Think Green when Spring Cleaning
A typical way to welcome the warmer weather and all the spring feels is, of course, spring cleaning. In our Yōō Clean family we take spring cleaning a little deeper with a holistic approach.
We want to educate you on how you can cleanse your home and create a space that supports health and healing instead of contributing to toxic buildup and disease. Did you know studies have proven that the air quality indoors can be more toxic than outside? Did you also know that your skin is the largest organ on your body and is the fastest way toxins are absorbed into the blood stream?
By using products that improve indoor air quality and while being gentle on your skin will make you want to clean more frequently!
Curious where we come in? Yōō Clean manufactures all-natural cleaning products made with essential oils that are safe for your family, pets, and the environment. The best part? They actually work and smell amazing!
To help jumpstart your spring cleaning, here are a few helpful tips we’ve gathered from years of cleaning homes professionally.
Step 1: Make a Schedule
The hardest part of cleaning can be knowing where to start and not getting distracted. Having a plan will help to keep you focused on the task at hand. Break it down room by room and set a goal with a timeline of when you will have each task completed.
Step 2. De-Clutter & Detoxify
Surprisingly, the level of pollutants inside the home can be a hundred times higher than the outside (according to the EPA) and can contribute to significant health issues. The products you spray, pump, and apply have a big part to play in that statistic. One easy and powerful way to detoxify and declutter your home is to swap the products you use in your home for ones with cleaner ingredients. With so many endocrine-disrupting, disease contributing chemicals in conventional home cleaning products (air fresheners, artificially scented candles and skin stripping hand soaps) now is the time to declutter toxic products (we recommend bringing to a center that disposes cleaning solutions) and switch to products that are safe for the whole family while supporting your wellness at home.
Product Tip: Simplify the products in your home with Yōō Clean All Purpose Cleaner, Bowl Fresheners, and Room Fresheners. This will help improve the air quality in your home and clean all surfaces naturally!
For many of us, our house has become our home, work, and entertainment space. De-cluttering will enable you to be feel less stress as a cluttered home sends signals to your brain that work isn’t done (via the Huffington Post)!
Pro Tips:
· Dust and organize your office.
· Look through that dreaded junk and desk drawers and toss the pens that don’t work and anything you don’t need any longer.
· Organize your closet (recycle, donate, or throw away any thing you have not worn for over 6 months).
· Change your home’s air filters and the batteries in your fire alarm.
3. Always Work from Top to Bottom
When starting your spring cleaning, it is important to start from the ceiling and work your way down. This will force debris downward and keep you from having to re-dust or re-clean the area. After high dusting, dust the furniture working top to bottom making sure to get the sides of furniture and legs.
Pro Tips:
· Use a 6-foot extension pole with a microfiber duster to get the areas that are not reachable. Start with the crown molding, ceiling, and fan.
· Use Yōō Clean All Purpose Cleaner on a microfiber towel to capture all the dust and debris and clean fingerprints and smudges on furniture.
· After high dusting in the bedroom, make the bed and finish by spraying your linens, pillows, and furniture with Yōō Clean’s Lavender Room Spray.
4. Windows and Walls Need Love
People almost always clean their floors but forget about the walls and windows. Dust can collect on walls (especially near vents), blinds, and windowsills. Clean them by wiping from top to bottom. Open your windows and clean inside the sills and your screens. Then let in the fresh air!
Pro Tips:
· Use Yōō Clean All Purpose cleaner on a microfiber towel and clean fingerprints, dirt on walls, and windowsills.
· For tough dirt build up, spray All Purpose Cleaner directly on the area and wipe clean.
· Don’t forget to clean the light switches and hand railings on stairs.
5. Don’t Fear Cleaning the Bathroom and Kitchen
Here a few common trouble areas people forget to clean on a regular basis.
Kitchen:
· Wipe down cabinets.
· Go through the pantry and refrigerator; wipe down shelves and throw away any old items.
· Clean the underside of the garbage disposal (if you can pull the rubber ring out, clean off any buildup).
· Pull the vent off your stove top’s vent fan and clean.
· Replace the charcoal filter in the microwave or clean with a natural degreaser.
· Clean the inside of your oven.
Pro Tips:
· Spray Yōō Clean All Purpose Cleaner all over the surfaces of the kitchen from countertops, cabinets, vent hood, stove top, inside the microwave, sink, and appliances. Wipe the stainless-steel appliances first to ensure the oils do not dry onto the stainless steel. Next, wipe all the cabinets, counters, stove top, inside the microwave and sink/faucet.
· Make sure to clean the screen on your kitchen faucet or sprayer.
· Place a Yōō Clean Kitchen Sink Freshener in your garbage disposal and run hot water to dissolve the tablet. This helps clean the build up inside the drain while making it smell lemon-y fresh!
Bathroom
· Wash or replace your shower curtain
· Go through any cosmetic or medicine drawers and throw away any expired items.
· Organize your linen closet.
· Pull the sink drain out plug out and wipe clean the drain and the stopper. You will be surprised by the buildup!
Pro Tips:
· Spray Yōō Clean All Purpose Cleaner on all surfaces of the bathroom including toilet, mirror, and cabinets.
· First, wipe clean the mirror followed by light switches, counter, faucet, and sink.
· When cleaning the toilet, start from top to bottom (top of tank, sides of tank, base of tank).
· Place a Yōō Clean Bowl Freshener tablet inside the toilet bowl. After it has dissolves, use toilet brush to clean the inside of the bowl.
Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a chore…it can be a fresh start for you and your home! It can help set the tone for a light and rejuvenated season while giving you a sense of accomplishment and a focused mind.
Visit www.itsyooclean.com to download our Clean Like a Pro Checklist or follow us at @itsyooclean for more tips!
Sources:
http://huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/22/home-organization-stress-survey_n_3308575.html