Summer Cleaning Tips for Toronto Homeowners

Cleaning your house is never easy. It’s especially daunting during the summer when the weather is nice and you’d rather spend time outdoors. However, neglecting your cleaning duties can lead to many problems down the road. 

This article provides some summer cleaning tips to help keep your home in order this season. You might also want to work with residential cleaning service professionals in Toronto from Brilho Luxury Home Services Inc.

Read on, and get started on keeping your home clean this summer!

Clean the Windows

Windows play an integral role in bringing natural light into the home and promoting energy efficiency. It’s best to keep them clean to maintain their efficiency.

You don’t need to spend money on a window cleaner. A sponge, dish soap,  and water can do an excellent job. Make sure you scrub the window surface thoroughly to eliminate the accumulated dirt. 

Clean the AC Filter

Your air conditioner must function optimally in the summer months. Clogging with dirt and dust will adversely affect your air conditioner’s efficiency. Your AC could even break down, making your home uncomfortable in the summer heat.

Fortunately, you can prevent this problem by cleaning the filter with a vacuum cleaner or warm water. 

Clean Kitchen Cabinets

Your kitchen cabinets are prone to dirt due to frequent touching when opening and closing. Without proper cleaning, the cabinet surfaces can get sticky. Summer offers the perfect time to clean your cabinets. 

To clean them, dip a cloth into soapy, warm water and wring it before wiping your cabinet fronts. Focus on the areas around the knobs, as many people tend to neglect that area. Next, dry the surfaces with a clean cloth. 

It is advisable to clean your cabinets every month to prevent grime accumulation. Caked-on dirt can be challenging to remove without damaging your cabinet finish. 

Clean and Reverse the Fan

Don’t forget the fans when scheduling your summer cleaning. Dusty fans pose health risks to you and your loved ones. They especially promote hay fever and summer allergy symptoms. 

With proper cleaning, you won’t have to worry about the fan spreading pollen and dust while rotating. Besides cleaning your fan, you should also change the blades’ direction to counterclockwise. Reversing the fan helps push cold air down.

By taking care of your fans, you’ll improve your air conditioner’s efficiency and lower energy costs. 

Avert Mould Growth

The risk for mould growth increases in the summer due to the warmer temperatures and summer rains. You can implement several summer cleaning tips to prevent mould growth in your home:

  • Clean the shower well while you are showering.
  • Swish a brush around the toilet bowl every day. 
  • Use a pumice stone to remove stains and rings in toilet bowls. 
  • Use a finely woven microfiber cloth to wipe mirrors because it doesn’t leave unsightly streaks.  
  • Spray some vinegar on the microfiber cloth and use it to wipe your countertops. 
  • Use an eraser sponge to clean the sinks before shining them with a microfiber cloth.
  • Keep your bathroom floor dry by wiping it with a damp mop or towel. 
  • Hang your damp mats and towels in the sun to dry. 

Keep the Fridge Clean

Hotter climates promote faster bacteria growth, even in the fridge. Furthermore, higher air temperatures can hamper refrigerators’ efficiency in the summer months. Therefore, your fridge will need to work much harder to keep your food fresh. 

You can avoid these problems by keeping your fridge clean. Discard anything mouldy or expired and clean the inside of the fridge, the ice maker, and bin with warm, soapy water. The cleaning will help kill harmful bacteria and eliminate debris that could be clogging vents.

Refresh Window Treatments

Summer is already here, so it’s crucial to have the right window treatments for the season. Otherwise, you’ll experience reduced energy efficiency and increased energy costs in your home.

The best summer window treatments allow natural light in when you need it. Simultaneously, they’ll minimize heat and glare during the warmest hours of the day. 

Summer is also the perfect time for airing out your curtains and drapes. When airing, shake the window treatments thoroughly to eliminate dust. Then, hang them in the sun to neutralize stale odours.

You can also throw curtains and drapes into the dryer for ten minutes to eliminate dust and kill mites. You may need to iron the window treatments if you leave them in the dryer for longer. 

Clean the Floors

You cannot enjoy your summer months with dirty floors. Use recycled hand towels or cotton terry cloth to clean all your floors. You can then toss the towels and cloths in the washing machine for reuse. 

For linoleum or vinyl floors, use a solution of half a teaspoon of eco-friendly all-purpose cleaner and a gallon of water. Adding a half cup of distilled white vinegar can enhance the solution’s cleaning power. 

To clean wood or laminate floors, spray a towel with a solution of one part distilled vinegar and 30 parts water until it’s damp enough for mopping. You can mop tile and stone floors with cotton towels moistened with hot water. 

Avoid using cleaners and vinegar on stone and tile floors, as they’ll pit and damage the finish. 

Inspect for Leaks

You likely use your garden hose and outdoor faucets more frequently during summer. It’s worth your while to keep them in good condition. A leak can dramatically increase your water bill and cause serious water damage. 

Inspect your faucets and hose for leaks and dampness. Fix the leaky spots with waterproof gardening tape. 

These summer cleaning tips will help you enjoy a more comfortable environment in your home during the season. Not interested in spending your summer months thinking about garbage disposal and other cleaning tasks? If so, Brilho Luxury Cleaning & Services can help. 

Call our experts at 416-923-3300 or email [email protected] to learn more about the different types of home cleaning and schedule an appointment with us today. We guarantee exceptional results.