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With longer days, vacations, the sun shining bright, and mostly rain-free weather, summer is the favorite season of the year for most people, especially toddlers. Summers are all about finding the perfect balance between taking part in outdoor activities in fine weather and enjoying your leisure downtime. However, with the hot season drawing to a close, there are a few areas you should focus on to maintain perfect residential sanitation.
Warm summer weather provides contagious microorganisms with perfect conditions to grow and thrive. In addition, people are more active and spend more time out of their homes, constantly coming in and out and bringing dirt and microbes. This can in turn lead to unhygienic conditions if you neglect your house chores and let things fester.
In today’s post, we outline 7 things you’ll need to clean before the summertime ends to avoid unkempt homes and loss of open-air fun due to contagion.
In This Post:
How Can I Keep My House Clean and Hygienic During the Summer?
Even if you have an established house cleaning schedule, the closing of the summer season brings a host of unique challenges that need to be addressed. Whether you decide to work with your maid service and adjust your usual routine or deal with the extra workload by yourself, keep in mind that the end of summer is not the right time to experiment with residential cleanliness.
1. Vacuuming & Wet Mopping
From kids who are running around and coming in and out all the time to pets that shed more during the summer, floors usually bear the brunt of heightened activity. With heightened footfall, occasional summer rain that brings muddy footwear, and dusty footprints from playing outside, it’s crucial that you take care of the mess before it builds up.
2. Cooking Area
With nature booming, summer is also the favorite season for bacteria and various household pests. In this respect, there is no place more vulnerable than the kitchen. Bread crumbs, packed fruit bowls, food spills, and greasy stains all need to be addressed before ants, bugs, and other invasive critters smell the feast.
3. Bathrooms
Bathrooms are used to heavy daily use and peak summer is no exception. In fact, bathrooms tend to see more use during the summertime. And since summer brings more heat and in many places means more humidity, it’s important not to neglect your bathroom. Always wipe excess moisture from the tiles to prevent mold building up and keep the windows open to let in fresh air and avoid musty smells.
4. Windows
After gloomy colder days, one of the biggest perks of summer is plenty of natural light. Besides being an immediate mood booster, this is particularly beneficial for the little ones who need sunlight to grow and develop. Sunlight encourages the production of serotonin which aids sleep and promotes memory development. It’s also a natural source of vitamin D which plays an essential role in numerous bodily functions, including bone and teeth quality, strengthening of the immune system, and proper functioning of muscles and internal organs.
5. Refrigerator & Food Storage Spaces
While it’s important to keep your fridge, pantry, and adjoining areas clean throughout the year, this is especially pronounced during the summer and before the fall begins. Even the smallest traces of food can attract ants, roaches, and rodents who like to come in numbers and may prove difficult to eradicate.
6. Trash Cans
Garbage tends to smell worse during the hot days so it’s important to up your game regarding sanitation of the trash can and its surroundings. With fruit like cherries, peaches, blueberries, and apricots and vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, and eggplants, summer is a healthy food season but also a stain season. Affording more attention to your trash can while the weather is still hot will help you eliminate the source of foul smells and bacteria.
7. Patio & Grill
If you have a patio or an outdoor barbecue area, it probably played a key role in your summer relaxation. Whether you’ve entertained guests or just spent quality time with your loved ones, you should make sure it’s properly cleaned before you wrap it up during the colder season. Sweep up the patio before calling it a day, use a power washer or hose to clean food chunks, and remember not to leave foodstuffs in and around the grill as it may attract unwanted guests.