While the theory of a ‘spring clean’ seems, at first, quite old fashioned. In reality, there’s quite a lot of benefits to having a proper tidy up. Spring cleaning also means finally getting around to those more mundane household chores like giving your skirting boards, ceilings and even window sills a good wash!

Organize Kitchen Cabinets

[Photo courtesy of 148 Straith Street Staunton/flickr.com]

You’d be surprised how muck and grime can get into your kitchen cabinets over a few months, let alone an entire year. This is a somewhat arduous task so you may want to set aside an afternoon where you’ll be fairly undisturbed. First, either pile whatever was in the cupboard onto the clean worktop or put down newspaper on the kitchen floor. Next, use soap and water or, if you prefer, a cleaning spray to clean inside making sure you get right into the corners as that’s where dust and dirt accumulate. If you placed wallpaper, old DIY trick, down to protect the shelf you might need to replace it as over time it’ll fade and tear.

Go Through Your Closets

[Photo courtesy of m01229/flickr.com]

Keeping clothes in pristine condition not only helps to preserve colour, shape and even fabric quality but it also stops them getting ripped or torn. Take the time to assess every, and we mean every item in you and your kid’s wardrobes for any alterations needed. Have each member of your family create three piles consisting of clothes they want to keep, donate and throw away as well as any old underwear and socks they wish to get rid of. For some reason children love to keep ripped, faded and buttonless clothes so don’t push too hard if they really can’t bear to part with something. Items that can’t be donated or recycled should be bagged up ready for collection by a same day rubbish removal service.

Defrost Your Fridge Freezer

[Photo courtesy of Julien Belli/flickr.com]

One of the more laborious household tasks that invariably leads to children asking for ice cream or popsicles is cleaning the freezer. Once a year it’s vital that your fridge / freezer enjoys a thorough deep clean to remove up any ice build up, maintain shelf cleanliness and toss away any spilt or loose food that’s fallen into the drawers. Defrosting and resetting your fridge also gives the system a chance to reboot, spot any temperature problems and highlight any faults with the ice machine. Don’t neglect surfaces, doors and seals plus cleaning those trays where you keep sauces and even the little light inside as it all attracts bacteria.

Clean Your Washing Machine

[Photo courtesy of Phil Long/flickr.com]

While most new washing machines perform admirably, as your trusty nine-kilo appliance gets a little older your clothes may start to smell slightly. Any musty, or mildew-like smells can mean your machine itself needs washing. An excellent way to give it a thorough clean is to pop some vinegar and bicarbonate of soda onto a cloth and give it a good scrub. Be careful that when you do not to damage door seals or the drum edge as they can be quite delicate. For an extra thorough clean select a hot wash cycle, add any cleaning agents and simply wait thirty to sixty minutes.