7 Household Must-Do's to Get Summer Ready

With the summer sun comes a whole bunch of opportunities for entertaining family and friends. With all those parties and gatherings, you'll want to ensure you're home is in tip-top condition. Not only will a well-kept house look great, but it'll keep you relaxed so you can fully enjoy the moment.

To get you on the right track for summer, Gem City Cleaning Solutions outlined seven household must-dos. From your front porch to your backyard, we got you covered.

1. Ant-Proof Your House

With the big hot sun comes lots of tiny ants. And once they find their way indoors, they're challenging to eradicate. To avoid an infestation, ant-proof your house with a few simple methods:

• Sweep, Vacuum, and Mop Frequently: Ants love food, especially sugary crumbs from summer snacks. If you're cooking in the kitchen, give it a quick sweep after dinner. If you’re eating snacks on the couch, vacuum the cushions each weekend. If you're drip-dropping sweet bits of watermelon and cantaloupe on the floor, mop it up as soon as possible.
• Keep Your Counters Spotless: Ensure leftovers are properly put away in airtight containers. Avoid keeping fruits or desserts on the counter, especially if they're only covered in plastic wrap or foil.
• Pick up Loose Pet Food: Cleaning up after a pet is no small task. But to avoid an ant problem, it's essential to stay on top of it. Make sure you pick up any loose pet food around the food bowl to minimize the chance of attracting ants.

2. Clean out Your Garbage Cans

Even with bags, garbage cans can get pretty nasty. Drip some dish soap in each one and hose them out in the driveway or lawn. If they need extra scrubbing, put on some gloves, use an old sponge you're planning to throw away and tackle any gunk that's still stuck.

3. Freshen Up Your Furniture

Regular fluffing will keep your pillow comfortable and full-looking. However, every time you give those decorative throws are hard smack to help them regain their shape, you're sending dust and dust mites into the air.

So, take advantage of the good weather and give your pillows a hard fluffing outside. The fresh air and direct sunlight can also help your pillows dry out from any indoor humidity, which will also reduce dust mites.

4. Shake out Your Area Rugs

Regular vacuuming is a great way to remove dirt and dust from area rugs. But it can't always be done with antique, vintage, and hand-woven/knotted rugs. Bring rugs outside to give them a vigorous shaking to keep them in good condition and get your home summer ready. If the rug is durable enough, you can beat out the dust and dirt.

5. Landscape

A few small landscaping tasks can have a big impact on the outside of your home. And ideally, you'll be outside a lot this summer! Not only can landscaping make an aesthetic difference, but it's also an essential part of home maintenance.

First up, keep your lawn in check. But remember, summer droughts are becoming increasingly common, so don't cut your grass too short. The ideal mowing height is three inches for most Midwest lawns. If you're keeping up with weekly maintenance, you should leave your grass clipping on the lawn.

To add more color and greenery to your home, consider planting some new flowers and shrubs around the perimeter of your lawn. If you're looking for low maintenance, opt for perennials that regrow every year, such as Hosta and Pachysandra for greenery or coneflower and Daylily for color.

6. Sweep Your Outdoor Living Areas

If you have a porch, stoop, patio, or deck, it's probably taken a beating over the winter. Head on outside and take a broom to it to get any heavy residue off. For concrete patios and stoops, consider power washing them for a fresh look. For porches and patios, invest in a deck brush and give it a thorough scrub down.

7. Wash Your Windows & Screens

To enjoy the sunshine in high definition, make sure your windows and screens are washed. While Sprayway and Windex are always good options, you can also make your own streak-free glass cleaner by mixing:

• ¼ cup white vinegar
  1 cup warm water
  3 drops dishwashing liquid

The warm weather is a perfect time to pop out your screens and wash them with a hose. For most screens, you can use the mixture above to perform a deeper clean. After washing them, wipe them down with a clean, dry rag.

Get Some Extra Help

It takes a lot of time. So why not get some help? Spend more time basking in the sun and less time cleaning by reaching out to Gem City Cleaning Solutions. We have a whole suite of house cleaning services to make sure your house is sparkling all summer long. Reach out today to get started.