Season Of Renewal Time For Deep Cleaning

As I plan my calendar each month, I schedule chores that are appropriate to the season.

This is the time of year when we all want to be outside - and there is a lot of work to be done in the garden. But it’s also time for spring cleaning, time to take care of annual chores in and around the house.

I’ve already done some of my spring chores, such as turning on the outdoor faucets and storing my winter clothes in mothballs. I’ve also taken down the storm windows, checked that the air-conditioning and automatic-watering systems are working, touched up paint on outdoor furniture and dusted and turned off the furnace. Earlier this year, I took the lawn mower in to be serviced.

These tasks reflect the fact that I live in a part of the country where the winters are cold and snowy. My house needs to go through these annual rituals to adjust to the change in seasons.

But even if you live somewhere where it’s warm and sunny throughout the year, spring, the season of renewal, is still a wonderful time to clean house.

Begin by giving each room a thorough cleaning. Do what you normally do, but go a step further: Really get those cobwebs out of the corners; deep-clean wall-to-wall carpets; wax wood furniture instead of just dusting.

Mop and wax floors if necessary, especially if they’ve been through a winter of snow boots.

Wash or dry-clean the curtains. Clean out your cupboards and replace the shelf liners.

Now is also a good time to clean out your closets. Gather together everything that you don’t wear anymore. If you’re honest with yourself, you can be generous to a charity. (Don’t forget to get a receipt for tax purposes.)

Think about reorganizing the closets as well. If you’ve always meant to install an efficient shelving system, go ahead and do it.

Spring is also the best time to thoroughly wash windows, inside and out. You can’t really do a good job of it in the dead of winter (the cleaners may freeze) and if you wait until it’s high summer, they may dry too quickly, leaving streaks.

Here are a few tips for getting windows as clean and clear as they can be:

Take a cue from the professionals and buy a squeegee. It’s more effective and efficient than newspaper or paper towels (which leave lint behind) - and also more environment-friendly.

One may not be enough. Squeegees come in different sizes. A 10- or 12-inch one will be incredibly versatile, but if you have any small or unusually shaped panes, plan accordingly.

Squeegees are available at many hardware stores. You may also want to check out janitorial-supply stores, which carry professional-quality supplies at good prices. Call first to make sure they sell to the public and to inquire about minimum purchases. (They may sell certain items by the case, for example.)

Stock up on other supplies, too, such as sponges, cotton rags, buckets, a ladder and cleaners.

Commercial window cleaners are fine, but you can easily make your own. A mixture of 1 cup white vinegar with 4 cups hot water works well, as does 1 tablespoon of powdered dishwashing detergent dissolved in 1 gallon of water.

Use a sponge to wet the window with the cleaner. Get the squeegee wet (if it’s dry, it will skip instead of sliding down the pane) and, starting at a top corner, draw it down the pane in one long motion.

Wipe the squeegee with a rag and repeat, making overlapping strokes until you’ve reached the other edge. To get the excess cleaner, run the squeegee horizontally along the bottom edge, then dry with a rag.

For large, wide windows, try this technique: Starting at the upper corner, move the squeegee across horizontally and, when you get to the other side, turn and start back in the other direction, making a slightly overlapping stroke. Repeat until you’ve reached the bottom.

While you’re at it, clean the window frames and sills. Murphy’s Oil Soap is good on wood. (Just be sure to dry the area thoroughly.)

A house’s exterior often goes uncared for season after season, but it shouldn’t. Take the time to scrub down the outside of a painted house (or just the painted trim on a brick or masonry house) with a stiff brush to remove dirt.

Sweep and wash porches and deck, and clean out gutters.

And don’t forget the outdoor grill. Scrub down the rack and make sure you’ve got a full propane tank or a good supply of charcoal. Then, after all your hard work, you can take time to relax and have a barbecue.

MEMO: Questions should be addressed to Martha Stewart, care of The New York Times Syndication Sales Corp., 122 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10168. Questions may also be sent to Stewart by electronic mail. Her address is: mstewart@msl.timeinc.com.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Martha Stewart New York Times Syndicate