Tackling a few spring cleaning projects in the coming weeks? Not only does spring cleaning make your home a healthier place to live, it also provides an opportunity to get more organized and refresh your state of mind.
However, spring cleaning can also be a surprisingly dangerous affair. Unintentional injuries result in around 21 million medical visits each year, and I don’t want you to be part of that statistic!
For the benefit of all of our personal safety, today I’m sharing 7 spring cleaning mistakes that can pose a risk or threat to your wellbeing. As you clean and organize your home, take care to avoid these potentially dangerous situations!
Related: 13 Spring Home Decor Ideas & Ways To Freshen Up Your Home
7 Dangerous Spring Cleaning Mistakes To Avoid
1. Heavy Lifting
Lifting heavy furniture is a common cause of back injuries, so take care when moving or lifting anything heavy! When lifting, do some stretching beforehand and use proper technique to protect your back. (Or better yet, get yourself a set of furniture sliders to make moving furniture quick and easy.)
But if you must lift something heavy, don’t forget to ask for help—many hands make light work! :-)
2. Climbing Ladders
If cleaning your windows or gutters is on your spring cleaning to-do list, be extra cautious when climbing your ladder! Falling off of ladders is a common cleaning-related injury, and those falls can have dire consequences.
And it’s not just extension ladders that can be dangerous—accidents can happen on step ladders too! No matter what kind of ladder you’re using, it’s not a bad idea to have someone else there to spot you.
3. Skipping Protective Gear
No cleaning kit is complete without protective gear! A good pair of cleaning gloves will help protect your hands from caustic chemicals, abrasive cleansers, and hot water.
And depending on what you’re cleaning, a mask and goggles may also be a good idea! A mask that covers your nose and mouth (or even a bandana wrapped around your face) will help prevent chemicals from irritating your respiratory tract, while goggles will keep harmful fumes out of your eyes.
4. Running A Dirty Humidifier
If you use a humidifier at home to keep the air moist, don’t forget to clean it thoroughly during your spring cleaning efforts! Grimy humidifier tanks are an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, viruses, and even mold, which can get pushed into the air if the humidifier continues to be used.
These airborne pathogens can be especially harmful to those with allergies and asthma, so it’s important to clean your humidifier regularly! Learn how to clean out your humidifier here.
5. Mixing Cleaners
Many chemical reactions produce toxic fumes, which is why mixing cleaning solutions is never a good idea. These fumes can cause headaches, coughing, eye irritation, or worse!
But these fumes don’t just occur when solutions are mixed—they can even form if you use one cleaner after another on the same surface. If you’ve tried one cleaner and aren’t satisfied with the results, wipe the area down with soapy water before trying another cleaner.
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6. Working In Poorly Ventilated Areas
No matter what you’re cleaning or what products you’re using to do it, it’s important to keep your area well ventilated. Using windows, doors, and fans to keep the air moving will help protect you from potentially harmful fumes.
Fragrances in cleaners can also be harmful, especially if you have any respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis, or allergies. Choose fragrance-free cleaners (or make your own at home) to avoid irritating your lungs and throat.
7. Handling Animal Waste
When cleaning up around the outside of your house, be extra careful around animal droppings! Droppings from raccoons and mice can harbor all sorts of nasty stuff, including roundworm larvae and viruses, that can be accidentally ingested during cleanup efforts.
To clean up animal droppings safely, wear protective coverings like a mask and gloves. Spray the droppings with a diluted bleach mixture (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) and let it sit for 5 minutes, then pick up the droppings with a paper towel and throw them away.
When you’re done, be sure to clean and disinfect any items that may have come into contact with animal urine or droppings.
What’s on your spring cleaning to-do list this year?
Don’t forget to clean space heaters too! One of mine kept shutting off which I finally realized was a fail-safe for when there’s too much dust in it. For that one, I just snapped off the mesh filter on the back & shook it out, but I decided to clean my other one too which entailed having to unscrew the back off, & when I went in with long tweezers to clean behind the fan, I came out with piles of dust! It literally looked like I was cleaning out my vacuum cleaner canister. I hate to think of what I was breathing in before I cleaned them & what could’ve happened if it got too hot!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’d appreciate a bit more discussion on the animal droppings. I have my second round of mice in my car, and this time there are droppings in the cargo area on the carpet. I know I should avoid vacuuming, and I’ve read about spraying a disinfecting solution before cleaning up .. but is there an alternative to bleach? I’m worried about bleaching out the color in the carpet. If this is the only option, I’ll do it but if anyone else has experience with this, I hope you’ll share.
Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Complex question. Do you have a garage? Is it infested? That’s where to start.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.In regard to the carpet in your trunk. Check out local car washes. Many have clips on the wall where they can be suspended or you can figure out a way to keep them vertical. The carpets are often removable. If that is the case, don your face mask and gently roll (pull) the carpet out of the car. Gently tap it to remove debris, then off the the car wash. If no car wash, just lean it up against something near a water source. Pick a place where detergent and mouse urine will not damage soil or plants. Use a very low spray of diluted detergent and rinse very well. Dry on flat area naturally or with blow dryers and towels/feet.
Get a bar or two of irish spring soap. Unwrap and cut in half. put one in the cargo area and one in another spot. Mice don’t like the smell. We use this trick in our travel trailer. Not only does it keep mice out, it also smells great !! I’d clean the carpet first, then use the soap as a deterrent. When the smell subsides, just shave off one or both ends and reuse. Save the shavings and make liquid soap with a little water, let it set for awhile and shake well………………Hope this helps
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I would use a vinegar and water and dawn spray. Local pet stores also have sprays to remove pet odors. I also know mice don’t like mothballs, but this would really stink in your car. If you could just put some in your car overnight I believe mice would be on the run.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The one thing I’d be worried about is putting the car in the garage. I’ve never had a garage (unfortunately, since the snow never stops!) But I’d let the engine cool before doing so. Mice like warmth and love engines that give off heat. Those little buggers will chew through the wires.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I had them in my apt. (which my landlady denied & it’s a duplex. Fact is, she knew because they were on her side, too!). I have a gas stove & it wouldn’t start. Not knowing anything about gas, I pulled out the stove only to discover the plug had been chewed to pieces. I keep anything that has been replaced in my possession.
e-cloth products also only need water to clean. And they remove 99% of bacteria with just water! Right now they have a sale of 15% off everything!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is something my mother would do periodically but especially in the winter. Weather permitting, open the windows to air out the house. In the winter, I close off each room one at a time, even when it’s cold, and leave the windows open for about 15 minutes. I wait for a breezy day to do this. Allowing fresh air in clears out the old air. If the house thermostat is nearby, I would turn it down a bit so it doesn’t go on. I am not sure how this would be for allergy sufferers but we never had allergy problems in our family.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My mom used to do the same thing … it smelled great, but the bed linens were pretty cold at bedtime. She would also use Flaxsoap (now Murphy’s Oil soap) to wash all the woodwork. I loved coming home from school to that smell
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This may be a good time for a lot us to try out some of the recipes for natural cleaners that you’ve posted, so we don’t have to worry about fumes, gloves or goggles. With fewer places accepting glass for recycling in recent months, I’m going to try turning used glass soda and wine bottles into spray bottles.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love making my own cleaners with essential oils. Great tips!
Kaitlyn @ Oh, the Places We’ll Go!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I can’t remember if you featured a post on food savers. Ones you might recommend , etc.
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