your earrings in their proper place. Instead, add them temporarily to a put-away box. Once you’re done with the drawer, take that box and return everything in it to its rightful storage place.
It’s also helpful to keep a pen and paper or a digital list nearby during your spring cleaning process. On it you can keep a running list of projects that pop up while you clean that you want to get to eventually, such as organizing old photos. Once you’re done with your spring cleaning, then you can make a plan to tackle those projects.
Day 1: Dust
Take a broom to the corners of the ceiling to catch any cobwebs in your kitchen, living room, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Then, sweep or vacuum the floors.
Dust the undersides of every chair and table in your home, and then vacuum and mop the floors around them.
Clean every mirror in your home, including ones in the bathrooms, bedrooms, and entryway.
Wash your winter gloves, hats, and scarves, and pack them up for next year. Take your winter coats to the dry cleaner if necessary.
Sort your under-bed storage boxes. Add any applicable items to the donate or mend boxes.
Remove odd socks from your sock drawer, and either toss them or use them as cleaning rags.
Go through your dresser, and pull out items of clothing you haven’t worn in a year and have no plans to wear again. Put them in your donation box.
Day 3: Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet
Throw away expired medicines. Look up local regulations on how to properly dispose of medicines.
Organize your emergency supplies. Make sure you’re stocked on first aid necessities.
Declutter your linen closet. Pull out the old towels and sheets you no longer use, and put them into your donation box.
Day 4: Sort Your Shoes
Sort through your shoes. Add any that you want to donate or repair to those respective boxes.
Clean the floors of your closets, and get rid of any unused storage solutions.
Wash your slippers.
Day 5: Clean Small Appliances
Clean your appliances, including their plugs, tops, bottoms, sides, and any accessories that came with them.
Deep clean your coffee maker, following manufacturer instructions.
Thoroughly clean utensils, such as can openers, that might not be washed on a regular basis.
Replace old kitchen sponges and rubber gloves.
Day 6: Clean Your Car
Use a vacuum to clean the inside of your car. Declutter while you go. Don’t neglect cleaning the floor mats. Then, wipe down interior surfaces with a cleaning solution and rag.
Wash the outside of your car (or bring it to a car wash).
Day 7: Deep Clean Your Fridge and Cabinets
Thoroughly clean your fridge and freezer by removing all shelves, racks, and storage containers and washing them in your bathtub. Toss any old food. Wash your ice cube trays. Wipe down the sides of the fridge and freezer. Then, put everything back in. If you’re afraid of food spoiling, use a cooler to keep food cold while you work.
Take everything out of your cabinets, and clean all the surfaces before replacing the items.
Check the cabinets for any unexpired food you don’t plan to eat that can be donated. Throw out expired or questionable food.
Day 8: Toss Clutter in the Bathroom
Declutter and clean your bathroom storage. Take everything out, and clean the backs, sides, and bottoms of the cabinets and drawers.
Dispose of any expired bathroom cleaning products.
Replace any old, worn toothbrushes and/or razors.
Wash or replace your shower curtain liner.
Day 9: Wash Household Linens
Wash your couch covers, pillowcases, and other linens used around the house.
Launder the drapes in your living room, dining room, and bedrooms. If you can’t wash them on site, bring them to the dry cleaners.
Wash your ironing board cover
Wash your tea towels and kitchen towels.
Toss small rugs, bathroom mats, and bathrobes in the wash.
Remove your window screens, and vacuum them using the handheld attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Then, soak them in soapy water before rinsing.
Use dish soap diluted in water and a microfiber cloth to wipe down your windows. Then, spray on vinegar diluted in water, and wipe the windows with a clean towel to dry them.
Dust your windowsills and frames, and touch up any chipped paint around the sills.
Day 14: Toss Old Papers, Magazines, and Newspapers
Recycle old magazines, newspapers, and packing materials.
Organize old paper or plastic shopping bags that are lying around in one location, so you can reuse them.
Shred sensitive documents you don’t need anymore. Scan important papers, and shred the originals if they don’t need to be saved.
Day 15: Wash Your Makeup and Hair Brushes
Deep clean your makeup brushes and hair brushes.
Toss any liquid makeup over 3 months old and any powdered makeup over a year old.
