Spring Clean Your Life

Spring cleaning is a good way to make a fresh start and check your home, vehicles and body for much-needed maintenance. Sites such as brightnest.com offer tips and advice for sprucing up your home in a more economical and earth-friendly fashion.

When it comes to cleaning the kitchen, there are some major duties that are not only important to sanitation but crucial to safety. Here are some of them:

• Degrease the heat elements on the stove, the vent hood and the walls. Grease fires are much more difficult to put out when the grease has accumulated over time.
• Clean underneath the heating elements. The top of the stove should lift up and there should be an apparatus to keep it propped open.
• Move the stove away from the wall and clean the wall and floor. Always make sure to be safe and make sure you don't damage any gas piping or plugs, depending on the stove.

The deep cleaning of a home can take a few days, but once everything has been managed, maintenance should be easy. Breaking the tasks down into smaller chunks makes the job easier.

Living/Bed Rooms

• Pull furniture, desks and entertainment centers from the wall and corners, and sweep/ vacuum really well. This may not happen often because furniture is heavy, and insects nest in the still parts of the house.
• Change air filters, dust vents and ceiling fans, and clean box fans.
• Dust the corner of the ceiling with a broom.

Bathrooms

• Dust the ceiling vent/heater. There is usually a screw that can be loosened to remove the cover. Dust can render the fan useless and pose a fire hazard for the heater.
• Clean the tub and shower with special attention to the corners. Mold is a health risk.
• Change the shower curtain, and consider substituting it for an antibacterial curtain.
• Toss old and ratty bath mats.
• Dry out the bathroom fixtures after cleaning and use to reduce the potential for mold.

Do you have drawers and/or boxes filled with anonymous "potentially important" papers? Get your paper shredder ready. Here is a way to sort them:

• Any tax forms over 10 years old can be tossed. If they are not so old, you can toss based on the likelihood of an audit. I'm sure the part-time job you worked at Dominoe's is not enough to raise any red flags with the government.
• Old check stubs can go.
• Any reoccurring bills in the home do not need to be collected.
• If you have your own business, there are paperless ways to document receipts and invoices, such as a neat desk scanner.
• Invest in a small file cabinet if necessary.
• If you have a lot of holiday cards, keep the ones with pictures of families, use them as decorations during the holidays and toss them afterward.

Also keep in mind, you may be able to get rid of other things such as clothing, shoes or other possessions that are just taking up space or are broken beyond repair. If your city has a consignment shop in your area, you may be able to get some cash for the gently used items you will likely never use. You can also donate them to a good cause.

These tips are just a start, but with the information and tools you should be on your way to a cleaner and healthier home.

In the war against dirt and grime, you have to make sure your weapons are on the ready. Clean your vacuum cleaner and make sure your hepa filter is operational. Make sure you check the belts, and if they are loosing their elasticity, replace them. Most vacuum belts cost around $6 and come 2 in a pack.

Make sure your broom is not overly frayed. Find a good ergonomic mop, preferably with an accompanying bucket.

The Swiffer range makes a great range of maintenance products. Invest in spot cleaning products that make deep cleaning much less strenuous.

Also keep in mind, there are lots of natural, gentle and effective products you can use. However, if you must use a strong solvent, keep your windows open so you won't pass out from the fumes.