SPRING CLEANING FOR YOUR VACATION HOME

Aug 8

Find out why annual deep cleans are essential for keeping your home in tip-top shape.

The tradition of Spring cleaning is a natural process, when you think about it. After a long cold Winter, the first days of Spring offer the welcome opportunity to throw open the windows, air out the stale, heated air, then refresh and renew the space with a thorough, deep clean.

This process is even more important for second homes, for a variety of reasons.

If the second home is used occasionally as a vacation home, it may often sit locked up, resulting in stale air and a build up of dust…
If the second home is used frequently by a variety of friends and guests, spills, water intrusion, and tracked-in mud may go overlooked for weeks at a time.
If the second home is used as a short-term rental, it sees a variety of uses, often from large parties. That creates wear and tear on the home’s finishes and systems.

No matter how you use your vacation home, a Spring cleaning process is a great way to ensure that your home looks, feels, and smells its best. And in this new age of Covid-19 and Coronavirus, maintaining a clean vacation home is even more important — because when proper cleaning, sanitizing and time (72+ hours), your family and guests can feel safe making new memories from your home.

How Does Spring Cleaning Save You Money?

You may think that Spring cleaning is simply something that “neat freaks” do, but, in reality, a solid annual deep cleaning process for your second home offers tremendous savings. How? By ensuring that all of your home’s appliances, finishes, and major systems are properly cleaned and maintained.

Check out our list of Spring cleaning items to ensure your home is maintained in optimum condition.

APPLIANCES

Deep cleaning the oven ensures that baked-on or burnt on food doesn’t become a long-term problem.
Deep cleaning the dishwasher ensures that mold and mildew doesn’t set up in the internal tubing -- and on your dishes.
Deep cleaning the refrigerator, including vacuuming the back, bottom, and sides of the appliance, increases cooling and energy efficiency.

SYSTEMS

Seasonal cleaning and service of your HVAC and humidifier system prevents corrosion and ensures that small problems are caught quickly -- so your unit lasts longer.
Don’t forget the air ducts and vents, which may need to be cleaned. Look for telltale dark dust around registers on walls, floors, or ceilings.
Filtration systems -- whether for water or air -- should be regularly serviced and filters replaced as needed.
Your home’s lighting, both indoors and outdoors, as well as ceiling fans should be regularly dusted in order to prevent buildup on blades, bulbs, and covers.
A total flush of the plumbing system takes just a few minutes and can help ensure that there is no stale water sitting in the pipes.
Be sure to check sinks, toilets, tubs, and showers for rust stains and deep clean faucets to remove the buildup caused by minerals, mold, and mildew..

WINDOWS AND DOORS

Cleaning interior windows, window frames, tracks, and window coverings ensures smooth operation and prevents build-up, especially in rooms with wood-burning fireplaces or in kitchens.
Cleaning exterior windows lets in more light and helps you enjoy the view from your home. In addition, it gives you the opportunity to check framing for needed paint repairs, wood rot, or pest intrusion.
Cleaning exterior doors ensures that they stay in good operation and helps protect wooden doors and door frames from wood rot or pest intrusion.

FLOORING

An annual deep clean of carpets helps to get rid of stains, dirt, and dust which can cause damage to the fibers and shorten the life of your carpet.
Steam cleaning of carpets helps to lift ground in dirt and refreshes fibers all the way to the root. Steam clean tile flooring for a deep-down clean that gets in all of the cracks and crevices.
Deep cleaning and treating hardwood flooring minimizes water damage and lengthens the life of your floors.
Deep cleaning and treating tile flooring helps ensure it stays in good repair and that any needed tile replacement or repair is handled promptly.

FURNITURE

Cleaning upholstered furniture stops fiber damage from ground in dust and dirt.
Cleaning and repairing wood furniture, as needed, extends its life, especially joint damage from dry, heated indoor air.
Outdoor furniture is especially susceptible to damage and should be cleaned at least once each year. At this time, check for corrosion around joints and hardware as well.
Steam cleaning of both indoor and outdoor furniture keeps it looking and smelling its best.

MATTRESS CLEANING

Proper mattress care, including steam cleaning, helps preserve the integrity of the fibers, filling, and support structure, while keeping your mattress as fresh as possible.

OUTDOOR SURFACES

There are a variety of outdoor surfaces to keep in mind, including:

Pressure washing decks and hardscapes

Pressure washing decks, hardscapes, pavers, and walkways prevents the buildup of mold, mildew, and moss and offers you the opportunity to check for damage from water, pests, or age.

Grills

Grills should be deep cleaned annually in order to prevent grease buildup and ensure that they are kept in good operational repair. Steam cleaning can help remove greasy residue and make surfaces look like new. For gas grills, this is a good time to check hoses and connections for cracking and warping.

Hot Tubs/Spas/Saunas

The extreme heat and moisture in these essential outdoor features -- and the frequency with which they are used -- mean that you need to pay special attention to deep cleaning the surfaces, jets, and replacing filters as needed.

While you’re cleaning, declutter.

This is also the perfect time to declutter your second home.

● Toss outdated and expired food and drinks from the pantry and refrigerator.

● Clean out closets, drawers, and other storage and get rid of things you no longer use.

● Throw away or give away recreational equipment you no longer use or which no longer fits.

Remember, our property management system is personalized for your home’s specific features, systems, and needs. By booking regularly scheduled cleaning services along with consistent upkeep and specialty items like pest control, proactive inspections, and our spa services inspection program, you’ll gain the peace of mind that comes with knowing that every single detail has been addressed.

Let our local, knowledgeable, and friendly staff help take away the worry of home maintenance, repair, and upkeep. Call or email today to get started.