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“Everyone is happy and hopes when spring comes again,” is a poem by Friedrich Schiller.
However, some people will be less happy looking at their windows in the spring sun.
At the latest then it becomes clear that it is time for a major cleaning.
Commonly it is also called spring cleaning.
But why is it so important to do a full cleaning in spring - and what is the best way to go about it so as not to sink into chaos?
This and more we asked Sabine Haag from Mainz, she is a self-proclaimed “cleanfluencer” - she also writes about her love for order and cleanliness on her blog Ordnungsliebe.
Not everyone is immediately satisfied with the urgent need to pick up a cleaning rag when the first warm ray of sunshine of the year hits them.
Well-fondling has definitely healing potential - not only because it is cleaner afterwards, but also because it relaxes, you can indulge your thoughts and move around, the window cleaning alone burns 100 calories and scrubbing tiles even 150. And especially the spring cleaning does an age-old tradition: “The Romans already had the predecessor of our month February, 'Februaryarius', which is derived from the Latin word
februa
- in English: cleaning
sacrifice
.
At that time the Romans underwent a ritual festival of purification and atonement, ”says Haag.
So check who's picking up the rag ...
... whether the temperature is mild enough.
Because we are less interested in February than in March, which also includes the beginning of spring, as a predestined month for spring cleaning.
Haag explains that the ideal time was set earlier when the snow melted - so the further north the land, the later the cleaning was carried out.
And for a simple reason: “Over the winter months a lot of dirt and soot accumulated in the houses, because you seldom ventilated to keep the warmth in the house.
At that time, however, it was not only cleaned, but also repaired, renovated and re-calcified or painted. "
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Mild temperatures were therefore essential.
And it still is today: “You can open the windows wide while cleaning in every room and ventilate them properly.
Warmer temperatures are also an advantage when cleaning windows. ”But apart from the need to deal with winter dirt with a hoof and mop, spring has always been considered the time of a new beginning.
"In spring we enjoy the new lightness in our houses and apartments, which have been freed from unnecessary ballast and dirt."
The basis of a good spring cleaning, according to the Cleanfluencerin, is to clean all rooms from top to bottom - be sure to pay attention to this order.
“In this way, the places also receive a little care and attention that we otherwise forget in our cleaning routine.
Complete one room at a time if possible.
And only clean wet rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom at the end, as this is where the water connections are located, which you need to clean all rooms. "
Cleaning windows, washing curtains, mopping floors, cleaning carpets, disinfecting cabinet tops: check.
But should mucking out - be it clothes or sticky Tupperware items without a lid - also be part of this?
This can, but does not have to, says the organization expert: "If you want to muck out, you should definitely
do
it
before
cleaning."
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In addition to classics such as wardrobes and kitchen cupboards, which are well worth removing, the tidiness expert also recommends families to look through their children's items at the change of the season.
“After the months of being 'inside', mucking out children's rooms is really a relief, as a lot accumulates here.
For Haag, spring cleaning basically includes everything that belongs to the home - including the attic, cellar, shed and the like.
“I am always in favor of the big 'all-round hit', the feeling of having a job is unbeatable!
Of course, certain things - such as cleaning the terrace - can also be moved to a later point in time when it is even warmer. "
Yes, such a spring cleaning is all-encompassing and takes time.
If you only have one apartment to clean, you can probably do it from top to bottom in one day.
However, the expert recommends that homeowners plan one floor every day - and one additional day for the basement, attic and garage.
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It is advisable to proceed with a system.
But what is more effective - room-by-room or type-by-type cleaning?
“I use a hybrid form.
Basically I clean room by room.
I make an exception for windows because they need extra equipment for cleaning.
Then I go through all the rooms with my water bucket and window vacuum. "
And don't mess around, because wooden floors in particular hate water.
“Basically: know your soil and water is the enemy!” But how do you look after it without water and a mop?
“That depends on its surface treatment.
You can tell them best if you drip a little water on the surface.
If the drop is absorbed directly into the wood, the floor is either untreated or oiled.
If the drops remain on the wood, the floor was painted, ”says Haag.
She recommends cleaning untreated wood without water, while oiled wood can withstand a damp cloth.
If the wooden floor is sealed with a layer of varnish, special wood cleaners can be used.
“In addition to just cleaning, wooden floors are always happy to have a little care so that they are well protected.
In stores you can buy polishes and care products for the differently treated wooden floors - wax, oil or sealing. "
Weaving vs. wiping
It is the same with wooden furniture.
It is usually enough to simply dust it off.
But with what - rag or frond?
“Personally, I love my ostrich feather frond.
Because what very few people know, these fronds are antistatic and attract dust.
You can get rid of it by shaking it vigorously outdoors.
It is also an ideal device for allergy sufferers, ”says Haag.
Feather fronds are also suitable for all surfaces - even for particularly sensitive objects.
Another plus point is their sustainability - unlike other dust cleaning utensils, they last forever.
If you prefer to use a cloth, the cleaning expert recommends a classic cotton cloth.
“Microfiber is always highly praised, but it has two disadvantages: On the one hand, sensitive surfaces can be scratched and, on the other hand, when they are used and washed, they give off fine plastic fibers that can get into the sewage and thus into the environment,” says Haag.
With one caveat: when using microfibre in wet areas, the ecological advantages outweigh the disadvantages, as this material saves cleaning agents.
What do people like to forget about spring cleaning?
So much for the standards, but there are a few more things that are all too likely to be forgotten when doing the major cleaning.
“Have you ever run your finger under the table top for a long time?
That is the first point that is often forgotten - often in offices too.
Light switches are also neglected, ”says Haag from experience.
And then of course there is the ceiling with its spider-woven corners, moldings and lamps.
“Because we like to forget everything that happens above our heads.” Corona, however, has brought one stepchild back to the fore: the door handle.
"Many people here now know that they should be cleaned for hygienic reasons," says the Cleanfluencerin.
Helpful information for spring cleaning - for after-shopping:
Source: via manufactum.de
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Feather duster trimmed with ostrich feathers, which are attached to the beechwood handle with a leather sleeve.
From 23 euros, via Manufactum.
Source: via otto.de
Make pullers etc. superfluous: Window cleaning robots can make your life or at least cleaning easier.
Particularly suitable for households with many or very large window areas.
Ecovacs vacuum robot for 400 euros, from Otto *.
Source: via muji.eu
Telescopic rod of the Muji cleaning system, can be combined with various attachments - even hard-to-reach corners can be cleaned.
For six euros, via Muji.
Source: via amazon.de
A recommendation from Cleanfluencerin Haag: Sustainable cleaning tabs - such as these from Everdrop.
Available for glass, kitchen and bathroom.
Starter set for 30 euros, via Amazon *.
Source: via galeria.de
Leifheit steam cleaner for hygienic carpet and floor cleaning without chemicals - also suitable for sealed wooden floors.
For 100 euros, via Galeria *.
Source: via amazon.de
Indispensable all-rounders: boil-proof cotton towels in a pack of five.
For 16 euros, via Amazon *.
Source: via otto.de
Microfibre cleaning glove for wet cleaning.
For 16 euros, via Otto *.
* This text contains affiliate links. This means: If you make a purchase using the links marked with an asterisk, WELT will receive a small commission. The reporting doesn't affect that. You can find our standards of transparency and journalistic independence at axelspringer.de/unabhaengigkeit.