Scrub away stress this spring cleaning season

Many of us continually seek ways to make house cleaning easier and less time-consuming. This spring cleaning season, the secret is revealed. Determine the level of cleanliness (or chaos) you can live with and then establish cleaning routines throughout the year to help achieve and maintain that level.

“I understand the importance of a clean home, but like most women, I’m not willing to invest too much precious time or back-breaking effort in housework,” says Kelly Semrau, SC Johnson vice president of global public affairs and communication. “That’s why we continually create new products that provide innovative cleaning solutions, and help achieve top results with minimal energy.”

Building a cleaning schedule can be confusing if one doesn’t know how often chores should be completed. Scrub away some of the stress and toil this spring cleaning season by following a few simple timing guidelines year-round.

The Daily Dose

Daily tasks vary from family to family, but it’s easy to determine what needs to be done each day. Look for the chores that are repeated, including the following:

•Nearly everyone deals with dishes every day, whether washing them by hand or loading them into the dishwasher.

•Large families – or those with small wardrobes – may need to do laundry every day. For tough stains, be sure to use a stain remover right away so they don’t settle into the fabric.

•Some loathe the smell or sight of garbage and so choose to take it out on a daily basis.

Weekly To-Dos

Weekly chores can be the most time-consuming, so look to employ shortcuts, like engaging the entire family in the household chores or using products that minimize the need for excessive elbow grease. Below are some top weekly chores.

•Vacuuming and dusting on a weekly basis prevents buildup of dust that can trigger allergies.

•Kitchen items like counters and microwaves get a lot of use, and may require a quick cleaning each week.

•Guests and household members appreciate a clean bathroom, which means there needs to be a weekly wipe-down of the counters, toilet and soap-scummed tub.

Calendar of Chores

Handling a few chores monthly will erase some of the stress that comes with spring cleaning. It will prevent scrubbing a year’s worth of gunk in each room of the house.

•Some items with limited hands-on use, like ceiling fans and light fixtures, only require a quick cleaning once a month.

•Clean out one cluttered area each month, such as closets and cabinets, so they don’t have to be dealt with all at once.

•Kitchen tasks, like cleaning out the refrigerator and wiping down other kitchen appliances, are too big to tackle on a weekly basis but would be overwhelming after a year.

Seasonal Housework

Think of the things that should probably be done every three to six months, but that won’t bring the world to an end if they are put off until spring cleaning season.

•Some household chores are best to complete in the spring or summer, like washing the exterior of the windows and cleaning the patio furniture.

•Once a year, bring in the pros to clean carpets, launder drapes and fabric lampshades.

•An easy one to forget is the inspection of, and performing maintenance on, heating and cooling units by cleaning the vents and replacing filters.

•Set up area insect repellents in the yard so spending summer evenings outdoors will be almost bug-free.