Summer Cleaning Checklist
Along with warm weather, summer brings its share of chores that may need to be tackled more often. Fortunately, you’ll have several extra hours of daylight, which really come in handy when there are additional cleaning tasks to take care of. And don’t forget: If you have kids home from school, you have a built-in set of helping hands.
Do you know which areas of your home might need more attention when the days heat up? The following cleaning checklist can help you stay on top of these seasonal chores so you don’t get the summertime blues.
Floor cleaning
Whether the kids are running back and forth to the pool or you’re coming and going more often to tend to your vegetable garden, your home is going to see a lot of extra foot traffic in the summer. That means you may have to clean the floor a little more regularly. Make it a point to spot clean your floors as needed and vacuum or wash high-traffic areas once or twice a week.Tip: Invest in a good doormat and instate a “no shoes in the house” rule to help reduce the frequency with which you have to pull floor-cleaning duty.
Cleaning Food Spills
One of the best things about summer is the foods it brings. Unfortunately, ice cream, burgers dripping with ketchup and barbecue sauce can increase the amount of summer cleaning you have to do. So keep plenty of clean microfiber cloths on the counters or in the pantry so you have them readily available for spills.You’ll want to tend to spills ASAP to prevent having to chisel goop off of counters later on, not to mention avoid a trail of ants parading through your kitchen. So add wiping down counter tops and dinner tables after meals to avoid those hassles.Tip: Have kids enjoy lunch and summertime treats like popsicles outside to cut back on indoor food spills.
Managing Trash and Stinky Sinks
The season’s heat can bring out the pungent aroma in your kitchen trash cans, so expect to empty those more often. In addition, summer’s messier food items may mean you’ll need to wash your trash can on a weekly basis. Don’t forget that all those grapes and apples you’re using for sangria and snack time may start to decompose more quickly this time of year. Make certain you know how to properly clean your sink to keep the smell from getting out of hand.Tip: Save lemon rinds from homemade lemonade and run them through your garbage disposal so your kitchen smells bright and fresh.
Laundry Duty
Swimsuits, towels and sports uniforms mean your washer and dryer will be working overtime this summer. Make sure you’re stocked up on laundry detergent and consider investing in an outdoor towel tree or a retractable rack to help organize your laundry room. Also, this is a fairly easy task that older children should be able to manage. Consider adding washing, drying, folding and stowing clothes and linens to their summer chore list.Tip: Air conditioners will be working harder during the heat of the day; Save this summer cleaning task for the evenings or early mornings to help prevent brownouts or flipping your circuit breaker.
Bathroom Care
The heat and humidity that accompany summer in many regions means you may have to give your bathroom some extra TLC. When it comes to summer cleaning, toilets should be tended to at least twice a week. Additionally, you’ll want to be certain you’re running exhaust fans while showering and leaving the bathroom door open after exiting. This can help slow down the spread of mildew.Tip: Stock up on microfiber cloths and leave them near the shower so that you can easily wipe down shower doors and walls after each use.
Finding it difficult to enjoy the season while tackling all these extra cleaning chores? Let your local Merry Maids take care of the housekeeping so you can make the most of your summer.
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