The goal of any homeowner who wants to keep a decent living space is to avoid letting their house depreciate into the ugly monster houses we see on home renovation shows. Dilapidated walls and smelly furniture does not happen overnight; it is a slow process that you might not notice until you realize your new and shiny furniture has depreciated and you need to buy a new one.
But much like cars and high-end equipment, maintenance prolongs the lifespan of many things. You may not know it, but your home may have some things that require cleaning that can help it extend its lifespan and look good as new even when it’s a few years old. Here are some things you need to take note of to maintain your indoor and outdoor cleanliness.
Maintaining your indoor and outdoor cleaning to keep them presentable and prevent them from damage; here some quick points for you to start working with and make a list of important things.
White Furniture
Having white furniture when you first buy it may look like a good idea as it’s bright, works with other colors, and makes your house look brighter and more spacious. But once you’re a few months in, you realize that there are factors such as food spillage, pet hair, sunlight, and other factors that can easily discolor your furniture.
Whether it’s cleaning white upholstered furniture, white wood or leather, or any stainable material, you need to clean it immediately when you get food or anything that can stain on it. To prevent white furniture from discoloring into a yellow tinge, you need to clean it every two weeks. If you have the budget for it, contact a professional cleaning service every three to four months. There are also specific ways to treat your furniture, depending on its material. It seems very high maintenance, but if you want to get the most out of white furniture and let it stay white and clean for as long as possible, you’ll need to be willing to take steps to keep it clean.
Outdoor Wooden Fixtures
Although most outdoor wooden fixtures have a coat of protection to slow down the decay of wood, leaving it dirty with outdoor elements can leave it to discolor or chip away earlier and will require replacements early on. If it looks cracked with splinters and grayer than its original color, then you’ve let your fixture unclean for far too long. These include decks, fences, and other wooden fixtures you might have.
Getting your fence maintained by outdoor landscaping or cleaning professionals every six months can keep your fence looking new for as long as possible. If this isn’t your traditional picket fence and you have other fixtures such as DIY pallet fences, for example, can start to discolor and decay depending on the quality of wood you create your fence with, how well you set it up, and other outdoor factors your fence is exposed to. For example, if you’re making a pallet fence as a pen for your pet, it’s more likely to wear out and will require an occasional hose-down.
Indoor Wooden Furniture
Quality wooden furniture can make your home look stylish and elegant, depending on the type of wood you’re using. But many homeowners don’t realize how important a coaster is in their home until they’re left with dining tables and coffee tables with permanent rings and other water stains all over their table. It’s an unsightly mess, and if left unwiped can be permanent.
As much as possible, you need to give your table a thorough wipe after every use. After each meal or when many people place their drinks on a table, you need to wipe it down at the end of the day. CNET provides a useful article on removing water stains from wood furniture – if you have stains already, these tips can be useful to remove the stains altogether.
Indoor and Outdoor Walls
According to LocalAdam LLC, your house builds up on mold, dirt, dust, and grease both indoors and outdoors. Even if you clean your house, you may not be cleaning the dirt in tight spots and corners around the house. This can be the source of you or members of your family developing allergies as well as the discoloration, chipping, and fast wear of your home.
These residues also speed up the aging process of your home. It may reach the point where you can’t clean parts of your house anymore and will have to replace or renovate it if you want it to look decent – and that costs a lot more than just getting it cleaned.
It is best to get your house cleaned by a professional annually, especially during the spring and summertime when allergens are more likely to move around your home. However, if you feel like your house feels stuffy or the walls outside and inside are beginning to look aged, call a professional.
Tile Floors
Simply sweeping and mopping tile floors won’t get rid of the grout that’s building in between the tiles. Left unmaintained, it can make your tiles look old and worn even when it’s still in good condition. Usually, the lines separating the tiles are light brown or white. If you feel like the lines are much darker, it’s a sign that a lot of grout has built up and it’s time to have it cleaned. You won’t need to pay a professional to get it cleaned (although if the rest of your house needs a clean, they can provide grout cleaning services too), but if you’re not willing to clean the floor with a toothbrush, then this tip isn’t for you.
Create a paste of baking soda and vinegar and brush it over the lines. Use a toothbrush or any small cleaning brush for this as you want the bristles to really get in and scrub the grub. Let it sit for around five minutes before wiping off with a clean damp cloth. If you want to minimize the dirt getting on the tile floors before people enter a certain room, put a floor mat by the entrance for people to wipe their shoes on before entering.
Cleaning your home protects it from fast-aging from wear and tear. It also helps your finances as you aren’t required to spend more to replace old and worn-out items in your home. If all else fails and DIY solutions aren’t enough, you might want to consider hiring professional companies to maintain your indoor and outdoor cleanliness of your home.
