A slim, polished newness
It’s raining while I grieve
as if the end is only moments away.
Oh little drops, I dismay
at your constancy – steady
in a way that only begins to tell –
to whisper in the rains –
The end is near and articulates
how vast the universe .
It rains while disdain changes to regret
and slides on down, slides on down;
it rains and the morose, listless me
fades to washed-out loneliness.
The roaring thunder shouts the rain
away from the crowded streets
and meets me, running
down my cheeks, soaking,
drenching, seeping into pores
and cleaning my gutters to
a slim, polished newness.
~Annette Gagliardi
The poem above speaks about cleaning the gutters, and it is an emotion cleaning that is being called for—A spring cleaning that is akin to the purging of old ‘bad’ habits and the renewal of letting go of the clutter of our lives in order to begin again, after a time of ridding oursleves of the cobwebs of useless thinking, the dust of extraneous thoughts and the debris of useless bits of information. It’s like sending out all the junk mail you get with the trash and having a clean table to begin again.
I realized this week that a big reason to clean in the spring – i.e. spring cleaning, is the bugs.
We were sitting on our enclosed front porch. the sun was sinking and its glint beginning to make it difficult to see, so I stood up and pulled the shade down. About half-way down, there was a row of blinds that was smudged. It bugged me, so I got up and found a washcloth and a spray of some cleaner. But it wasn’t dirt on the outside. No. it was inside the narrow blind. Then I found a long, thin piece of wood otherwise known as a chopstick, and began to insert it into the narrow blind. Suddenly the smudge started wiggling. That’s when I acquiesced to my husband’s greater ability and patience. After over an hour of fiddling with the blinds, a pair of pliers, a spool of wire and various other paraphernalia, he cleaned the inside of the blind well enough to be satisfied that the bugs were dead, even though there is still a smudge.
Today I noticed that the lamp shade was getting pretty dusty. I admit that I don’t dust the lamp shades every week. (There! You have my dirty secret.) Anyway, the dust I noticed was on the flat surfaced lampshade, but I went around the house and dusted the shades on all the lamps, it being spring and all. I am persistent, if nothing else. Anyway, the pleated shades harbor more dust and dust bunnies in the form of insect eggs and bug larva. That is the reason to dust and clean in the spring. Those eggs hatch.
Last spring, I remember having an influx of millers (no, not my long-time neighbors, the Miller Moths which are the adult version of cutworms.). I was confounded to figure out how a basement office had millers in March. I started cleaning all the things on my desk- and it is a full desk. Well, I struck gold—okay, not gold, but millers! hundreds of eggs in the pages of a book I had been storing next to my stamp shelf. I was amazed at how many there were, and believe me, I took care of them right away. That creeped me out a bit, so I went through everything on my desk, and searched in my file cabinets, as those are full of paper. Who knew that is where bugs go to procreate?
Spring cleaning is a tradition/practice that allows us to freshen up our homes and get a head start on the often, hectic seasons of spring and summer. Organize and clear up the clutter in a room-by-room approach. Sort clutter into four categories: throw away, give away, store or put away.
I suppose regular cleaning involves the sinks, tubs and toilets, the floors and countertops. But, There are also end-tables and other surfaces like the buffet and bookcase tops that need dusting, polishing, etc. I regularly clean my microwave and oven. The frig is a constant mess, . . . er challenge. This weekend, along with changing the water in the fish bowl, I cleaned the coffee maker using vinegar and a descaling solution. You just run the water and other ingredients through the coffee maker, then a second time through with just water (the rinse cycle). I regularly need to clean the pitcher that holds the filtered water because there is a mold buildup in the crevices.
Spring cleaning connotes the deeper cleaning, like turning the mattresses, taking curtains down to wash and rehang, washing light fixtures (wiping off the light bulbs), wiping the ceiling fan blades and the shower curtain.
Curtains and drapes can really make any room in your house pop. They can also collect dust and grime. A routine clean will spruce them up nice for spring. Taking a vacuum to the furniture allows you to go on a treasure hunt, and find lots of things you didn’t know were lost.
My mother was famous for saying, “If you don’t have anything to do, grab a rag and clean the mopboard!”. Does anyone even know what a mopboard is, today? In fact, every room in the house has baseboards, another name for mop-boards, yet they are often among the most overlooked areas of the home. However, when left uncleaned they can get pretty dirty and grimy.
On this third Sunday of Lent, our gospel reading shows Jesus cleansing the temple. Jesus is doing spring cleaning as well, by chasing the money lenders out of the temple.
Why do we clean?
