With longer days and warmer nights, more daylight
and budding plants, spring truly is the season when everything comes to life.
While nature is waking up, it’s also the perfect opportunity for homeowners to
engage in top-to-bottom tidying up of their homes before the hot weather kicks
in.
But before you embark on a spring cleaning
journey, you’ll have to make sure that you possess the basic tools needed to
pull off the job. We asked 5-star home cleaning experts from St. Louis to let us in on the bare necessities that everyone needs
to tackle their home.
What tools should be on my spring cleaning list?
If you’re planning to scour every last corner of
your home or you’re just looking to do a bit of touching up here and there,
there are certain essential pieces of cleaning equipment you can’t do without.
So whether it’s dust bunnies, deposits of grime, or stubborn carpet stains,
here are the crucial tools you’ll need to make your place shiny and neat.
Microfiber
cloths & dusters
Disposable wipes, rags, cloths, and other dusting
tools are not only a logistical nightmare but also detrimental to the natural
environment. Enter microfiber cloths
and dusters, a modern answer to a traditional dish rag. Microfiber cloths have
several advantages over traditional cotton-made options. They are much better
at locking particles into their fibers to deliver a higher standard of
cleaning. Microfiber cloths also absorb more water and dry far more quickly
than cotton rags. On top of this, they are much more reusable and durable so
they can withstand more washing cycles without losing their cleaning
properties.
Sponges
& scrub brushes
Now that you’ve modernized your rags collection,
it’s time to move on to heavier gear. While microfiber is great for dusting and
wiping, you’ll need something more abrasive to tackle deposits of grime and
hard-packed dirt. Whether you need to scour the bathtub, toilet, tiles, sink,
or oven, sponges and scrub brushes are your weapon of choice. From cellulose
sponges and steel wool wire scrubbers to scrub brushes with softer and harder
bristles of all shapes and sizes, you’re covered with a wide variety of options
for your every need.
Brooms
& mops
Many things have changed since the days of our
grandmothers but brooms still look the same. This housekeeping classic is made
from natural materials like yucca and corn fibers though plastic models are
gaining popularity. Whether you’re looking for an angled, upright, or push
version, a broom and dustpan are a must in every household. The same holds for
a mop and bucket combo. With string, sponge, twist, flat, and spray mops, there
are plenty of options to suit everyone's preferences and make different types
of flooring gleam.
Vacuum
cleaner
From traditional bagged vacuums to bagless,
cordless, and robot models, there are so many options on the market that you’ll
first have to decide on what you need and prefer. One thing you should
definitely consider is opting for a model with a HEPA filter. Defined
by the U.S. Dept. of Energy as High Efficiency Particulate Air filters, they
got their name for being able to capture 99.9% of airborne particles sized 0.3
microns (µm) and more. HEPA filters are effective in eliminating dust, mold
spores, pet dander, human hair, pollen, and contagious microorganisms like
bacteria and viruses.
All-purpose
cleaner
Once you’ve taken care of the basic hardware tools
all that’s left to complete your cleaning war chest is an all-purpose cleaner.
Numerous brands offer powder, spray, and concrete options though you can always
opt for a natural homemade solution. All you need are a few home staples like
baking soda, vinegar, and lemon. Depending on the surface you need to clean,
mix a few drops of lemon juice with either baking soda or vinegar, and you’ll
get a natural, effective, and versatile solution that will eliminate dirt, foul
odors, and stubborn stains to leave your living space spotless and shiny.