Day 16: Clean Out Your Plumbing
Clean every drain in your home using this method: Pour boiling hot water down the drain, add baking soda, and then add vinegar. Then, cover the drain with a plug for a few minutes. Follow with another pour of boiling water.
Schedule a plumber for any leaky or otherwise damaged faucets you can’t fix yourself.
Day 17: Switch Out Seasonal Decor
Remove any winter decorations still hanging around, including throw pillows, candle holders, throw blankets, and vases.
Switch scented candles, hand soaps, etc. from winter scents to fresh spring ones.
If you have a fireplace, thoroughly clean it to remove dirt and debris from winter use.
Day 18: Vacuum Furniture
Move the couch and any heavy chairs, and clean and vacuum underneath them.
Use the handheld attachment to vacuum the couch and chairs themselves.
Day 19: Clean Your Garage
Declutter your garage, and throw out any unneeded items you haven’t touched since last spring.
Wash your gardening gloves, and rinse and wipe off the shoes you wear to do yard work.
Sweep your porch, patio, or front steps.
Day 20: Clean Out Office Items
Go through your desk drawers, and toss broken items, such as dead pens.
Collect and keep office items, such as paper clips, all in one place in your home.
Take your stash of coins to a coin machine or the bank.
Day 21: Sort Your Mugs and Glasses
Declutter your mugs and glasses. Donate the ones you no longer want, and wash and put away the rest.
Wash reusable water bottles and water-filtering pitchers. Then, change the filters.
Day 22: Organize Bags
Organize your bags, including backpacks, briefcases, and suitcases. Declutter the insides, and then clean and store them.
Clean out your everyday bag or wallet.
Wash and store reusable shopping bags all in one place.
Day 23: Repair Broken or Damaged Clothing
Either mend any damaged clothing yourself, or take it to a tailor.
Take any shoes or boots that need repairs to a cobbler.
Day 24: Organize Hobby Supplies and Other Collections
Organize your hobby supplies. This can include crafting supplies, board games, or sporting equipment.
Polish silver jewelry, silverware, and any other items that have become tarnished.
Day 25: Get the Kids Involved in the Cleaning
If you have young children, teach them how to clean something in their room, and make that their chore from now on.
Go through your books (including kids’ books), and donate ones you don’t want anymore.
Day 26: Dust and Vacuum Some More
Dust your blinds, and then vacuum the floor around them.
Dust around your stairs, and then vacuum them.
Wipe down your baseboards and other molding where dust tends to collect. Then, vacuum the floor near them.
Day 27: Wash the Walls
Wash any interior walls that have marks or stains.
Touch up chipped or discolored paint.
Day 28: Wash Your Bed Linens
Wash your bed linens, including any mattress covers, duvet covers, pillow liners, throw blankets, and throw pillows.
If you have a guest room and the bed hasn’t been used in a while, strip the bed down to the mattress and wash all the linens.
Day 29: Sell or Donate Unwanted Items
Did you keep a list of items to sell? Now is the day to take your items to the consignment store or to photograph them to sell online.
Bring donations to a local charity.
Day 30: Throw It Away
Take a trip to the dump to get rid of any large items that are beyond repair.
Check your local regulations for how to get rid of other unwanted items, such as old paint.
Wash your garbage cans and recycling bins. Either do this outside or in your bathroom, scrubbing your tub afterward.
So, you’ve just finished your construction job, but the job isn’t quite over yet. Guess what? There’s a huge mess left behind that must be cleaned up before you can say the job is done. Even working with the best general contractor crew, there is bound to be some leftover mess. This mess is inevitable with all the foot traffic coming in and out bringing in mud and all kinds of dirt, dust from all the tools you were using, plastic that needs to be removed, the list goes on.
If you plan to take on the cleaning job yourself, it could feel a little daunting and overwhelming at first. We’ve prepared a post-construction cleaning checklist made up of seven groups as a reminder of all the areas that need to be cleaned and what exactly needs to be done in those areas. If you were hired to just renovate the bathroom, for example, then you don’t need to worry about cleaning the garage. Use your judgement based on the job that was performed.