Well, aside from the bugs we see — no matter how small, there are even smaller bugs and other particles that make us sick. Airborne toxins such as dust, mold, bacteria, viruses, pollen, pet hair and dander can make the air smell musty and stale—and can make you sick. Poor air quality can cause anything from sneezing, coughing, & congestion to chronic headaches, severe fatigue, and worse. Certain airborne germs affect the lungs and heart, potentially leading to serious health issues down the line.
Spring Cleaning is an opportunity to refresh your home and enable you to enjoy all the benefits of a seasonal change. It makes us breath easier and lifts up our mood. When the clutter is cleared away, this can impact our mental health. Spring cleaning digs out all the collected muck and helps you see your home in a new light.
In doing spring cleaning, you might want to start with a list like the one below —maybe not all of these at one time. Start small or go from room to room. Another way to do it, is to clean all the glass, all the windows, all the curtains, etc – one area of cleaning at a time. Gather the supplies you will need: rags or wash clothes, paper towels, brooms, mops, cleaners, vinegar and detergent, etc. Or, take it room by room. If you have a plan to get it done, it won’t overwhelm you.
Spring cleaning burn-out is a thing. Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint—pace yourself. Work a few hours a day, then do something fun. Plan your time. I work better in the morning, so if I get work done before noon, I can take a walk, read or do some other fun pursuit in the afternoon. Also, get the rest of the family involved. Children can be great helpers and can be assigned age-appropriate tasks.
Spring Cleaning List:
Home:
- Dust ceiling fans and light fixtures.
- Clean windowsills and window tracks. Dust tops of window frames, dust, oil or wash window trim.
- Clean glass in windows inside and out.
- Vacuum or wash curtains and window blinds, Dust or vacuum blinds
- Move the couch and chairs and clean under and behind them.
- Dust and polish furniture
- Dust lamp shades.
- Vacuum and shampoo carpets or send rungs out for laundering
- Wash all area rugs
- Sweep front porch and back deck.
- Wipe / clean surfaces on front porch
- Wipe down baseboards and shoe molding and dust corners for cobwebs.
- Test batteries in all your smoke detectors.
- Disinfect doorknobs, cabinet handles and light switches.
- Disinfect all computer keyboards and mouse pads,
- Wipe off the leaves of your plants. Repot those plants that need it.
(Use compressed air to remove crumbs, dust and other particulates from your computer. Use a dampened microfiber loth and wipe the keys down. Use dry microfiber to remove any leftover moisture. Disinfectant wipes are okay to use as well.)
Donate any discards that are still useful to Goodwill or other such places, books to stores that may give you dollars or store credit.
Bedrooms:
1. Wash all bedding. (The sheets should be washed weekly, actually.)
2. Turn mattress and vacuum it.
3. Wash all bed and throw pillows
4. Dust and Clean all dressers, end tables, and other surfaces.
5. Go through your clothing and send away those that no longer fit, send winter clothing into storage and
pull out the summer clothes.
Kitchen Cleaning List:
1. Clean out and reorganize pantry
2. Wipe clean or wash kitchen cabinets
3. Deep clean oven
4. Move refrigerator and clean behind it.
5. Deep clean the refrigerator and freezer
6. Clean under sink and check for leaks and mold.
A solid spring cleaning improves the air quality of your home and makes you feel better. With a clean house, your mood will improve and you’ll be open to welcoming visitors. You may be amazed at how much lighter you feel, and perhaps your mood will be lifted as well. Consider this year’s spring cleaning as way to finish the ‘captivity’ of Covid. Cleaning your home before you venture out into the greater world will make you feel ready to go. And you will be.
Resources:
“This Genius Device Provides Cleaner, Fresher, Safer Air—With Zero Upkeep” by Samantha Jordan, Feb. 28, 2021, at Clarifion: https://about.clarifion.com/disgrdm/?adgroup=111093261990&ad=499635665023&matchtype=&network=d&kw=&placement=www.goodhousekeeping.com&target=&adposition=none&campaignid=10887993798&feeditemid=&targetid=&device=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2siI0b6e7wIVhIsBCh3BZQKKEAEYASAAEgJtdPD_BwE
“Merry Maids Spring Cleaning Checklist” at: https://www.merrymaids.com/cleaning-tips/seasonal-cleaning/spring-cleaning-checklist/
“Why Spring Cleaning is Important” by Accent Maid Service at: https://www.accentmaidservice.com/why-spring-cleaning-is-important
“6 Tips for Successful Spring Cleaning” by Sarah Aguirre, 03/02/21 at The Spruce from: https://www.thespruce.com/spring-cleaning-a-complete-checklist-1900106