10 Spring Cleaning Tips for a Healthier Home

March 31, 2020

It's springtime. It's time for opening up windows, letting in fresh air, and taking on the yearly spring cleaning. Spring cleaning not only makes your environment happier and welcoming, it can also help improve the health of your family. Here are 10 spring cleaning tips to keep your home healthier.

1. Clean Your Home from Indoor Allergens

Regularly washing and cleaning curtains, bedding, stuffed animals, etc. is essential. They trap odor and moisture, and act like magnets for dust mites, which cause allergies. Clean or replace vent grills and air filters to improve your air allergen removal efforts, which decreases your exposure to allergens.

Don't dry dust, but rather, damp-wipe with clean cloths. You could try wool cloths, which create static when you rub them on a surface, causing dust to stick to the cloths. You can also try a HEPA vacuum cleaner and/or nonfragranced microfiber cloths. You should use mechanical means to remove allergens, and avoid chemical use like air fresheners or polishes.

2. Go Green

When purchasing a cleaner, look for label symbols that verify the ingredients likely pose less harm, and that indicate an independent certifier has verified it. For instance, you could use cleaners with certified claims, including:

• Green Guard
• Certified biodegradable
• Green seal
• Design for the environment

3. Rugs

Make sure the rugs you have on your bare flooring have non-skid mats. You may need to wash or replace older mats that have gotten dusty, to help offer effective fall protection. Place non-skid bath mats in your bathrooms.

4. Wash Drapes and Curtains

Drapes and curtains hold a great deal of dust. Make sure you shake your drapes and curtains outside, and wash them according to their tags' instructions.

5. Wash or Replace your Shower Curtain

If you have soap scum and mildew covering your shower curtain, change it for a new one, or just place it in the wash and use:

• A splash of vinegar
• Regular detergent
• A couple of old towels

6. Eliminate Pests

This may not be the most pleasant of spring cleaning tips, but it's important. Whether you struggle with fleas, cockroaches, spiders, or mice, you should clean your home thoroughly. Prior to spraying pesticides or dropping bug bombs, remember you do have alternative approaches to eliminate bugs more naturally. This can help you avoid harmful chemicals. You should seal off any possible entrance points to win the pest war. Ensure your home is free of possible food sources. Vacuum up bug feces, or eliminate them as best you can, since they're horrible for your health.

7. Throw Out Old Plastic water bottles, Food Containers and Cooking Utensils

If possible, recycle these. Whenever possible, avoid plastic when it comes to your drinks and food. Over time, plastic containers break down, releasing chemicals into the food and liquid you store them in. Pyrex/glass containers are a better choice. At high heat, plastic cooking utensils release chemicals into your food, and can potentially melt, contaminating your food. Use wooden or stainless steel cooking utensils if possible.

8. Deep Clean Your Refrigerator

Toss away old open condiments or salad dressings. Throw away any food you don't think you'll use. Anything you want to keep, put it aside, and scrub and disinfect the inside of your freezer and fridge. You'll want to vacuum the coils under your refrigerator too.

9. Throw Away Your Old Razor, Toothbrush, and Contact Lens Case

If you've been using these things for a while, you need to throw them out, and replace them with new ones. You should replace contact lens cases and toothbrushes every three months or so, and replace your razors at least twice a month.

10. Clean Your Latex Mattress

If you have a mattress cover that comes with your latex mattress, remove it before you clean. Be sure you follow the mattress's care instructions for washing and drying the cover. Certain covers need to be spot washed, and air dried. Others you can place in the washing machine on a gentle cycle, and dry with low heat.

If you don't have a removable mattress cover for your mattress, try and spot clean stains that may occur in your mattress. An excellent cleaner for this is baking soda. Mix in a little bit of vinegar, and stir it into a dry paste if you have stubborn stains. Scrub the baking soda mixture into your mattress gently.

Vacuum your mattress either with a handheld or deep cleaning traditional vacuum cleaner. You can eliminate debris on the surface of your mattress, and address things buried within the layers of your mattress. Let your mattress dry completely before you replace the cover, or else you'll end up with mildew or mold developing with terrible health consequences.

These are only some spring cleaning tips you can implement to make your home healthier. There are many other things you can do, but these are a good start.

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