My Ideal HomeHome Improvement Ideas and Advices
Spic and span for spring
Let’s talk dirt and dust, cobwebs and grime, too.
The winter takes its toll, and if your home has gone from cozy to clutter, from fresh to filthy, you’re not alone. Hey, few of us like to clean, but we all like to live in a clean home. Revitalizing and refreshing your home is a rewarding ritual.
According to Frank Turco, of The Home Depot, “Spring cleaning is a tedious but an essential requirement for everyone, regardless of whether they live in a house, apartment or condo.
“The winter months can be tough on a space. With windows and doors closed all the time and the furnace running almost constantly, dust is constantly building up,” says Turco, adding that cleaning a place of all that winter build-up is critical to living a healthy life.
Take Turco’s tips and clean up:
Replace or wash filters.
Clean the ductwork and furnace.
Take down drapery and give it a good wash or dry cleaning.
Move appliances to clear out dust bunnies beneath and behind them.
Paint nothing refreshes a space more than a fresh coat of paint.
Wash all the floors and carpets.
Repair cracks in molding that may have been created by the dry winter air.
Adjust doors and windows that may have shifted due to changes in temperatures.
Use microfibre dusters and cloths to remove dust.
Meanwhile, lighten your heavy-duty chores with these new products and gadgets:
Clear the air with the new Dyson Air Multiplier fan. Streamlined and attractive, this fan is bladeless and features cool technology that amplifies air by 15 times so it expels 405 litres of air every second. No grimy blades to clean; $379-$549, available at Dyson.com, The Bay, Home Outfitters, Sears, Future Shop, Best Buy, Canadian Tire.
Get Martha Stewart to clean. The domestic divas cleaning products are safe for families, pets and every surface in the house; all are 99+% plant- and mineral-based, plus all packaging is recyclable. No fragrances or colours, only natural cleaning agents. Martha Stewart Clean products include All Purpose Cleaner, Wood Floor Cleaner, Carpet Spot Remover, Toilet Cleaner and Laundry Detergent; $4.99 – $24.99, at Loblaws and The Home Depot.
Look out, crumbs! Swiffer’s got a sweeper and vacuum all in one. The new SweeperVac combines the dry sweeping cloth with a cordless vacuum, so wood, tile and vinyl floors shine. Beats a broom and doesn’t require vacuum bags. A dirt cup collects dirt, dust and pet hair just empty with the push of a button; $49.99, and 16-count refill of dry cloths is $5.99, at Loblaws stores, Walmart, Canadian Tire, Costco and Shoppers.
If you’re a clean freak, get attached to the cordless Dyson DC34. Not only powerful and lightweight, this slim and attractive upright features adjustable suction power modes plus a handy detachable cleaning wand to reach high places; $349.99, available at The Bay, Home Outfitters, Bed Bath & Beyond, Future Shop, BestBuy.ca.
Dust bunnies beware! Swiffer Duster 360 fluffy fibres grab dust and dirt and won’t let go. No flying dust at all. $5.99, six-count refill is $10.99, at Loblaws stores, Walmart, Canadian Tire, Costco and Shoppers.
Garages have never looked so good. No more digging deep for gardening tools, camping equipment and golf clubs. Gladiator GarageWorks brings order and organization to your garage with an attractive and super-efficient system. Choose from a number of zones, from workshop with tool organizers, to gardening workstations and sports equipment lockers and shelving; available at Sears, Lowe’s stores and Gladiator’s website.
Store in style. Decorative storage baskets are a great way to organize and tuck away items in a tidy, decor-friendly way. Check out the PC Home line by Loblaws for attractive woven storage baskets in various sizes and shapes; $12.99-$29.
Don’t be a dirty cleaner. The award-winning Earth Friendly Products has a convenient six-pack Safeguard Kit of all-natural cleaning products: Parsley Plus All-Surface Cleaner, Dishmate Hand Dishwashing Cleaner, ECOS All-Natural Laundry Detergent, Wave 100% Natural Auto Dishwasher Gel, Eco Breeze Fabric Refresher and Window Cleaner. Available at Canadian Tire; for other retailers check out Earth Friendly’s website.
Deep clean. The new Hoover MaxExtract eats up dirt and grime from carpets, upholstery and various floor surfaces, including sealed wood floors and tile. This line of deep cleaners power-washes surfaces with pressurized water and an automatic detergent system, combined with spin scrub brushes, and then finishes up with a pressurized heated drying. $299.99, available at Sears and Home Hardware by June.
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