1. General Cleanup
The first area you need to focus on is the general cleanup. This could include hallways, offices, and spare rooms. The best way to get started is to bring in all of the cleaning supplies that you’ll be using and lay them out. If you have a crew, you’ll want to make sure you have enough for everyone. Next, divide the supplies up, decide who is going to take which room, and get to work.
Here is the checklist you’ll need for general cleanup:
Remove all of your tools and other renovation materials
Pick up all garbage and throw it away
Dust ceilings
Dust ceiling fans
Clean the walls with soap and warm water
Dust and clean the baseboards
Sweep and vacuum the floors
Wash the floors
Vacuum the carpeting (if there is any)
The above post-construction cleaning checklist contains the common areas that people clean. However, there are also other parts of the construction site that require cleaning:
Dust and clean windows and doors
Clean light fixtures and lightbulbs
Clean inside cabinets and closets
Dust woodwork
Clean inside drawers (dust travels everywhere!)
Wipe down blinds
2. Porch/Driveway
Now that the general areas have been taken care of, it’s time to move onto the porch and driveway. Since the driveway and porch are the first things the homeowners will see when you unveil their renovations, it’s extra important to clean these areas well. It will also serve to set a good first impression and be indicative of what’s inside.
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Vacuum and dust entryway
Clean doors
Clean windows
Sweep and wash porches
Clean exterior lights
Clean threshold
Pressure wash driveway
3. Bedrooms
If you renovated the bedrooms, you’ll have some cleaning work to do in there as well. This checklist is dependent on whether or not you’ll be moving the furniture back into place, so let’s say for the sake of this checklist that you’re also in charge of putting the furniture back in place. Here’s what you’ll need to do to clean the bedrooms:
Clean the walls with soap and warm water
Dust and clean the baseboards
Sweep and vacuum the floors
Wash the floors
Wipe down the tops of dressers
Wipe down the tops of bookshelves, as well as the shelves
Clean mirrors
Clean inside closets
Wipe down blinds
4. Kitchen
Kitchens have lots of surfaces so you can imagine it will be a big job cleaning the kitchen after a renovation. It might be a good idea to get a couple of crew members in there to tackle this one together. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Clean the walls with soap and warm water
Dust and clean the baseboards
Sweep and vacuum the floors
Wash the floors
Vacuum, dust, and clean shelving and drawers (inside and out)
Clean cabinet doors, tops of cabinets and glass
Clean countertops, sinks and backsplashes with soap and warm water
Vacuum, dust, and clean shelving, drawers, and cabinets (inside and out)
Sweep and vacuum the floors
Wash the floors
6. Garage
The garage will be a big cleanup, so it’s recommended to get a few crew members working on it at the same time. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Vacuum, dust, and clean shelving, drawers, and cabinets (inside and out)
Sweep and vacuum the floors
Wash the floors
Wipe down the utilities (furnace, water heater, and other utilities)
7. Laundry Room
Finally, we have the laundry room. This room shouldn’t take up too much time, but it’s still important to give it a good clean. Here’s what you’ll need to do for the laundry room:
Vacuum, dust, and clean shelving, drawers, and cabinets (inside and out)
Wipe down appliances
Sweep and vacuum the floors
Wash the floors
Seems like a lot doesn’t it? Just as renovating a house is a huge job, the cleanup afterward is intense too. If you find this is too much for you and your crew, consider calling in the professionals.
As the coronavirus (COVID-19) makes its way across the globe and into the United States, it’s important for building management professionals to understand the proactive steps they must take to prevent the spread of illness in their facilities.
In this article, you’ll find seven best practices to follow throughout the year to minimize health hazards and risks, and protect your building’s occupants against contaminants — even after COVID-19 isn’t an immediate concern. Follow these sanitation protocols to keep occupants healthier, happier and more productive.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR ORGANIZATION FROM THE CORONAVIRUS
1. Seek resources and education from trusted organizations.
Misinformation can be dangerous in a health crisis, especially in the early stages of a pandemic. Remember to seek information only from credible organizations. For the most current information on the latest health and safety precautions, turn to the following organizations as a starting point.
2. Order an audit of high-touch areas in your building.
High-touch areas of your building can harbor millions of bacteria and should be regularly cleaned and disinfected to encourage a healthy workplace. Order an audit that notes any surfaces in your building that are most likely to harbor germs. Use the following list to jump start the investigation.
