Spring Cleaning Checklist

Spring Cleaning Checklist Clean out the garage. Get rid of tools you don't use or that are rusted or beyond repair. Inspect the roof and gutter. Examine exterior and touch up if needed. Power wash the outside of the house, including windows. Drain all sediment from your hot water heater. Perform maintenance on home cooling systems. Donate clothing that has not been worn for more than two years. Using a telescoping vacuum extension, sweep away all cobwebs and dust near the ceilings. Wash the walls throughout the house using 1/2 cup ammonia, 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda to 1 gallon of warm water. Wash all inside windows. Vacuum out the tracks. Vacuum/wash/dry clean all window coverings. Dust and wash light fixtures and chandeliers. Wash all knickknacks. Vacuum lampshades. Replace lightbulbs. Clean out and reorganize the linen closet.. With a vacuum brush, remove hair stuck to walls and ceiling by hair dryers and hair spray. Deep clean shower, toilet, floor and sink. Inventory the medicine cabinet and toss expired medicines. Defrost freezer (if needed) and wash out refrigerator. Toss out expired foods. Remove screen on stove fan and wash. Clean oven and soak stove rings and drip pans. Go through your kitchen appliances, clean thoroughly and get rid of ones you no longer use regularly. Use your vacuum on the front of the coils and motor to remove dust and dirt. Vacuum books and bookshelves. Launder all quilts, blankets, comforters and bedspreads. Turn mattresses. Move all furniture to the center of each room and vacuum thoroughly. Rent a carpet cleaner or hire a company to clean your carpets. Inventory the contents of each room. Force yourself to get rid of the things you don't need. Have a garage sale. Put the proceeds toward a family vacation, or visit a local amusement park, water park or favorite restaurant to celebrate the beginning of summer.		Bathroom Design A to Z Accessories: Accessories include decoration, wall hangings, art and sink essentials. Begin with a unifying theme. Clearances: All fixtures should be at least 30 inches apart. There should be 30 by 48 inches in front of the sink, 24 inches around the toilet and 45 by 30 inches in front of the tub. Colors: Bright colors add light to a room. Pastels make the room appear larger. When in doubt, use white. Countertops: Choose from tile, solid surfacing (like Corian), Formica and Polyester resin. Flooring: Most important: a non-skid surface. Floor plan: The toilet should not be visible from outside the bathroom, nor be the first thing you see upon entering. Lighting: Halogen or fiber optic lighting help to brighten up the bathroom. Safety: Protect all electrical outlets with a ground-fault circuit interrupter; place switches at least 60 inches from water sources. Showers: Install swinging doors to swing outward to avoid trapping the user. Storage: Storage doors should swing clear of fixtures. Tubs: Platform-mounted tubs should be no more than one step off the floor. Ventilation: Install an inexpensive fan.
		Preparing for Interior Painting The home interior painter’s tools may take some time and investment to put together, but the end result will be worth it. You’ll need • rubber gloves • safety glasses • fine-grit sandpaper • paint scrapers • putty knife • detergent and ammonia or tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) • sponges • primer • orbital sander • adhesive drywall tape • fan • hand sanding block • spackle Remove everything from the walls – pictures, any sort of hangings, including their nails, and move furniture out from the walls several feet. Whatever’s left should be covered with a drop cloth. Turn off the electricity so you can remove light fixtures, switch plates and outlet plates, and wrap all disconnected light fixture wires. Paint will adhere better to clean walls. Walls should all be washed with ammonia and detergent, or tri-sodium phosphate. Wear rubber gloves when working with these solutions. After a meticulous scrubbing, walls and ceilings should be rinsed thoroughly with water and left to dry. Mask off all woodwork trim and cover the windows with newspaper and masking tape. You’ll need to mask the perimeter floor also. Do not remove the tape for at least 24 hours after painting.