Dear Heather

I enjoy many things in life, but housekeeping is not one of them! Have you got any tips, for easy Spring cleaning?

Don’t like housework

Dear don’t like housework

You are a person after my own heart. I will jump into doing the garden, or a walk, or a yoga class, but house cleaning? Not so much.

After a humid and only slightly chilly winter, nothing feels better than having a clean and sparkling home. For this you may have to call in the professionals, but in the meantime here are some simple tips to whip your home into shape without breaking a sweat:

1 Wall Cleaning

A Magic Eraser is your best bet for tackling walls — it can spot clean anything from splatters to crayon marks. It’s tough enough to reach the corners of your walls and ceiling. You can also cover the bristles of a broom with a cloth or old T-shirt and use it to knock down any dusty spots. Do the ceiling fans at the same time.

2 Carpets and Rugs

Take a little more time vacuuming the high-traffic areas of your house. Make sure you don’t forget to spot treat any stubborn stains with a stain-removal product. If your rug or carpet has lingering odours, sprinkle some baking soda over it and let it sit for a few hours. Vacuum up the baking soda and you’ll find the odours have disappeared. If it’s very worn and tired, it may need a good steam clean or even replacing with a more modern floor covering.

3 Mattress Ideas

Give your mattress cover a thorough cleaning in the washing machine — don’t forget to throw in a cup of white vinegar to boost the cleaning process. Sprinkle baking soda on your mattress while you’re washing the cover. You can vacuum it up later when you’re making the bed.

4 Shower Care

Don’t knock yourself out trying to clean glass shower doors. Add a couple drops of water to your dryer sheets and use them to wipe down your shower doors. You can even let your showerhead clean itself overnight while you sleep. Simply tie a bag filled with white vinegar around your showerhead and let it soak overnight. Remove the bag in the morning for a non-clogged shower experience.

5 Toilet Scrubbing

Have water stains built up in your toilet? Cola can help you attack these stains with little effort. Just pour some in the toilet, let it sit for several minutes, then flush. While it is sitting, clean behind the toilet, it’s an area that often gets missed.

6 Oven Shine

If you have an oven with a self-cleaning feature, spring is a great time to finally run that cycle. Otherwise, mix baking soda with a bit of water and use it to quickly clean up grease and various other spills inside the oven.

7 Clutter Solutions

When you don’t have time to clean but you need your house to look presentable, tackling clutter is the quickest way to create the illusion of a clean house. Zip through each room of the house and put anything that you don’t need in the trash or give it away. Paper, and things in the wrong place are usually the biggest culprits. This strategy requires very little work and can make a big difference in your home’s appearance.

Conclusion

Although these tips won’t completely eliminate the effort involved in spring cleaning, if you do them one at a time, they’ll make the job a whole lot easier. Spring is a time of new beginnings — if you use even a couple of these ideas, your home will enjoy a clean and fresh start to the upcoming season. It might even make you wonder if you should be upsizing or downsizing. If this is the case, ask an agent you trust, for their advice.

Heather Chilvers is among Coldwell Banker Bermuda Realty’s Leading Sales Agents. She has been working in Real Estate for nearly 30 years. Follow “Ask Heather Chilvers Real Estate” on Face Book. If you have a question for Heather, please contact her at hchilvers@brcl.bm or 332 1793. All questions will be treated confidentially