Spring Cleaning, Part 2

By Julie Short

Mansfield Record

As stated in last week's article, we are covering the things that need to be done for your spring cleaning and home maintenance. Breaking them up into five tasks each week will hopefully help you not feel overwhelmed! I challenge you to find ways to make it fun!

- Touch up the exterior trim paint. DON'T PAINT THE WHOLE HOUSE! That is not what this list is about. Typically you will see a lot of wear and tear on the bottom part of the trim around the garage doors and around the front and back doors. Paint protects the wood from further moisture damage so you will be saving yourself a bigger job down the road.

- Use the water hose to spray off debris from your outside air-conditioning unit and make sure no vegetation has grown up around it so that it can function properly.

- Raise up your windows and wipe out the seal and tracks. When these tracks get filled with dirt it can cause your windows to leak onto the seal and that can cause wood rot. There are some special brushes made for this but any small cleaning brush you have on hand will work.

- Clean out the fireplace. You probably used it a lot during Snowmaggedon and you will want it clean for the spring. A good nylon brush and a mild cleaning solution will clean it up nicely.  If needed, there are paints that are rated for inside the fireplace and it might make the whole room look fresh and clean.

- Replace those smoke detector batteries. I know this is one we hear a lot but there is a good reason for that - it is IMPORTANT! You do not want to hear that beeping at 3 a.m.! You know it always starts in the middle of the night. No really, it is a simple thing to do to help keep your family safe!

Tune in next week for your final five!

Julie Short has been married to her husband, Stoney, since 1997. She is currently working on a series of books known as Julie’s Simple Solutions. She is a Mansfield resident, business owner and member of the Mansfield City Council.

Find her book “Cleaning Your House in Minutes a Day” at https://www.amazon.com/Cleaning-Your-House-Minutes-Day/dp/1949563103

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