During this period of social distancing and self isolation, it’s never been a better time to get started on your spring cleaning plans. When you think of spring cleaning, what comes to mind first? Cleaning the bathrooms? Vacuuming your curtains? Let’s not forget about your garage though.
For some, your garage is used to store your car and other outdoor related equipment. For others, it’s the place you put things to pretend that they are dealt with. It turns out garages are the most cluttered space in a home. Well, now is the time to open that garage door again and face what you put off dealing with many months ago.
So, Let’s Get To It
Because garages have a variety of uses, there isn’t a single answer as to where you should start. However, some typical advice before you start cleaning any room is to remove what shouldn’t be in there.
Declutter
Remember that old bicycle none of your kids can ride hiding in the corner? Or perhaps the broken lawn mower that ONE DAY you’ll get around to trying to fix? Maybe you have an old appliance or broken furniture that your vehicle is too small to haul away, so now it lives in your garage. It’s time to separate the clutter from what actually needs to be in your garage.
Any small items that you can remove yourself, start throwing in bags or boxes. Separate out any recyclables and garbage to make the disposal process easier. Larger items that might require another day to haul away should be grouped together and visibly marked for easy identification.
If you need help identifying what is clutter and what isn’t, just ask yourself the right questions and it should be obvious at that point.
You might be surprised just how different your garage already looks with all the clutter removed. You might also be considering how spiders could possibly make so many webs in one confined space. That leads us to the next stage of the cleaning process, the actual cleaning!
Cleaning All Surfaces
Before you start cleaning, it’s usually best to empty the garage out to the bare minimum, so it’s easier to get around and clean every surface. With all your non-clutter belongings out of the way, now is the time to break out your arsenal of cleaning products and go to war.
When it comes to cleaning the garage floor, having easy access to a hose is a nice added bonus the rest of your house doesn’t get. Sweep up any dirt and debris, then give it a good soak! A push broom can help push out any excess water. That’s just a quick and simple approach, there are far more effective ways to clean your garage floor.
For those of you that park your cars in the garage, you will be very familiar with what winter brings to the floor of your garage. Make sure to take extra care in cleaning your floor from winter damage.
For your walls and other surfaces, take a damp washcloth with some cleaning product and start wiping away! Be mindful of the material you’re wiping though. Any wooden surfaces will need extra care to ensure there is no warping of the wood. Remove cobwebs and dust in hard to reach places with a long reaching duster. Try to get some air flow in the garage while you’re working by leaving your garage door open and having some fans running.
Now that your garage is cleaner than when you moved in, it’s time to put your things back in the garage!
Get Organized
The best way to ensure that your garage doesn’t end up a cluttered mess again is to get organized! Carefully plan out what items need to be in the garage, and section off a space for them that makes sense. You don’t want any commonly used items stuck behind some bulky equipment that’s hard to move.
If you have a lot of smaller items that were just lying around before, consider investing in some steel shelving to use more vertical storage space. This will make finding this much easier, as well as optimize the limited space in your garage.
Don’t Forget Your Garage Door
While you were cleaning, or maybe before you even started, you might have noticed your garage door might need some TLC. While you’re wiping down your garage door, you should also check for these common maintenance tasks:
- Listen for any strange sounds when opening and closing the garage door
- Inspect the garage door and all components for anything broken or loose. Loose hardware can be easily tightened again.
- Check the weatherstripping to ensure a proper seal is being maintained
- Apply lubrication to the appropriate moving parts to ensure smooth opening and closing
If you find that you’re in need of a major garage door replacement, Kempenfelt Windows & Doors is the company for you. We exclusively offer quality Garaga doors, and our expert garage door installers will get the job done in a timely and professional manner. Get in touch with us today to get a quote or try our visual garage door builder!
