Winter can be a wonderful time of year- there are the holidays, the outdoor snow filled activities and warm nights in front of a fireplace. Canadians are quite hearty, but eventually the colder months even wear us down a little and we need more warmth and sunshine in our lives! Luckily, spring has finally decided to show up on the West Coast!
Spring is a time of growth, excitement and cleaning! Homeowners listen up: here are 7 spring cleaning tips that will help you get your garage ready for a spring, summer and fall full of enjoyment!
Create a Spring Cleaning Plan
Creating a spring cleaning plan will help inspire you for the tasks ahead and also ensure that you don’t miss any area of your home. It is a good idea to make an overarching plan for your entire property and home, then create smaller plans for each individual area.
For your garage, plan out all the necessary cleaning steps you need to complete and then highlight exactly when you are going to do those tasks. Many people begin cleaning haphazardly without a concrete plan of action which leads to distractions and procrastination.
We found a great spring cleaning list which is printable, created by our friend Christine of idreamofclean.net – view her list here!
Get Out the Garbage Bags
One of our favourite tips will save you a ton of time down the road and create a much cleaner and safer garage environment for your family to enjoy! Get a garbage bag out and go through everything in your garage. If you didn’t use an item in the last 12 months…throw it out, donate it or recycle it (depending on what the item is) !
By uncluttering your garage, it will be easier to clean now and in the future, while also providing more usable space. Instead of using your garage as a storage area for unnecessary junk, you can transform it into a work space or even an entertainment area!
Move and Reorganize
The next tip that the Alpha Doors Team can share with you involves a little legwork. If your garage harbours any semi-permanent, heavy objects, we recommend moving those around a little while conducting your cleaning! Large piles of building materials, storage racks and work benches should be cleared out and moved annually. This will allow you to clean the area behind and underneath these larger objects, also giving you an opportunity to ensure that no pests have decided to call these locations their home!
After paying attention to these areas, survey the layout of your garage. Is everything where it should be? Could you gain more space by moving a few items around to new locations? There are many tricks and tips that can help you organize your garage in a more efficient manner- we would be more than happy to share those tips with you during our next service visit to your home!
Sweep, Rinse and Renew!
After you have removed all the clutter from your garage and done a little reorganizing, it’s time to give the floor a full clean. Sweep up any debris that has been tracked into the garage and then give the floor a good cleaning with a mop or hose if the drainage is appropriate.
Be Gone Black Mold
Have you ever come across black mold while cleaning your garage? Oftentimes, black mold can form on the walls, frame, and the door of your garage. We recommend cleaning any black mold you find with a vinegar solution. Once you clean the area with the solution, leave it on for a few days. This will effectively kill any mold that was lingering around your garage before your spring cleaning session!
Air It Out!
After you have given all areas of your garage a good scrubbing, it’s time to clear out the old stale air that has collected over the winter. Open up the main door, all windows and any connecting doors to let a natural breeze through. If you have a large fan, bring it into your garage to give the old air a little extra help clearing out.
Check and Adjust the Garage Door
You are almost done! Now your garage is sparkling clean, re-organized and smelling fantastically fresh! Before you run off to enjoy the beautiful spring weather, give the actual door to your garage some attention.
Inspect the “eyes” of your garage door and check to make sure they are still lined up and not obstructed by anything after moving items around in your garage. Check the batteries in your opener and ensure that all the controls are still working as they should.
Open and close your door several times; is it operating smoothly or does the motion seem to be interrupted or overly bumpy? If you have not had your garage door serviced recently, call in our team to ensure that all the springs, cables, rollers and tracks are still in working order. Often after a long, cold winter your garage door will also require some lubrication.
Tip ->
Never self apply lubrication! Store brands such as WD-40 can actually make it worse! Leave the maintenance and servicing to the experts to protect your investment and keep your garage door working for many years to come.
All finished your cleaning and ready for some maintenance? The Alpha Doors Team is waiting to hear from all those in Nanaimo and in the surrounding areas of the Island and Vancouver!
Click HERE to learn more about our services and schedule an appointment.