Does anyone fancy a spring cleaning thread?

[Quickchangeup]

Seeing as the sun is shining I decided to start my spring clean today! Aiming to do a deep clean of one room every couple of days to fit around work and family life. Anyone fancy joining me for encouragement and general chat about progress?!

[LondonCharlady]

DamsenBerry - for doors and other painted woodwork, I usually use Cif cream cleaner or Fairy liquid on a damp cloth. For the walls, you need to be careful as it depends on the paint used - washable paint is fine, but other paint can wear off. If the wall paint won't clean easily, maybe a repaint, just on the bits where it's needed?

[Grumpyoldblonde]

Paintwork - magic eraser for any tough marks, they are around £1.00 and well worth it. You can buy spray sugar soap to clean paintwork, I have done it with a little bit of washing powder in the water but only try that on a small patch that won't be noticed if it damages before you go the whole hog. I once saw the Kim & Aggie cleaning programme where they crumbled a dishwasher tablet into water to clean gloss work. trouble with cleaning painted walls is the danger of making dirty marks worse by spreading them.

[DamsenBerry]

Ooh now I'm cautious, I rent so I'm worried about ruining paintwork! The door frames and doors should be ok, its the cream painted walls that might not clean very well. I'll just give it a go, what's the worst that can happen?!

Thanks for the tips!

[Quickchangeup]

damsen I've been cleaning my walls and woodwork with ecover all purpose cleaner made up as per instructions. My hallway is very light cream and it has washed up a treat. I've used a knitted dishcloth to rub as its slightly abrasive but not to much.

[Quickchangeup]

london I've only had my dishwasher since last June. It's amazingly time saving! I used to spend so much time washing up. Clearly I'm not using it to its full possibilities though.

Poorly Child is really preventing me from cracking on with things today so I'm drawing up long term decorating plans now time-wasting
Washing on, kitchen cleaned, going to look at my pile of stuff and find homes for it now.

[123MothergotafleA]

Sugar soap is The answer to cleaning paintwork, kitchen cupboards and just about everything. Wear gloves, and check instructions carefully, and you will get things clean without too much elbow grease.

[123MothergotafleA]

Oh, and the powdered Sugar Soap is cheaper and you just need a sprinkle in a bowl of warm water and, hey presto!!!

[LondonCharlady]

Quickchangeup - I hope the little one is feeling better today. I hope you've managed to get some rest as well, it's awful being up all night with a poorly child. Don't be too hard on yourself regarding the cleaning - tomorrow is another day!

[Quickchangeup]

Thanks london! Poorly little one is a bit better but now the big one is poorly too and DH thinks he's coming down with it as well! It's great fun round ours today! On a more positive note I treated myself today! To a new mop need to get a life

[thatsn0tmyname]

I'll get stuck in during Easter when the children are in nursery and I'm off school. I have splashed out on a monthly window cleaner and today I took the lampshades outside for a wipe and a dust. The curtain poles were dusty too.

[OliviaTJoyce]

I'm planning to start my spring cleaning in a couple of weeks too. I'm gonna do the kitchen first. For now I'm just gonna look at your progress, hopefully I'll get more hyped up about it. Btw, I wash everything that's too large for my sink in the bathroom because I'm able to give it a good scrub.
What do you guys think about this checklist?
www.pinterest.com/pin/296182112975480136/

[Afreshstartplease]

I could do with doing this

Want my house de cluttered tidy and decorated before birth of DC4 in October

Off work today so I think I'll join you although I may be slow as I feel a bit grim

[Quickchangeup]

Morning everyone!
I have all the family at home ill today, don't think I'll get very much done I'm afraid. The whole house is in a state as the poorly people need to bring toys, blankets, EVERYTHING in the lounge! Argh.
I'm going to give the bathroom a good clean whilst youngest has a bubble bath now. I'm pleased I've made a start this week, the hall and downstairs loo are a joy to be in! So clean, bright and fresh. It's definitely made a difference. Oh and try out the new mop!
Good luck with it all today!

[LondonCharlady]

Morning all, great to see we have newcomers - welcome!

Poor you Quickchangeup, it must be so disheartening to be enthusiastic and ready to go, and then have such a setback! I guess at least everyone's ill at once, when they're better it'll be all over and done with, rather than one getting better and then the next one going down with something. Don't lose the enthusiasm! What mop did you get?

This morning I had another clean-up upstairs, I don't want it to lapse so I've done it again. Obviously it didn't take as long as it was already not too bad, plus I didn't have to change sheets. Managed to get the spare room done this time. I'm now going to vacuum the landing and stairs and wash the paintwork. I'll report back when I've finished.

[Grumpyoldblonde]

Hello, what a beautiful day! Towels are having a hot wash then being line dried for thee first time this year. I am going to sort out my food cupboard/pantry and steam clean the kitchen floor.
Hope the poorly folk get better soon, the dust is showing with the sunshine!

