We all need to undertake routine home maintenance tasks and chores to keep on top of our properties. This can make our houses more enjoyable and comfortable places to live, it can improve our home’s property value and it can create an environment we’re proud to invite our nearest and dearest into.
Here are a few steps you can take to take control of your ‘Home Maintenance’:
Tackle Less Routine Cleaning Chores
We all have a cleaning schedule that allows us to keep on top of the routine tasks we need to tackle in our homes on a daily basis to keep everything neat and tidy. We tend to pick up items and put them back in their storage places as soon as we’re done using them. We load the dishwasher or do the washing up after each meal or once a day at the end of the day.
We vacuum the floor regularly to pick up surface dirt. We wipe down kitchen work surfaces. We clean the toilet. We rinse down the inside of our showers. These tasks tend to get taken care of pretty well. But then there are household chores that don’t need to be tackled quite as regularly and that can, consequently, completely fall off our to-do list. It’s important that you remember these to really keep on top of your household hygiene and home presentation. Here are just a few example chores that you need to get down to every once in a while.
Cleaning carpets – sure, vacuuming can lift surface dirt from carpets. But think about the amount of footfall on your carpets over an extended period of time. People may enter the house with their shoes on, bringing in dirt from outside. If you have pets, they may run in and out with dirt on their paws. Kids can spill drinks. Adults can spill drinks. This all mounts up. The best way to give your carpets and deep and thoroughly clean is to have them professionally cleaned. Here, you have two options. You can pay a professional to clean your carpets for you. Alternatively, you can hire a professional carpet cleaning machine, buy carpet cleaning fluid, and tackle the job yourself!
Cleaning blinds or curtains – blinds can feel fiddly to clean. However, with a little practice and the right tools, this can prove a lot easier than cleaning curtains. After all, with blinds, you simply dust them down. There are even specialist dusters that tackle between the slats. If you want to switch to blinds for this reason, check out shuttercraft. If you’re set on curtains, they can be cleaned. However, make sure to read their instructions. You may need to use a steam cleaner, or you may even need to take them down and send them to the dry cleaners.
Cleaning shower curtains – got a shower curtain? You may notice that it begins to smell after a while. This is largely due to constant exposure to water, which can result in damp and mould. Luckily, shower curtains can be cleaned easily. Simply take them down and put them in the washing machine on a cool wash. When they’re done, hang them out to drip dry. Then you can put them back up, fresh as new.
Regrout and recaulk
Most bathrooms nowadays use either grout or caulk as a filler between the tiles in the bathroom. You may also find that your bathtub, shower and other bathroom fixtures have caulk between the fixtures and the walls. This looks great when new, but over time, it can begin to show signs of wear and tear. This can take the form of crumbling, peeling, or the presence of mildew, which can be nigh on impossible to clean off.
To give your home a newer look and feel, as well as making this space cleaner and more hygienic, it may be time to regrout and recaulk. Of course, to start, you can try cleaning moldy grout or caulk with a bleach solution, which can take away signs of black mould. But when it comes down to it, you will eventually need to restart and replace the grout or caulk completely. This is a standard part of bathroom maintenance as the years pass by. Often, the best approach is to bring in a professional to take care of this task for you. They’ll be able to create a high-quality finish that is neat and looks professionally done.
Unblock your drains
Most people will experience blocked drains in their home at some point. Whether that’s food and oils blocking your kitchen sink or hair and products blocking your bathroom sinks. Often, blockages build up over time, resulting in a slow drain rather than outright block to begin with. As soon as you see this warning sign, it’s important to start unblocking your drains. Your options here are various. You could try snaking the drain with a wire hanger or clog remover tool, getting rid of the blockage directly.
Alternatively, there are countless drain unblocking liquids and products on the market that can be poured down your drain and left. Just be careful when using these. They can often contain corrosive materials or ingredients which could damage your skin on contact. Read instructions on the packaging carefully and follow them. You may also want to wear protective goggles and gloves.
Clean your gutters
Gutters are another aspect of your home that can become easily clogged. The purpose of your gutters is to guide rainwater down a drain, preventing it from flooding from your roof to the floor. However, you do need to maintain gutters, as they are exposed to the elements and can quickly fill up with debris, becoming blocked.
This is more common during autumnal months when leaves fall from trees and get caught in your guttering. Every now and then, you should check your gutters and make sure that they are free of debris. Clear away any muck and, if you find any leaks, find a way to seal them or consider replacing your guttering. Of course, gutters can be high up, so use ladders properly or hire a professional to undertake this task for you.
Repaint your exteriors
Some homes have brick exterior walls and don’t require all too much maintenance. However, if you have a home with painted exteriors, the colour can begin to dull and fade over time. This is understandable. Your home’s walls are constantly exposed to the elements and rain, wind, sleet, snow and other elements can cause damage and slowly wear away paint. Now, repainting your exteriors can be a complex and time-consuming job. But it is required every once in a while.
The majority of people leave this work to the professionals due to its complex and specialist nature, but you can have some involvement in the process. Consider what colour you’d like your home painted. Do you want to stick with the same? Would you like to switch things up? Of course, before changing any colours, you should check whether planning permission is required for the colour you have in mind. You don’t want to rub your neighbours up the wrong way with an overly bold or extravagant tone.
Manage your trees
Do you have trees on your land? You need to take care of these well. Trees can quickly grow unruly and begin to impinge on neighbouring properties and their space. On top of this, unmaintained trees can be dangerous, posing a risk through falling branches. Keep on top of your trees and their growth with a tree surgeon’s help. They’ll be able to take care of the trees you have, trimming them, pruning them, carrying out crown reductions and other work that can make your trees look great and prove safer.
Of course, maintaining a home takes so many more steps than these alone. But hopefully, the options outlined above should get you started out in the right direction!
Also Read: Simple Home Improvements To Make All The Difference