Stuck at Home? Give Your Home a Spring Cleaning and Wellness Check
Stuck at home and going stir crazy? Good for you – that means you’re following our state’s stay-at-home guidelines, and you’re helping keep your family and everybody else safe from the coronavirus pandemic. That’s the best thing we call can do.
How about using that time at home wisely? Giving your home a thorough spring cleaning and wellness check is very inexpensive and easy to do. It will not only give you a sparkling clean living space, but it may also alert you to problems that, if caught and corrected early, can save you lots of money.
Outside Cleaning Tips
Gutters and Downspouts: If safe to do, check and clean those gutters and downspouts. Properly directing water away from your home is crucial to preventing wood rot, leaks, and other potentially expensive damage. Install downspout extensions to help divert water away from your home. If using a ladder to reach gutters, remember safety is crucial. Always have somebody with you helping to hold and support the ladder and remember the three-points of contact rule: Two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand on the ladder at all times. Put both hands firmly on the rungs before stepping onto a ladder.
Crawl Space Cleaning: It’s very important to periodically check and clean your crawl space. Always approach crawl spaces cautiously and determine if any critters may have moved in. Remember, they’re most likely more frightened of you than you are of them – but if you do find some, you may need an exterminator to help solve your problem. Use protective gear if you go inside your crawl space, including gloves, a mask, long pants, long sleeve shirts, and closed-toe shoes or work boots.
Check the crawl space for any standing water, debris, or wood. Cleaning out the crawl space of any debris and wood is important. Finding water damage could signal wood rot, and you may need a professional crawl space cleaning and inspection. Again, regular inspections and discovering these problems early can significantly reduce any crawl space cleaning cost.
Inside Cleaning Tips
Homemade Cleaning Spray: This simple recipe makes an excellent spray cleaner for almost any surface in your home. Find an empty spray bottle and use a funnel to add: ½ cup of white vinegar, 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch, 2 cups of cold water and a few drops of lemon juice or an essential oil of your preference. Shake the bottle well, and you’re ready to go.
There’s nothing like giving your home a thorough dusting and wipe down from top to bottom. Vacuuming and mopping is also a big plus. Clean those windows while you’re at it and use the above spray formula to wipe down all kitchen cabinets, countertops, and backsplashes.
Potential Foundation Issues
While you’re busy making your house sparkling clean, keep an eye out for some of these tell-tale signs that could mean foundation problems that require a professional inspection:
Trim separating from baseboards
Creaky floors may indicate water in the crawl space
Windows that suddenly stick or don’t go all the way down
Door frames that are not level and doors that do not close properly
Settling walls that have a concave look to them
If you notice some or all of these issues, it would be advisable to have a professional inspection. Foundation issues that are caught early are usually easy to repair and relatively inexpensive. Foundation issues that are left unchecked for months or years can cost serious money to repair, especially if discovered during a home inspection after putting your house on the market. We see this “big surprise” far too often.
Remember the old adage: “A stitch in time saves nine!” That certainly rings true when it comes to the care, maintenance, and repair of your home and its foundation. Please let us know if we can help.