Tips for Cleaning Your Home Before a Long Trip

December 17, 2021
Published by master

If you’re planning a long trip for the holidays or potentially for the winter, you’re probably focused on packing and making sure mail is stopped and other crucial chores are done. Other than a quick emptying of garbage, you may not be thinking about your homes in Ridgefield WA, which is a big mistake. The longer you’re away, the more you should make an effort – or hire a professional – to come in and clean your house before you go away. Otherwise you could return to a real disaster.

Ideally, making a list and checking it twice is the best way to make sure you don’t miss any areas. The primary parts of your home to focus on are the kitchen, bathrooms, and main living areas. Depending on your home, you may also want to include your yard and garage. Having a list that is fairly detailed for each room helps you check items off and not get distracted.

Regardless of the room, each one should receive a general tidying that includes dusting, vacuuming, and ideally, unplugging appliances in case of an electrical problem or storm. Plus, coming home to a neat, clean home just feels better than coming home to a mess.

Start with the bedroom, as that’s fairly easy. Take all of the sheets and covers off the bed and let the mattress air out for as long as possible. You may want to add some baking soda and vacuum your mattress, as well. In fact, vacuuming your mattress is something you should do every time you change your sheets, as it collects dust and dead skin and keeps your mattress healthier. Make sure you do all the laundry before you go and leave the doors/lids of the machines open to air out so they don’t get moldy. You should also leave your closet doors open to keep them aired out and less likely to smell musty. Before you finish in the bedroom, make sure you’ve put on a fresh set of sheets to welcome you home!

In the bathrooms, give them a really good clean and make sure you have fresh towels out awaiting you. Get rid of any standing water in the shower, tub, and sink. All faucets should be tightly closed and you may want to turn off  your water completely and then give the toilet a flush. If frozen pipes are a concern, check to see what is best recommended for your type of pipes and plumbing.

Finally, put extra effort into the kitchen as this is where stray crumbs and food can cause real pest problems. Empty every counter and give it a good cleaning, making sure any food caught in any cracks or crevices is cleaned out. Run your dishwasher and make sure every dish is clean and put away before you leave. Even the coffee cleaner and that last cup of coffee should be clean when you leave. Definitely clean out your fridge, getting rid of items that won’t last. You can give some to the neighbors or just toss it. Depending on what remains, you may want to consider tossing anything that can’t withstand warmer temperatures, because it’s a good idea to change the temperature in your fridge to help save energy and money. You should also go through your cabinets and check that all dry food is properly stored in air-tight containers. If not, toss it. Pasta, cereal, oats, crackers, cookies, etc., all need to be sealed tightly or thrown away. They invite too many pests. Finally, empty the garbage can, make sure it’s clean, and clean the garbage disposal.

It can be worth it to give the outside of your home a once-over to make sure there are no potential issues. Gutters should be clean, hoses, toys, and tools put away, and you may want to put lights on a timer. If you’re going to be gone for a couple of months, hiring a cleaning service for the inside of your home and perhaps a lawn service for the outside can help in case issues arise while you’re gone, such as leaks. Otherwise, consider asking a friend to stop by your home while you’re gone to make sure plants are thriving and everything is as it should be. This extra effort will be worth it when you return to your homes in Ridgefield WA  and find a clean, fresh, welcoming home that requires no effort.

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This post was written by master