Summer is coming! Long warm days, holidays, beaches, barbeques, and… Cleaning?!
No matter the time of year, there is always the reality of needing to keep the cleaning up to date. The good news is your summer isn’t going to be ruined by chores if you know how to do it right! So to help you out, here are our dos and don’ts for cleaning during the summer months.
Definitely do:
Keep the floors tidy
Everyone spends more time outside during the warm weather. More walks around town, more trips to the park or the beach, or more time in the garden. This means that more sand, dirt, dust, grass, and other general debris is going to get brought in on our shoes (or bare feet!).
Floor cleaning can be a bit labour intensive, so the trick is to minimise the build-up of dirt and debris by sweeping regularly. Keep on top of dirty floors by giving them a sweep or vacuum every couple of days, and clean up any sticky spills with some handy towel and warm water. Then you can get away with doing a thorough mop every couple of weeks or so.
Clear out the fridge
Summer means lots of fresh fruit and salads, but we do need to be careful not to leave them to go off in the fridge! Pay special attention to the fruit and veggie drawer and avoid food waste by using your fresh ingredients as quickly as possible. Check the fridge at the end of each week, put any sad-looking veggies into the compost or green waste, and wipe down the shelves and drawers. This isn’t such a bad job for a hot summer day; after all, it’s nice and cool in there!
Start early
The temperature peaks between midday and mid-afternoon, so avoid the heat by getting your jobs done in the morning. As the temperature creeps up, it can be pretty hard to find the motivation to get the chores done, especially outside jobs like weeding, mowing lawns, or washing windows. Make the most of the morning and get the hard work done while it’s a bit cooler – and relax for the rest of the day!
Wash the windows
On a bright summer’s day, the sun will be streaming through your windows. Prevent unsightly dust and fingerprint marks from ruining the view by giving the windows a good clean. Summer is great for window cleaning because there’s less chance of rainy weather getting in the way. It can be hard to keep windows looking nice through the winter months, so summer is the perfect time to give them the thorough clean they’ve been waiting for!
Definitely don’t:
Clean a cold barbeque
No doubt your barbeque will be getting a serious workout during summer! The grill grates will need to be cleared of grease and other forms of build-up. Many people make the mistake of trying to do this once the barbie has completely cooled down. The grease will be too solid and hard to budge, making the job a lot more difficult than it needs to be.
Clean the grates while they are still warm (not hot!). Use a metal brush head and warm water with some mild dish detergent if need be. Another good tip is to do this at the outside tap! Bringing the grill grates into the kitchen can cause a big, greasy mess inside that is going to require extra cleaning.
Try to do it all at once
The summer break is for spending time with family and friends and enjoying yourself. For a lot of people, it’s the only decent break they get all year! Use your days off wisely and ensure you are getting enough time to enjoy yourself and relax. Spread the jobs out over a few days and enlist the help of others around the house! Many hands make light work, and this ensures everyone gets enough time to relax and enjoy the break. It’s a good opportunity for the kids to earn a little extra pocket money!
It’s also going to get very hot, so don’t force yourself to clean or do jobs outside when the temperature is too high. You could risk dehydration or heat stroke, which is not a good way to spend the holiday break!
Let the rubbish pile up
Rubbish bins and bags will start to stink on really hot days. Make sure to keep taking the trash out regularly to prevent odours, flies, and ants becoming a problem. Don’t leave rubbish bags outside where cats, dogs, and other roaming animals might be able to rip into them. Keep rubbish in secure bins with lids and do your best to keep food waste to a minimum to reduce smells.
Also, it’s a good idea to check on your rubbish collection dates over the holiday break! Public holidays might interrupt your regular rubbish pick up schedule, so you might need to make a trip to the dump or put your bins out early to avoid an overload of trash!