After spending much of the past year at home during the pandemic, our living spaces could use a bit of care and upkeep. The good news is, there are many home maintenance tips that you can take care of yourself (or if you’re lucky, a family member or friend will help you out!).
Here are some places to start your deep clean and house repairs that might not necessarily be on your radar.
As long as the water’s running, there’s not a problem, right? Actually, faucet heads can get clogged over time due to mineral deposits in small openings, slowing the water running through the spouts and leading to some dirty aerators. Good Housekeeping recommends cleaning them by filling a plastic bag or container with equal parts white vinegar and water, and submerging the faucet or shower head to help clear out the gunk.
There’s no classic deep cleaning project like ridding your blinds of dust. If you don’t have a fancy brush for your venetian blinds, you can take a damp rag and go slat by slat, or use a vacuum cleaner with a brush to help get the dust out of the cracks.
Address backed up drains as soon as possible so you’re not dealing with expensive repairs down the road. Some of the commercial drainage products can be harsh on pipes, so try the old fashioned vinegar and baking soda route to help unclog them. You can also use your toilet plunger on drains, or tweezers to take out some of the larger clumps.
It’s important to remove leaves, twigs, and other debris from your gutters at least once or twice a year to make sure water is draining away from your house and not damaging the foundation or leading to rot. Use gloves and a ladder to pick out debris, and if you’re working with a partner, try to resist the temptation to get into a mud fight.
To keep you and your house safe, set calendar reminders for checking smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms and replacing batteries. The Seattle Fire Department recommends testing battery-operated alarms once a month and changing batteries in your smoke alarm once a year. Carbon monoxide alarms typically need to be replaced every seven years.
The machine that does all the cleaning could also use a deep clean every once in a while. In addition to removing food particles from the inside of the dishwasher, Today recommends an easy cleaning trick: take a cup filled with white vinegar and set it on the top rack, then run a dishwasher cycle using hot water. The vinegar will help clean the machine of grease as it runs.
Contact a Sea Mountain Homeowners Insurance Specialist for any questions about home insurance.
