Whether you own your own home, or you are looking to rent a property in Vancouver, it’s time to start thinking about Spring cleaning. After such a snowy week, the last few mild days, make it seem like Spring may arrive early. It may be time to think about all the things you need to do around the house to get ready for the end of winter. Start with your furnace, check out the filter to see if it needs replacing which will help level out those hefty winter heating costs. It’s an easy and relatively simple task that can add a few more years to the furnace maintenance. Check out your gutters and make certain there are no wet leaves or fallen tree branches that are clogging up the gutters that may cause a problem when the Spring rain hits.
If you are uncomfortable with heights or just don’t like getting your hands dirty, pick up the phone and call a professional.
There are many companies who offer this service and the prices are very reasonable.
Visit your local Home Hardware and ask the experts for help in sealing any cracks or crevices that have popped up in your foundation or around the windows. Bring a friend to walk the property with you, as four eyes are always better than two. It’s also a good time to check the roof and make sure all the Christmas decorations have been removed and safely tucked away in the basement. Don’t forget to pull out all your gardening tools, including the lawn mower as once Spring comes along that grass tends to grow twice as fast and it may be time to replace the blades.
Of course, it’s the time as well to take an inventory of all your gardening needs.
Once the outside of the property is spring ready, roll up your sleeves and get ready to tackle the inside of the house. I find starting with your closets is a great way to begin Spring cleaning. Be perfectly honest and throw away those clothes you just never wear anymore. Sometimes it can be hard to say goodbye to that little black dress you have had for ten years but it is a great exercise to rid yourself of the old to make way for the new. Buy new coat hangers as well and do a thorough cleaning of the entire closet from top to bottom.
Organize…organize…organize
What about those nasty stains on your fabric sofa or armchair that have been there since your annual Christmas party? Grab a pail of ice cold water and an absorbent sponge or cloth and start blotting. You can also try a gentle upholstery cleaner to help remove those pesky spots and bring that beautiful fabric back to its original pattern.
My absolute least favourite cleaning project is washing marks and hand prints off my walls but I discovered an easy and effective cleaning tool available on the market. My new best friend is Mr. Clean’s wonderful magic eraser. This miraculous little white sponge removes hard stains in a matter of seconds and leaves the paint underneath untouched. I discovered this fabulous cleaning gem a year ago and it has changed my life. Instead of repainting an entire wall, I simply erased away all the marks.
Cleaning windows is a chore, there is no doubt about it, but it has to be done. You can make it fairly painless and use windex and newspaper or you can clean your windows the old fashioned way with soap and water. Grab a sponge and a big bucket of warm water with your everyday dish soap. Slather the window and start rubbing off the grease and grime in a slow circular motion. If you don’t own a squeegee go and buy one. It will last for a long, long time and nothing works better.
Don’t forget your rubber gloves to protect that new manicure.
One of the dreaded Spring cleaning jobs has to be cleaning your blinds. If you are smart, you won’t wait until Spring for this task, make it a weekly chore and simply use a duster to remove any dirt or dust. But, if it has become a Spring only job, be prepared to spend an entire day cleaning those endless rooms filled with blinds. There is no short cut to this job. You can remove the blinds and take them outside to hose them off be but be fore warned, this is a messy job.
Now for the floors, if you have carpets then it’s smooth sailing. Either call a professional carpet cleaner to come in and shampoo all the carpets or rent a shampooer and do the job yourself. In Spring, many of the well known carpet cleaning companies offer a discount so it’s a perfect time to take advantage of the savings. If you rent a machine DO NOT rent the small cheap one. This machine simply moves the dirt around and does not suck up the water so it takes forever to dry and your carpets will not look as clean as you want them to. If you have hardwood flooring this is a perfect time to have them refinished but I strongly suggest using a professional flooring person. You will love the results and they will last a very long time.
Experienced Vancouver Property Managers always encourage owners and tenants alike to take very good care of their properties both inside and out. Spring is a great time to do both and after your cleaning is finished take some time to enjoy the beautiful, sunny Spring weather.
For more information on how https://orcarealty.ca can help you about Warm Weather Means Spring Cleaning Time, please contact us at 604.921.6722, or visit us here:
Orca Realty Inc.
Unit 204 – 2438 Marine Dr. West Vancouver, BC, V7V 1L2 Canada
Vancouver office: Unit 302 – 2309 West 41st Ave – Vancouver, BC, V6M 2A3 Canada
Orca Realty is a full service rental property management company you can trust to handle all of your property management needs.
Our values of dedication, integrity and commitment embody the Orca Realty philosophy and through personalized service, meticulous attention to detail, and the highest ethical standards, we provide professional, cost effective management services for all types of residential properties.
