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1:10 AM 7th April 2020
lifestyle

Spring Cleaning During Isolation

 
Spring seems to have officially sprung and, whilst that usually signals lighter nights and the chance to go for evening strolls, meander through the countryside or enjoy socialising with friends, this spring things are slightly different.

Lots of people across the UK have been in lockdown for a week and others have been self-isolating for even longer. Boredom is kicking in so it’s time to get busy, dust off the marigolds, and give your home a spring clean like never before.

Melanie Smith, sales director of the Yorkshire division of national homebuilder, Bellway Homes, says that spring cleaning is now more important than ever.

“With Coronavirus keeping a lot of people at home, it’s essential to stay on top of cleaning and prevent the spread of the virus. When you’re in the house more it’s easier to remember those little jobs you’ve been putting off for a while or notice the dust gathering. Beat boredom, boost your mental wellbeing and protect your household,” she said.

“Over the years I’ve noted down the things I’ve done to make the job easier, and hopefully my top spring cleaning tips will be useful to those reading this who need a bit of motivation at the moment.”

Number 1: Declutter

The best start to any spring clean is to tidy away clutter that has accumulated over time. Whether it’s toys, shoes, an overflowing laundry basket – whatever it is, this should be your starting point. Put everything back in its designated place, pop the laundry in the washing machine and empty all bins.

Take this opportunity to place items you no longer want, or need, into a bag to take to charity shops when they re-open. They’ll be really grateful for the support. Once you’ve de-cluttered you’ll be able to see exactly what needs cleaning and can access even the trickiest of spots, with nothing in the way.

Declutter - photo by Liz Henry
Declutter - photo by Liz Henry
Number 2: Delegate

If you live alone then pace yourself. It doesn’t all need to be done in one go. Plan out which rooms you’re going to tackle and go from there. If you live with a partner, or family members, then now is the time to delegate. Everyone can take responsibility for a different part of the house. Make a playlist to put on while you clean for entertainment and to keep momentum going.

Number 3: Mindful Cleaning

Cleaning can often be something we see as needing to be done to get it out of the way. I often clean on autopilot, however, it’s worth trying to be slightly more mindful about the way you’re cleaning right now so that you can be more thorough.

Using separate cloths for different rooms and surfaces, and cleaning them after you’ve used them, helps to prevent cross-contamination. You could also colour code them so you know which cloth is for which room. When mopping and hoovering, do this into the room and then back out of the room again to get twice the amount of cleaning in one go.

Number 4: Let the outside in

We’ve been lucky to have experienced some pleasant weather recently. Not everyone can enjoy the great outdoors at the moment, though, so why not let the outdoors in? Open your windows and let some air into your home. If you’re dusting and using cleaning products, this will help to remove dust particles and chemical smells. It’s a really nice opportunity to take a few minutes to listen to the birds as well.

Number 5: Use what you have to hand

With cleaning products being harder to get hold of at the moment, make use of what you’ve got in. Natural cleaning products can be just as good as shop-bought ones. Clean your oven by sprinkling baking soda in it, leave for 15 minutes and then spray with white vinegar. Wipe it all up with a damp cloth. You’ll have a sparkling clean oven that was a snip of the price of traditional oven cleaner, plus, no chemicals. Lemons are also great for cleaning greasy cooker tops and disinfecting kitchen surfaces. Just cut them in half and you have your cleaning product and cloth in one!

Number 6: Don’t forget certain areas

We’re all guilty of missing things, but if you really want to give your home a thorough spring clean then you need to remember to clean the bits that might normally get neglected. I’m talking about extractor fans, blinds, shower curtains and windows/doors. When cleaning these areas, work from top to bottom so you’re always driving dust and dirt down. This stops it going into the air and back onto surfaces you’ve just cleaned.

Once all of that is done you’ll feel a great sense of satisfaction and can enjoy being in your home again. Being methodical will help you to build a routine that you can stick to and cleaning won’t seem like such of a chore in future.

Bellway Homes is currently building on 17 developments in Yorkshire; including Pine Walk in Guisborough.

For further information visit www.bellway.co.uk or call 01287 221491