Spring Cleaning

As the days finally begin to grow longer with more lasting sunlight, many people are starting to gain that yearly cleaning momentum. Some are gearing up for a yearly ritual of spring cleaning and shaking the winter dust out of their rugs. Whether or not you’re among those who have an established spring cleaning tradition, we’d like to share some tips and local resources that can make cleaning your home a breeze so your space is fresh and ready to welcome the glorious days of green and sunshine ahead.

Make a Day of It!

Cleaning may not be at the top of your list of things you enjoy. If that’s the case, try turning a spring cleaning project into an event that you can really look forward to. Set aside a whole day or weekend. Turn on some upbeat music. Pick up some sub sandwiches to put in the fridge, so you can focus on the tasks ahead without worrying about meal prep and cleanup. Close your eyes and picture the shining end result you’re going for, then roll up your sleeves and get to work! Once you get started, you may find you’re actually enjoying yourself.

If you’re looking for a little help and companionship for your cleaning project, LaShasta Messinger with Elite Home Cleaning Services is the queen of enjoyable clean. She does her work well, and she does it with a smile. In addition to weekly, biweekly, and monthly house cleanings and deep cleans for rental properties, LaShasta and her team also offer home space organizing services. They can come in and help you maximize your space by making it clean and functional— whether it’s your laundry room, kitchen pantry, office space, or LaShasta’s favorite, your closet!

LaShasta can help you organize your closet by color and style, including clothing, shoes, accessories, etc. She can even help you sort through unwanted items, and then she’ll box and seal them and take them to a local donation center. LaShasta creates organizational solutions that fit your lifestyle and are attractive to your taste.

“I love to give people an energy boost when they walk into their newly-organized closet,” LaShasta said. “It can be really easy for people to get busy and let clutter pile up and clothes fall to the floor. When this happens, many people even forget what they have in their closets. A closet makeover can give you new eyes to see the things you own so you actually use and appreciate them. This can also lighten your step and take some weight off you. Closet clutter becomes mental clutter until we clear it out and make space for life!”

Cleaning out your closet can seem like a daunting task, but it is definitely worth the effort! Having old or ill-fitting clothes in your closet can negatively affect your self-image. Clean out the clothes that no longer interest you to make room in your closet for the pieces that you love. Don’t be afraid to get out that big trash bag and donate to people in need. If you have trouble letting things go, there are people like LaShasta who are ready to help guide you through the process!

Do it for Your Health and Well-Being

While spring cleaning can seem like a hassle, it’s necessary to keep your living space fresh so the people who occupy it stay healthy. To keep warm in the winter, people insulate their homes and keep the doors and windows closed as much as possible. This can cause dust to settle and make the air stagnant. Though it may seem like a simple solution, opening the windows can also let in dust and allergens. Poor air quality in the home can cause respiratory health problems and allergy flares, which is why it’s important to clean air ducts to improve indoor air quality. For many people, cleaning your own air ducts can be timely and a difficult. We recommend going to your local Lincoln experts for duct cleaning to increase the air quality of your home.

Lindsey Reinke with John Henry’s Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning told us more.

“Why does someone need a duct cleaning? Think about all of the dust, pet dander, and other allergens throughout your home. Think about each time you open your windows for that ‘fresh air’ and the allergens from outside are actually coming inside…those all get stuck in your vents! We can perform a duct cleaning and remove this from your vents. We are a full service company in heating, air conditioning, plumbing, duct cleaning, water treatment and softening, excavation, drain cleaning, and indoor air quality… just to name a few!”

“We can clean your cooling system to make sure you’re ready for the inevitable heat outside, either through a one-time cleaning, or we can get you signed up for our John Henry’s Membership Club so that you can receive regular cleanings. You’ll receive special pricing and discounts by signing up. Our cleanings can get your indoor air quality up to par before the allergens kick in for spring and summer. We can make sure your cooling system is up and running at peak efficiency to make sure you’re prepared for the hot days ahead.”

In order to prevent getting stuck in the incoming heat, regular maintenance of your air-conditioning unit is essential. Regular maintenance will extend the life of your unit and save you money and trouble in the long run. However, it’s easy to forget to contact your local professionals to perform the necessary maintenance as time seems to flow so quickly as the weather warms. John Henry’s takes care of this problem and makes maintenance easy through their membership program.

“Through our maintenance program, we will contact you to schedule your service so you don’t forget, and you’ll be running at top efficiency for the hot days ahead. John Henry’s is the only plumbing, heating, and air conditioning company to win the BBB Integrity Award twice!” Lindsey said. “We send our qualified service professionals out to your home or business after they have undergone a complete background and driving record check to ensure they will be the best person to send to fix your plumbing, heating, and air conditioning needs. We are constantly training our team to be up with the latest and greatest technologies so we can take care of your needs!”

HVAC systems require maintenance approximately twice a year to ensure that your heating and conditioning unit is running efficiently. Nick Buresh from TechMasters talked to us more about how to keep your energy bill low as temperatures rise.