Appliances
Chairs
Coffee stations
Computer mice
Desks
Diaper changing stations
Door handles
Elevator buttons
Keyboards
Kitchen surfaces
Light switches
Railings
Reception areas
Sinks
Tables
Telephones
Toilets
TV remotes
Vinyl furniture
Water cooler handles
3. Clean and disinfect identified high-touch areas in your buildings.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) specifies that there is a difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning solutions are great for removing dirt and grime, while disinfecting solutions work to kill germs and bacteria. If you’re looking to properly sanitize contaminated surfaces in your building, you’ll need to use a combination of a cleaning product and sanitizing product, or find a cleaning solution that specifically performs both functions.
PRO TIP: Do not immediately wipe off the disinfectant from a soiled surface. Most disinfectants need to sit for five to ten minutes to eliminate illness-causing bacterias. Have cleaning personnel check the labels of their cleaning products to learn how long they should wait before wiping off the solution.
4. Encourage proper hand washing techniques.
Proper hand washing is one of the best defenses against the spread of illness, not only for employees but also for visitors and occupants. Instruct employees to wash their hands before starting work to prevent more pathogens from entering your building. Hang up posters that demonstrate proper hand washing techniques in restrooms, kitchens and other high-traffic areas. Lastly, provide hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol (according to the CDC).
DID YOU KNOW? To prevent the spread of COVID-19, many physicians suggest washing the hands for 20 to 30 seconds with soap and warm water. The following song choruses are about this length — so start humming!
“Raspberry Beret” by Prince
“Jolene” by Dolly Parton
“Africa” by Toto
“Karma Chameleon” by Culture Club
5. Follow proper sanitary methods when handling cleaning equipment.
Using fresh, clean sanitary supplies is crucial to preventing cross-contamination in your building and protecting occupant health. Instruct custodial teams to use microfiber cleaning cloths in a variety of colors. One color should be used for toilets and urinals, another color for sinks and soap dispensers, and so on. Mops should be laundered after each use, as should cleaning cloths. Even better, invest in a spray-and-vac system, which dispenses fresh cleaning solution for each application.
6. Implement a cleaning schedule that encourages frequent sanitation.
Organizations should rely on a strong cleaning program with written procedures when cleaning and sanitizing their buildings. A strong custodial cleaning plan should identify what surfaces need to be cleaned, who is responsible for each area, what products should be used, and how to clean the area to prevent cross-contamination.
PRO TIP: Choose disinfectants that are EPA-approved against pathogens such as cold viruses, influenza, norovirus and MRSA. In the case of COVID-19, the EPA’s Emerging Viral Pathogen policy is designed to help consumers make quick determinations of whether or not a product will prove effective against such pathogens.
7. Create an outbreak preparedness procedure.
Outbreak preparedness procedures are an essential part of a business continuity plan, especially when outbreaks could negatively impact your employees, occupants and operations. Your plan should specify any extra cleaning measures that should be taken during a crisis, as well as how to identify the signs and symptoms of an outbreak infection. Employees should understand the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and how to determine which sanitation products to use in a given situation.
The safety measures listed in this article are important to follow throughout the year. Not only will you help protect your organization from outbreaks like the coronavirus, you’ll also help prevent the spread of the flu and other pathogens. By following these action items, you’ll increase employee productivity and provide a sanitary workplace where employees can continue to perform their daily tasks as planned.
TOOLS TO PREPARE YOUR ORGANIZATION FOR DISASTER
In an emergency, time is of the essence. A business continuity plan (BCP) is a process that outlines the potential impact of disaster situations (like the coronavirus outbreak), creates policies to respond to them and helps businesses recover quickly so they can function as usual.
Use this business continuity plan outline to get ahead of crisis situations and get key stakeholders involved in your organization’s preparedness procedures. Business continuity planning will enable your organization to better protect its people and assets — before, during and after an emergency.
COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease. For many people, the symptoms are mild, and you can recover without needing special treatment. However, around one in six people with the disease will become seriously ill and develop difficulty breathing. The number of confirmed cases and deaths from COVID-19 are constantly rising all around the world making prevention efforts extremely important. It is also paramount that you know the symptoms and what to do if you feel ill.
