Ahh, spring cleaning. The annual ritual of decluttering, deep scrubbing, and elbow grease. A quick internet search will yield hundreds of housekeeping lists for this once-a-year event. But since we’re all sheltering in place with COVID-19, you may have extra time and extra motivation to spruce up your home and take your cleaning to the next level. Here are five ways to supercharge your spring cleaning during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Disinfect and Clean Food Storage Areas
Hidden in plain sight, the place you keep your everyday food and ingredients is a must-hit on your spring cleaning list. After all, you probably handle something in these areas multiple times a day.
Nearly every deep-cleaning list will include your refrigerator and freezer. But don’t leave out your pantry, cabinet, or shelving that stores your dry ingredients. An extra bit of cereal or dusting of flour are concealed by the dark corners in a pantry. Exposed food – even in negligible quantities – can entice bugs or pests.
Remove everything from your pantry’s shelves. Start with the obvious: throw away expired items or anything that has seen better days. Clean off any jars with leaks down the sides. Wipe down the shelves in your pantry with a slightly damp microfiber cloth. Start at the top shelf and work your way down. For a head start, you can use a handheld vacuum cleaner to get all the crumbs. Group your like items together and begin replacing, ensuring your most essential items are in the most accessible spots.
Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are a marvellous way to save on your energy bills. But they are also an excellent spot for dust to gather. Have ever turned on a fan, and clumps of dust have flown around the room? We have. It’s a sneezy mess!
The easiest way to clean your fan is to use an extendable duster made specifically for this purpose. You can purchase these dusters online or at your local home improvement store, but these devices are singular in their purpose.
Instead, we recommend using the more manual method with a ladder. By using this approach, you can also switch the direction of the fan blades. Grab an old pillowcase and slip it over the blade, capturing a majority of the dust inside the case.
Once most of the dust is gone, turn on the fan for a quick moment to check the direction the fan blades are spinning. A counter-clockwise spin is best to cool rooms in the summer. Back on the ladder, look for a switch on the fan’s base to change direction if needed.
Washing Machine
We know, it seems counter-intuitive. Shouldn’t a device that cleans things be… clean? The fact is that homeowners need to perform regular maintenance on their washing machine. This ensures clean clothes and efficient operation.
You may have noticed that your washing machine has a sanitize cycle. That’s good to run once every few months, but to get your washing machine clean there is more hands-on work to do.
Homeowners with a front-loading washing machine should ensure the seals are clean and dry after every use. A dry seal ensures there are no funky smells in your washer. A way to help your seals stay dry is to keep the door open between washes.
And then there’s the filter. You should clean your washing machine filter at least four times a year. Didn’t know that you even had a filter on your washing machine? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. But that just means it’s very overdue for a cleaning. Refer to manufacturer instructions for how to clean and disinfect your washing machine filter.
Air Filter
Speaking of filters, let’s talk about HVAC air filters.
Air recirculates in your home eight or more times per day! And each time it circulates, the air passes through the air filter inside your furnace. A dirty filter can make it more difficult for air to pass through. That means that instead of dust and particles getting trapped in the filter media, they just stay inside your home… causing all that sneezing and itchy eyes.
The extra dusting and cleaning in your house will definitely dirty up your air. So once you’re done, make sure you replace your old filter with a fresh one. This ensures you’ll have clean air for the entire next season.
Although replacing your air filter can be a relatively simple task to do yourself, you might call in the experts at MightyServ for a safe filter change. This is especially true if your furnace is in a tough spot to reach or you are very sensitive to dust and allergens. We have the tools to remove and dispose of your filter quickly and safely, and without creating a cloud of dust in your home. Plus, you won’t have to worry about getting the right filter size or type, we’ll take care of that for you.
Air Purifier
We know many homeowners in Los Angeles are concerned about coronavirus and COVID-19. There has been a surge in use of sanitizing wipes to clean hard surfaces. But what about the viruses floating in the air? The ultimate way to take care of airborne pathogens is a whole-home air purifier. Here at MightyServ, we’ve been helping LA homeowners with their air quality since 1963. We recommend the Aerus air scrubber, which uses NASA technology to clean the air inside your home. Our certified team of HVAC technicians can install an air purifier inside your ductwork today, cleaning all the air inside your home. Contact us for more information on an air purification system: 818-348-4768.
