The season of sun cream, backyard barbecues and possibly an umbrella or two (well, this IS Ireland you know!) is upon us. The kids are off school, families reconvene and spend more time than ever together and your house gets more traffic during a month than the entire rest of the year. With longer hours of beautiful sunshine, who wants to stay inside and clean? Here at Clean 4 U, we’ve come up with a great little summer cleaning checklist of jobs that will help you keep your house running smoothly throughout the summer months.
1. Clean those sliding door tracks. Summer means the family will be in and out the patio doors all day. It’s best to make sure they work smoothly and are clean or you could run into costly problems getting them fixed. All you need is a screwdriver or similar shaped item, an old rag and some degreasing cleaner. Spray the cleaner directly onto the tracks, leaving it for 10 minutes to soften up a winter’s worth of grime. Then wrap the rag over the screwdriver, covering any sharp angles. Slowly pass the rag through the tracks and it’ll bring up all the grease and dirt. Wipe down and hey presto! You’ve got a nice clean patio door frame.
2. Give your washing machine a thorough going over. Summer brings an entirely new set of clothes washing demands. Make sure your washing machine can handle all the new loads! Firstly, check the hoses. If you find cracks or bulges, or if they’re over two years old, replace them. Clean out the drum on an empty cycle, clean out the filter and clean out the draw.
3. Pre-party pest patrol. If your family and friends are going to be chilling out in your garden, give it a in-depth search for any bug nests or infestations. The last thing you want on a barbecue day is the ants taking over. If you’re comfortable doing so, get rid of them yourself. If you’re not sure, call a professional in.
4. Summer time means more flies desperate to get into your rubbish bins. Control excessive smells and the possibility of maggots appearing by cleaning your outdoor bins with a strong disinfectant. First, rinse out any excess pieces of rubbish or leftover food from the bins and empty out all water. Then spray heavily with disinfectant, leaving it to soak for around half an hour. Rinse out again with water, empty and leave upside down to dry out.
5. Clean out those gutters. Before the summer sun heats the mulch up, inspect your home’s gutters and clean out all the dirt and leaves that have built up over the last few months.
6. Safety Inspection! If your kids are lucky enough to have their very own outdoor play gym, give it a once-over before the sunny season begins. Tighten all loose bolts and cover any sharp pieces with plastic protectors. Making sure equipment has held up ok after a winter of rough storms and heavy winds will significantly reduce the possibility of an accident.
7. Prepare a First Aid Kit. Summer usually has plenty of little medical emergencies! It’s best to get prepared in advance. Bin any out of date medication, sun cream and anything else you find. Remember to pack in plenty of plasters, lotion for bug bites, ice packs for any twisted ankles and hot packs for any sprains.