How does it spread?
Coronavirus, the virus which causes COVID-19, is highly contagious. There are many ways in which it can spread from person to person. People can catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person who has the disease. This can happen when an infected person coughs or exhales droplets. It is important to stay more than two metres away from a person who is sick or wear a medical mask to create a barrier for the droplets. These droplets can also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people catch Coronavirus by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. It is paramount that people stay at home, socially distance themselves and self-isolate to prevent the virus spreading.
Coronavirus on surfaces
Dental practices now need to be more vigilant than ever and pay extra attention to hygiene in the surgery. Hospitals are currently operating an hourly total clean policy and it would be prudent for dental practices to look to operate something similar to reduce the possibility of viral transmission.
The Government is encouraging people to stay at home and maintain social distancing during the pandemic. However, key workers must go to work, use public transport and mix with high risk people. People also need to go to supermarkets to get their groceries. The surfaces in these public places are likely to be contaminated; these germs can then be brought into homes or dental practices.
Scientists are undertaking research on how long the virus can survive outside the human body. New scientific findings are constantly being revealed. The following information is taken from the New England Journal of Medicine and Harvard Medical School Coronavirus Resource Pack, updated 5 April 2020: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973
A single cough can produce up to 3,000 droplets. It is estimated that the Coronavirus can remain active and possibly infectious for three hours in airborne droplets. These droplets can be spread from person to person if people are less than two metres apart.
Cardboard
The New England Journal of Medicine recently published a study that tested how long the Coronavirus can remain stable on different kinds of surfaces within a controlled laboratory setting. They found that it was still detectable on cardboard for up to 24 hours. This is also a good indicator for other porous material like cardboard, such as fabric and paper.
Copper
Supermarkets and pharmacies are encouraging contactless payment. This decision was taken to reduce the exchange of germs on money and eliminate unnecessary hand touching. Scientists found that active particles of Coronavirus lasted up to four hours on copper alloys (such as 1 and 2p coins).
Plastic, stainless steel and counter tops
Coronavirus can survive on plastic, stainless steel and countertops as a functional and infectious virus for up to three days (72 hours), the longest of all the materials. This is the general rule for hard, shiny surfaces. This can include children’s play equipment, public transport handles and your mobile phone. A video is available online by Dr Lena Ciric from UCL showing you how to effectively clean your phone using just household soap and water (https://bbc.in/2xjrewl).
The virus does degrade over time, but you should avoid touching surfaces in shared spaces and wash your hands regularly.
In the air
A single cough can produce up to 3,000 droplets. It is estimated that the Coronavirus can remain active and possibly infectious for three hours in airborne droplets. These droplets can be spread from person to person if people are less than two metres apart, or if you are touching surfaces upon which droplets have landed and have not been disinfected.
How to prevent spread of the Coronavirus?
The good news is, according to research from the Journal of Hospital Infection, Coronavirus can be inactivated within a minute by disinfecting surfaces with products containing 62-71% alcohol.
Key surfaces to disinfect at home regularly are:
Your phone
Computers, keyboards, iPads
Kitchen tops
Shared utensils
Taps and the flush handles in the bathroom
Light switches
Door handles
Bedside tables.
You can also minimise spread by:
Wearing (surgical) gloves
Wearing medical masks when shopping (https://bit.ly/3bQwExL)
Staying at home
Self-isolating from anyone in your household who is displaying symptoms
Avoiding populated places when exercising/getting fresh air.
In your dental practice, it is of vital importance to clean all regularly touched surfaces on a very regular basis.
It is strongly advised that you attend a fully regulated practical or online first aid course to understand what to do in a medical emergency. Visit https://firstaidforlife.org.uk or call 020 8675 4036 for more information about courses.
First Aid for life provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. First Aid for Life is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information.
Keeping your home or workplace clean is essential as it eliminates germs along with dirt and dust, resulting in better indoor air quality and living. However, with a busy schedule and millions of other things on your plate, cleaning chores can turn incredibly stressful and exhausting. But knowing quicker ways to clean your space can really come in handy.
Recent Comments