For Atwater Village resident Laura Cowan, deep cleaning her home this spring means more than just tidying up and dusting hard-to-reach spaces. It's a new mentality shift.
"I get sad in the winter," Cowan said. "I think that [spring] is not about the new year, but about renewing your commitment to yourself, your life and the person you want to be."
It will also be a moment of deep reflection for them. She lost her parents and father-in-law within the first few years after she married and bought a house with her husband. Their house has become a storage room full of random items they inherited from previous lives or kept.
This spring, your mission is to clean your house.
"This time of year I also do a deep cleansing of my own feelings and emotions," Cowan said. "Sometimes in life you push things further. I just want to erase everything, physically, mentally and emotionally.
A season to clean
Cowan is one of many Americans who will begin cleaning, dusting and disinfecting their homes this spring. According to the American Cleaning Institute study , 87% of Americans feel at their best mentally and physically when they have a clean home.
Plus, it's allergy season . Household dust can contain allergens such as mites, animal hair and mold. And with all the rain we've had, the flowers are in full bloom, and the Santa Ana winds and spring breezes are probably blowing pollen through your window.
But where should I start? We all know that it's good to deep clean our living spaces once or twice a year. But it can be overwhelming. Where to start? How do you fit it into a busy schedule? What supplies need to be obtained?
We offer advice from some pros and some resourceful Angelenos who responded to our social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Six tips for spring cleaning your house or apartment
Start small
Arjun and Nancy Mehtar own a Molly Maid cleaning business in Los Angeles and say they see an increase in customers this time of year. As the days get warmer, people open their doors more often, invite others over and want a clean home.
But they warn against doing too much at once.
They recommend starting with a smaller room, such as a home office or home office, rather than the kitchen or bathroom, so you can feel comfortable at the end of the day.
"Take it section by section," Nancy Mehtar said. "Don't try to figure everything out on a Saturday, or cleaning could completely ruin your day."
Use a microfiber cloth
Whether dirt, pollen or animal hair, dust and particles accumulate everywhere.
"The combination of a microfiber cloth and a little water is something special. Water on a microfiber cloth that traps dust," said Nancy Mehtar.
If it's been a while, she recommends using a combination of dish soap, vinegar and water to remove stubborn dust.
"You have to try to remove the dust so that it doesn't rise into the air and come back down," he added. "The microfiber towel is more of a catcher than anything else."
Don't rely too much on chemicals
Laura Cowan said her husband had had breathing problems that caused them to stop using almost all chemical cleaning products. Some products release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can lead to chronic respiratory illnesses and other health problems.
"Baking soda, vinegar, hot water, biodegradable products and everyday soap make up about 99 percent of what you want and need," Cowan said. "Tea tree oil with a little alcohol in a spray bottle is a good alternative."
Take out the clothes
South Los Angeles resident Teja Smith said spring cleaning gives her peace of mind, especially as a busy millennial employee at a social media agency. Your first target is your closet.
"For me, spring cleaning is about clearing and putting things away from the main rooms. "It's a great way to get closets organized and get excited about certain items in the house," Smith said.
Twice a year, in spring and fall, it takes time to clean up and refresh. His advice? Ask yourself: Have you used it recently?
"It's just a non-drawn-out process of realizing what I've worn for the last six months and what I need to wear or wear," Smith said. "If it's still not used... then it's gone." »
Give yourself some grace
Cowan said she finds it difficult to set high expectations for herself, but spring cleaning can be calming when you're overwhelmed by life. There are also many emotions that arise from "letting go" of things that have sentimental value or may evoke memories.
He said it's important to ask yourself questions like: Is this particular article useful to me? And will it help me get where I want to go?
If that seems like a lot, he encourages you to give yourself grace.
"When you're doing this for the first time in a long time, it can be intimidating and scary," Cowan said. "Something is better than nothing. Only you know how it should be. Do it because it makes you feel good."
Take it easy and take the time you need to learn to "let go" of things.
After ordering where you can donate
Here's one last thing that may seem overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. At the end of your cleaning, you may have many things (clothing, sports equipment, household items) that you may feel are too good to throw away. Or maybe you just want to avoid putting too much into our overflowing landfills.
Whatever the motivation, here are some options to consider to transfer all that excess without throwing it in the trash: donate, ship, recycle.
Donate
There is always Goodwill or the Salvation Army that accepts gently used items and donates them almost every day of the week. But there are also many other places to consider. Be sure to call ahead before dropping off your belongings .
To ship
If you have an unworn or barely worn dress in your closet and want to make some money from the purchase, consider a consignment shop that will offer to sell it to you for a portion of the profits.
- Trove in West LA accepts gently used clothing, accessories and home goods based on seasonal and other requests.
- Gift of Garb in Silver Lake is a little more unique, but if that Gucci belt is gathering dust in your closet, try reselling it.
- Left Bank is not a traditional consignment store, but like Crossroads, this store buys or trades clothing for cash or store credit.
- Rebag specializes in designer bags and will buy, exchange or ship any Louis Vuitton bag that you no longer use (as long as it is in good condition).
Recycle
If you are environmentally conscious and want to find a way to get rid of things that may not be in good condition to donate or ship, you can check out Ridwell . You'll need to take out a subscription, but for a fee your old threads and other articles will be restored every month. You put your recyclables in a bag and workers pick it up right from your door.
Locally, there is also the Suay It Forward program at Suay in Los Angeles, where you can purchase a $20 recycling bag for a $20 in-store credit. Fill the bag with unwanted clothing and fabrics and throw it in your trash can.
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