“It will soon be the time of year when people start calling in for maintenance on their air-conditioning units,” he said. “We always recommend two checks a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. During the spring check, we do all the maintenance that your system requires before you reboot it. The coils might need to be vacuumed to remove accumulated dust and debris or you may need a new air filter. We recommend scheduling a check for the unit before the heatwave hits so everything is running in top condition when you need it. Spring cleaning also means doing all the maintenance that you didn’t get done during the short, cold days. If your HVAC system is older, it may also be time for a replacement to reduce your energy bill and your carbon footprint.”

Nick also offered a reminder that while HVAC systems are helpful to maintain comfortable temperatures, you don’t always need to reach for the thermostat.

“Simple things like keeping the blinds closed on hot days or opening them on cooler days to let in the sunlight can do a lot to control the temperature in your home,” he said. “If you’re looking for ways to save money on your energy bill, never underestimate harnessing the power of the sun or taking small measures to deflect it to stay cool.”

With awareness for the importance of eco-friendly practices being on the rise for many consumers and businesses alike, many are trying to come up with new products and services that can stop ozone degradation, air pollution, and other environmental issues. A lot of people are now leaning toward environmentally conscious businesses rather than having no preference. One brand that places a high value on being as ‘green’ as possible is ServiceMaster Professional Building Maintenance. Co-owner Jon Paolini shared about the importance of avoiding products and practices that can compromise your home or business’s air quality. He explained how they work to improve a building’s air quality.

“We always try to avoid heavy-duty cleaning supplies that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It’s much better to use eco-friendly, green cleaners. Green cleaners release a significantly lower amount of chemicals and fumes into the air. While you may enjoy the clean scent of lemon, most scented traditional chemical cleaning products cause indoor air pollution which can cause long-term health effects if people are over-exposed to them. Our natural cleaners degrade over time without causing harmful side effects or additional pollution.”

While contaminants can enter your home through the air, they can also be carried in by shoes, animals, and even simple human contact. That’s why ServiceMaster PBM has an intensive janitorial service available for local businesses, so they can improve the health and safety of your office as much as possible.

“Some advice I’d give those go-getter spring cleaners out there would be to not forget about the high contact areas you use every day,” Jon advised. “For example, cell phones, door knobs, keyboards, etc. Even though you use them more than some of the dustier areas of your space, that doesn’t mean that they’re clean.”

Spring cleaning is not just something you accomplish in the home. Spring is a time of growth and new beginnings, and every aspect of your life could probably benefit from a little tidying up. Take this time to look over your schedule. Are there activities you’re involved in that don’t excite you anymore? Are there new things you want to start doing? After cleaning up your physical space, you may be energized to continue on in other areas, such as:

• Reconsidering your career goals
• Reevaluating and realigning yourself with your friendships and acquaintanceships
• Organizing your desk/workspace
• Sleeping more
• Practicing being present and mindful
• Downloading hydration apps to ensure you’re drinking enough water everyday

While cleaning and organizing your physical space and organizing your stuff is great, always remember that you come before your material items. A personal check-in is a good regular “self-cleaning” practice for getting the dust out of the corners of your life. Are you sleeping enough? Drinking enough water? General lifestyle habits can really affect how you feel in the day to day. Spring is a great time to try new things and cull bad habits. There’s a popular saying that bad habits are not destroyed, they’re replaced. Reflect on your own life and consider new activities that can replace unproductive ones. When in doubt, lifestyle changes with a friend are a lot more fun, and easier, than trying to improve alone!

Spring is also a great time to look to the space outside of your head and your home for some sprucing up and cleaning. Are there any tasks that you’ve been putting off because of the cold or short days? One chore everyone should get done this time of year is to get a car wash. Kendra McDonald from JetSplash filled us in on why spring is an essential time to get a car wash, especially for professionals who want to maintain a positive image for their business. Even something as simple as the cleanliness of a company vehicle can affect the way people view you.

“Nothing creates a better first impression than showing up to your customer’s house with a nice shiny vehicle, and nothing turns them off faster than a dirty company vehicle,” Kendra said. “Your company fleet is a reflection of your business. Set your business apart from your competitors and always keep your vehicles shining, whether we just had a snowstorm or there are sunny skies all week.”

Jetsplash has unlimited membership programs that allow you to get your car washed as many times as you want for an entire month starting at just $25. Plus, enjoy membership perks, like half-off upgrades, the members-only After Care Bucket, and a members-only express lane. They also have business plans that allow you to wash your fleet of vehicles at a discounted rate. You can buy 50 or 100 washes at a time, or if you bring your vehicles in more often, you can opt in for unlimited plans.

“We hand-prep and hand-dry every vehicle,” Kendra said. “Hand-prepping consists of a quick power wash before heading into the wash tunnel. Post-wash, our friendly staff will hand-dry your car and inspect for cleanliness to ensure it meets our high standards. Then, we invite you to use our free self-serve vacuums, air and mat cleaners to cap off your car’s cleanliness.”

Take advantage of the new energy that spring brings to do some cleaning and to give yourself, your life, and your surroundings a little TLC. Don’t forget to reach out to local businesses and take advantage of their expert services to make the most of your spring cleaning projects!