[Quickchangeup]

Hi everyone. Have managed to hot wash towels and thoroughly clean the bathroom today. Hoover through downstairs and will mop this evening. london my mop isn't very exciting I'm afraid-just a regular old addis one that was cheap in home bargains. Previous one was from pound land though so I'm moving up in the mop world! I've got a steam cleaner I use too but sometimes a mop is quicker and easier.
I am now also feeling a bit grim so it would seem I'm going to go down with this sodding virus! Arghhhhhh. Going to do a roast dinner this afternoon in hope all the veggies perk everyone up.
Tomorrow I won't get anything done as I'm out all day but will check in as I like hearing everyone's plans/progress! Nice to see newcomers to the thread! **

[Grumpyoldblonde]

I have just hoovered right under my bed and in all the corners, I was convinced I am a clean and tidy person but I think I have discovered new life forms, the amount of dust was a disgrace, out of sight out of mind I guess.
Feel a bit wheezy now.
I am going to do something I have never done before, I noticed the skirting boards are grim up there in the hidden bits, so I am going to go scrub them. It's amazing what you don't see on a day to day basis and quite eye opening.

[Quickchangeup]

Oh grumpy I know just what you mean! A few weeks back we redecorated the bedroom and reconfigured it. The dust was grim! Everything got a good Hoover and wash down before any painting could begin. Really gross. And I consider myself a clean person! But it's not possible to move huge pieces of furniture regularly!

[LondonCharlady]

Hi everyone! Right, where am I at?

When I did the spare room yesterday, it resulted in a few things being cleared out and brought downstairs in bags, so I'll have to go through that at some point. I meant to do it today, but ended up cleaning the kitchen instead - after doing the usual stuff I did the oven, microwave, and cupboard doors. I'll go back in there now and get the oven shelves out of the Oven Pride bag and rinse them, they should be ready by now, then I'll get the floor swept and mopped. I might do the fridge bits if I still have the energy, the tidying enthusiasm has spread to all areas this week, so I've worked at using up the fresh food as the fridge was so full up.

Then later on, my heart will sink at the thought of cooking in my nice clean kitchen! How did everyone else get on today? Quickchangeup, are you and your family feeling better?

[Grumpyoldblonde]

Hello, hope the poorly people are on the mend, feel a bit low as I have started a pile in the garden of things to take to the tip, depressing to look at and can't wait until it has all gone.
I am having work done on the house next week which will be fantastic when done but there is going to be upheaval and dust during the process, hey ho.
Washing is up to date, still a bit wheezy from the dust that was under the bed yesterday but house is generally looking pretty good,
Anyone thinking of decluttering, do it! It will change your life, I promise

[Quickchangeup]

Hi All,
2 out of 3 poorly people on the mend now, DH spent 2 days in bed! Took youngest out for day as I'd promised I would and it left the house quiet for him to recover. Only managed small amount of cleaning today, washed down dining room cabinets and gave the table and chairs a good clean. I wipe the table top 5/6/7 times a day but only really clean chairs and table legs if there's a need. Today I thought I'd give it all the once over whilst tea cooked. Looks lovely now, so will finish rest of dining room tomorrow! Really enjoying the cleaning, it's lovely to stand back and appreciate the difference!!!

[LondonCharlady]

Morning all.

The house is getting more and more manageable now, the upstairs is good, the stairs are good and the kitchen is good. That just leaves the dining room (which has lapsed since I tidied it), the living room (which won't take long to do), the hallway and the two cupboards under the stairs, plus the pile of laundry which has built up! So that's six jobs I hope to get done or at least started on today. I'm going to get stuck in now, I'll let you know how I got on (probably at around 4:00 this afternoon).

Grumpy, you're so right about decluttering. I've thrown out so much since the beginning of this year, and I don't even remember what I've got rid of, let alone regret any of it. The man in my local charity shop knows me very well now! I'm still going to get rid of more, I create a pile each week and take it to him on Sunday, which is the only day I can get down there. Have a good day everyone.

[Quickchangeup]

Hi all, what's everyone's plan for today, if any?
I've got to go school shoe shopping with a very reluctant DS. I may be gone a while! After I'm hoping to do the last couple of bits in the dining room before I move onto the kitchen. Off to the shops now, wish me luck!

[Grumpyoldblonde]

My house is not too bad, washing got done early. will spend some time batch cooking this afternoon, but things that can be prepped and left in the cooker while I relax with the newspapers. We have to shop for some house bit (for the refurbishments) but that will be fun (if expensive, roll on payday)

[LondonCharlady]

I got the hallway done today, noticed for the first time how many cardigans and things were hanging on the coat pegs, that shouldn't be there. Cleared them all, washed down the paintwork, mopped the floor and now it's all clean and clear. Went through the bags of stuff I cleared from the spare room the other day, a load has been put in a bag ready to go to the charity shop tomorrow. I've also done a couple of loads of laundry today, though I'll need to focus on getting it all done as it's piled up a bit.