So, you've tackled the de-cluttering and your home now feels much more spacey. You've got a lot more space in your wardrobes, the piles of stuff in the corners have now been removed, the boxes of mystery items have gone and you can finally see the surfaces of your furniture. But the removal of all the clutter has uncovered the fact that the house needs a deeper clean than usual.
So here are a few tips to help you with the basics:
Walls and furniture – Greasy finger marks can be removed easily be rubbing them with sliced white bread. Marks from crayons, blue-tack etc on walls with a slight sheen can be removed using WD40 on a clean cloth or sponge. Now you've got more space in your wardrobes, you might want to take the opportunity of giving the interior a wash down with a wet cloth. This might also be a good time to add some preventative measures for moths etc. There are lots of options available to purchase that you can hang amongst your clothing, or for a DIY version, hanging dried lavender in cloth bags is a sure fire way to keep the moths at bay
Hard to reach dust - When you've completed your decluttering, you're likely to see
plenty of areas where dust and other bits etc have collected e.g. drawers, wardrobe bottoms, skirting boards, light fittings etc. There's a nifty little gadget available from Amazon for about £3 which fits onto the hand tool of your hoover. In addition to the dust uncovered by the decluttering, it's also perfect for your laptop keyboard, the vents in your car, plants and other hard to reach items
Carpets – You might want to give any carpets a really good hoover, especially if you've moved furniture or got rid of items that were previously covering the carpets. To go one step further and neutralise any odours from the carpets, using a carpet powder would be a good idea. Give the carpets a good vacuum to remove any dust, bits etc, then repeat after shaking the powder over the carpet and leaving to settle
And now you've really got that spring-cleaning bug after your decluttering, you might as well tackle the rest!
Sinks – First off, flush the pipes with soda crystals to clear any residue. If your sink has a waste disposal, put some ice cubes and chopped up lemon in and switch on – this will make the disposal smell fresh. Finally, Bar Keepers Friend is excellent for cleaning sinks, especially stainless steel. Simply sprinkle a little of the powder into the sink, then rub with a damp cloth putting in a little elbow grease for any tough stains. Rinse with water, stand back and watch it glean!
Taps – If the taps have limescale deposits, Viakal is a good option for its removal. For a cheaper option and one of the most popular household hacks, soak a cloth in white vinegar and wrap around the offending area. Leave for a few hours then rinse with water. You may want to consider how often you will be making tea on moving day so this may be one to keep for another day in the kitchen
Toilet – If the loo doesn’t smell good, using soda crystals or bicarbonate of soda will help to neutralise odours. Get rid of any limescale with a thick gel limescale remover or you could also try cola – simply pour it into the bowl and leave for an hour before scrubbing clean. Don’t forget to clean the seat and flusher with an antibacterial solution/wipes.
Fridge – Take out all shelves / glass and clean them with hot soapy water or an antibacterial solution which will also help with any odours
Microwave – Fill a bowl with water and chopped up pieces of lemon. Switch the microwave on for a few minutes on full heat, then leave for 15 minutes or so before wiping thoroughly
Showerhead – As with the tips for taps, you can use a limescale remover and a toothbrush to clean the showerhead nipples. For tougher limescale deposits, soak the showerhead in a solution of white vinegar and water for about two hours
Venetian Blinds – I’ve tried all sorts of solutions for cleaning venetian blinds but the best one by far is so simple. Get some old socks on your hands and simply run your hands along the length of each slat. This works well for blinds which are just dusty. If the blind has any amount of grease, taking the blind down and soaking in the bath or using a steam cleaner is probably the best way to go
Everything else – Arm yourself with a multitude of cleaning cloths, sponges, scourers, brushes, washing up liquid, rubber gloves and get ready to clean!
Or if the thought of it makes you want to run for the hills, get in touch with a cleaning agency in your area - they will send someone round quick time to give you all the help you need.