Summer is just around the corner – days are becoming longer, the sun is shining more often, and the temperature is rising. No wonder many people love this season so much.
When talking about spring, we cannot forget about spring cleaning, which involves plenty of intense decluttering, scrubbing, polishing, and reorganizing. The beginning of the season is the perfect time to tackle all the maintenance tasks you have been putting off for months – after all, while it’s the tenant’s responsibility to keep the property clean, it is your job as the rentee to make sure everything is working perfectly fine for people renting the place.
There’s a lot that goes into spring cleaning – starting from things as simple and seemingly unimportant as garage door opener maintenance, to making sure the sump pump is up and running. If you want to know what exactly you should include in your spring cleaning checklist, keep on reading.
Task #1: Change Furnace Filters
Changing the furnace filters is an easy way to make sure that the heating system is working as it should. They are inexpensive, usually costing anywhere between $10 and $20. If you have more than one unit to take care of, you should consider buying them in bulk – not only will you have them at hand if something happens, but you also will save money.
Task #2: Replace the Batteries In Smoke and Carbon Dioxide Detectors
We’re pretty sure we don’t need to explain why this made an appearance on our list. Working smoke and carbon dioxide detectors keep the tenants safe and protect you against a lawsuit due to non-functioning detectors. The recommended time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors is during spring and fall.
Task #3: Take Care of the Sinks
Clogged drains are more common than you might think. And while sure, the tenants should take care of them as soon as they notice that the drains have been clogged, you might as well clean them while spring cleaning.
Although there are a few ways in which you can do it, probably the best and most commonly used one is the method that involves baking soda and vinegar. Just pour a cup of baking soda into the drain, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, add a cup of vinegar, as well as a cup of hot water – again, let it sit for a few minutes. You might hear some fizzling, but it’s completely normal. Once the time is up, run hot water for at least 30 seconds. Or just hire a professional to do it.
Task #4: Make Sure that Lint from the Dryer Vent Is Not Clogged
This particular step is applicable to those units that have interior washer-dryers. The first thing you should do is check the lint holder in the dryer to make sure that there’s no lint in it – if there is quite a large amount of it, you can assume that the holder is not emptied as often as it should be, which is after each use of the dryer.
Next, remove the hose that is attached to the back of your dryer, and check if there’s any build-up – if there is, remove it with a vacuum. Last but not least, check the vent system to make sure there aren’t any holes in it.
Task #5: Clean Gutters and Remove Leaves
Depending on how big your property is, you either will be able to complete this task on your own, or you might have to hire a professional to take care of it. No matter which one it will be, it’s important to make sure the gutters are clean and drain water properly.
When it comes to the leaves lying on the ground, you can get rid of them with a mulching mower, which will not only get the job done and improve the appearance of the lawn but will also fertilize the grass.
Task #6: Ensure the Sump Pump Is Working Properly
A sump pump can save you a lot of money, especially after massive snowmelt or excessive rainfall, which is why you should make sure that it works correctly at all times. Check the outdoor drain to ensure there’s nothing clogging or blocking it. Also, make sure that the pump turns on whenever it needs to.
Task #7: Inspect the Crawl Space and Look for Bugs and Water Leaks
Although these might seem like small and unimportant jobs, they aren’t – by doing this every once in a while, you can prevent a small issue from becoming a large one. Check the crawl space to make sure there aren’t any small creatures that might have decided to occupy it during the cold winter months. While you’re at it, check the wood to ensure it doesn’t show any signs of water leakage.
Bonus: Short Spring Cleaning Checklist
This short checklist can be very helpful throughout the whole year, especially when you are in-between tenants – although it does not contain everything that needs to be done, it is still a good start. Here it is:
● Clean walls, cabinets, woodwork, and baseboards – wipe down all the surfaces with a dry cloth, and follow with an undyed cloth and warm soapy water. Scrub all the walls from top to bottom, and leave a door or window open to speed up the drying process.
● Clean the windows – if your windows have screens, you need to remove them completely in order to clean them. Start washing the screens by spraying them with a garden hose. Then, scrub them with soapy water to remove all the grime and debris. For the windows, it is enough to wash them with a rag and soapy water and hand-dry them with another rag.
● Clean the fridge – one of the best ways of cleaning the fridge is to use a combination of salt and soda water. You can also use this solution to clean the whole unit – it will help prevent future mold and mildew build-up.
● Wipe down ceiling fan blades, light fixtures, and vents – these places collect more dust and debris than you can imagine, which is why it’s important to give them a thorough cleaning, at least once a year. Clean the excess dust by taking a garbage bag, and using it to wipe down the fixtures, so nothing will fall on your floor. Then, grab some all-purpose cleaner and a rag, and finish the cleaning.
Spring is the perfect season for taking care of your property. Tackling everything might be quite challenging, especially if you are not really sure how to start or what exactly needs to be done – however, we do hope that this article will help you with that, so that your spring cleaning session can go as smoothly as possible.
Just keep in mind that not everything we have mentioned above will be applicable to your property – everything depends on its type, as well as size. Good luck.
