Seven out of 10 Americans admit they spring clean each year. What are the top reasons for a yearly deep clean? Sixty percent of people admit they do it to really clean their home. After that, decluttering, reducing common allergens, and killing viruses and other germs are the top reasons.
When it comes to spring cleaning, most people think of it as an indoor project. Bathrooms and kitchens get the most attention. Some people also realize that the outside of the home also needs attention. No matter where you’re devoting your attention, make sure you have Chicago Canvas tarps on hand to simplify these common spring cleaning projects.
Cover Furniture and Floors While Repainting the Ceiling
Wood stove, fireplace, or pellet stove soot builds up on ceilings. It may not be noticeable at first, but years down the road, look at your ceiling. Do you see the dingy gray coloring? That’s years of soot building up. Even dirt from outside air can build up on painted surfaces. Scrubbing it away each year helps, but over time, you’ll need to put a fresh coat of paint on your ceiling. Experts at Home Advisor recommend repainting ceilings at least every 10 years.
When you’re painting a horizontal surface like a ceiling, drips and splatters are inevitable. You can move your furniture to another room, but the floor is still a target for dripping paint. It’s best to cover all surfaces by using a dropcloth. Cover all furniture and flooring with a dropcloth (or a poly tarp, but be sure not to use a tarp with wax or petroleum as it can rub off and damage furniture) before you get started.
Declutter Using a Color-Coded System to Decide What Goes and Stays
Decluttering is an important part of spring cleaning. In a year’s time, it’s surprising what gets collected. You discover you have dozens of books to give away. You have too many coffee mugs or shoes. Your closet is overflowing with clothing you never wear. All of this clutter needs to be organized.
Set four colored poly tarps on your yard (again avoid any tarps or items that may rub off on your items). On one, you’re going to put items that you can donate to a charitable organization like Goodwill. A second tarp is going to hold things you want to keep. The third tarp is for items that need to go into the trash. Finally, a fourth tarp will hold items you could sell online or at a yard sale. If you have others helping you declutter, make sure they know the color-coded system for placing the items.
The poly tarps protect the items from dew on the ground, crawling insects, and dirt or pollen. When the decluttering project is done, only those items that you’re keeping will go back inside the house. Everything else moves to its new destination. Items for the landfill can go into trash bags or into a truck to get hauled away. Donations get delivered to the organization. Yard sale items go into a garage or shed until the sale date.
Let the Sun Kill Mites From Mattresses and Sofas
Microscopic mites are all over your home. They live on dead skin and pet dander. The mattress and sofa are two areas where they live happily. For most people, these tiny insects aren’t a concern. If you have allergies, dust mites can worsen the symptoms.
The UVA and UVB rays of the sun can help kill some of these mites off. Lay down a waterproof tarp on a driveway or yard and move the sofa and mattresses onto the tarp. Sprinkle them with baking soda and let them sit in the sun for a few hours. When they’ve had time in the sun, vacuum them thoroughly before returning them inside. If you have an upholstery steam cleaner, you could use that machine first and let the furnishings dry naturally in the sun.
Spray Off Window Screens
Window screens get dirty throughout the year. Dirt and pollen are only one part of why they can get so filthy. Contaminants in rain and snow also stick to the screening. If you’re close to the road, spraying slush from snowplows and traffics can reach the windows.
You can wash windows, but screens don’t always get the same attention. The easiest thing to do is lay them in the yard or driveway on a tarp. Spray them with a mix of water and white vinegar and spray them off with a hose. When you’ve done one window screen, spray the tarp off and do the next. The tarp will keep dirt from the lawn from spraying back up.
Protect Plants While Pressure Washing Siding, Decks, and Patios
Pressure wash dirt, algae, mold/mildew, and lichen off your deck, siding, and patio bricks. A bleach solution will help keep remove pesky stains. That bleach will also harm plants, vines, and shrubs, so you need to cover them with water-resistant tarps before you turn on the power washer.
Once you’ve washed all surfaces, let the sun evaporate residual water and cleaner from the siding, decking, or bricks. Once these areas are dry, you can remove the tarps. This makes sure that the chemicals have evaporated before you expose your greenery.
Let Us Help You Choose the Best Tarps For Your Spring Cleaning Projects
Tarps come in many sizes and materials. Some are ideal painter’s dropcloths while others are best for repelling water. It’s important to match the tarp material to your spring cleaning project. This can challenge a novice, but we’re here to help. Talk to a specialist at Chicago Canvas & Supply. We’re happy to assist you in finding the perfect tarp for the job. Call 1-866-389-2218 to learn more.
The best thing you said about custom tarp systems is that they protect your delicate garden flowers and vines while you get your garden pressure washed. This is just what my grandpa needs to get his algae-, dirt-, and mold-encrusted brick garden pavilion pressure washed while preserving his well-trimmed floral and herb hedges. He needs professional custom tar systems to devise a tough cover for his garden while the cleaning is in progress to keep his plants from getting damaged and broken.