Wollongong’s Ultimate Spring Cleaning Guide 2023

This article was updated September, 2023.

The flannelette sheets are packed away and Spring has sprung in all its’ glory! The term “spring cleaning” gets tossed around, but what exactly does that mean? I checked out some of Wollongong’s favourite Illawarra home cleaning businesses and have put together some tips on giving you a home the best spring clean to welcome the warmer months. The prospect of tackling your whole property at once can seem daunting, but what are the areas of your home to focus your energy on when it comes to getting the best “bang for your buck” in terms of deep cleaning?

1. Cleaning mattresses and bedding

Did you know that a ten year old mattress can actually double in weight from dead skin cells, dust mite faeces and bodily fluids? An average mattress can be home to 2 million dust mites, which are considered a leading cause of allergies, asthma and eczema…. Eww.

The best way to stay on top of dust mites and keep your bed as fresh and clean as possible is by using a good quality mattress and pillow protector that is regularly laundered in hot water, vacuuming your mattress with a HEPA filter and changing your bedding as often as possible.

If you want to give your mattress a deep clean, it’s best to engage a professional cleaning service to really give it the works. We spend up to a third of our lives in our beds, so keeping that environment as healthy as possible can have a significant impact on our health. A $100-$200 investment to improve your health and your sleep is nothing when you consider that’s what many of us spend on an evening out or a couple of tanks of fuel.

For a DIY version, try sprinkling your mattress with bicarb to help absorb musty odours and moisture, before giving it a good vacuum. If you can put your mattress out in the sun for a day that will also help kill a lot of dust mites. Wash all mattress protectors and bed covers in hot water (60 degrees or more if possible).

2. Window Cleaning

Washing windows is job I always find myself putting off, but I feel so satisfied when they are clean and sparkling! Not only will clean windows allow more natural light into your home, you’ll be surprised at just how much musty smell hangs about in curtains and blinds… you really notice the difference once they’ve had a good clean.

Don’t forget to wipe over the tops of window frames, vacuum out window tracks and give flyscreens a thorough wipe down to make your efforts really worthwhile.

Most lightweight net curtains can easily be handwashed in a laundry sink or bathtub and it’s quite cathartic to see the water change colour as the dust that’s been blowing in through your window leaches out of the material! Heavier curtains can be taken to your local laundromat, but it’s worth checking your manufacturers warranty first as laundering can void your warranty. Taking down and rehanging curtains is also not a task that everyone is physically able to manage.

The good news is that there are curtain and blind services in Wollongong and Shellharbour that can come to your home. Curtains can either be removed for cleaning off-site or cleaned in situ via dry cleaning or steam cleaning methods.

3. Carpet Cleaning, Rugs and Upholstery

As with bedding, carpets, rugs and upholstery accumulate dead skin cells and dust mites over time, as well as collecting dirt that is walked in from outside or blows in through the windows. If you share your home with dogs or cats, you will also find their hair is finding its’ way into your soft furnishings!

Many local cleaning services are able to assist with carpets as well as sofas, mattresses and curtains. It’s often more economical to get all of these items professionally cleaned on the same day, so if you’re serious about spring cleaning, consider getting a quote to get all of these items given the works.

Carpet and lounges are big investments, and you’d be surprised at what a difference a professional clean will make. SMS Cleaning Solutions offer carpet cleaning in Wollongong and have scored themselves over 120 five star reviews on Google. Ben James is a Dapto real estate agent and has recommended SMS Cleaning Solutions to many of his clients when preparing their home for sale. Why wait until you’re ready to sell your home though? Get a professional carpet clean now and enjoy the results for yourself!

4. Roof and Gutter Maintenance

Most Aussies understand the need to clear gutters out regularly in order to minimise their risk during bushfire season, but for those who aren’t on the bushland interface, gutters can fall much lower down the priority list.

Keeping your gutters clear does more than just reduce your fuel load during bushfires – it enables them to do their job properly by directing water runoff as well as increasing the lifespan of your guttering by stopping water from pooling and potentially causing rust. Blocked or partially blocked gutters can cause water to be forced into the eaves or wall cavity, causing water damage in the home. What’s more, most insurance companies will refuse a claim that is deemed to be caused by a failure to maintain your home.

5. Yard Care

As the weather warms up, we start getting more active outdoors, but so do snakes! Built up leaf litter and bark stripped from the trees during the winter gales provide a tempting environment for our reptilian neighbours. Clearing away excess yard waste will reduce the chances of snakes wandering into your property. Rubbish such as scrap timber and pieces of corrugated iron also create good hidey holes for snakes and spiders, so if you have young children or pets around, it’s best to keep the clutter to a minimum.

Summer is often the time when weed growth gets out of control. Spring is a good opportunity to rip out what you can and put some measures in place to slow down the weeds in the months ahead. Try a few layers of newspaper underneath a thick layer of eucalyptus mulch. Mulching not only goes a long way to keeping weeds at bay, it also makes your garden beds look fantastic.

6. Wardrobe Decluttering

The change in seasons is a great time to sort through your wardrobes. For younger children who are still growing, it’s easy enough to discard items that haven’t been worn in 12 months because they will have either grown out of them or they will have by the end of the summer! For adults, who are fairly stable in their clothing size, simply questioning if you’ve worn an item in the past 12 months… if the answer is no, let it go!

If you find this too hard, try filling a box with items you haven’t worn for a year and store it out of sight with a date on it. In another 12 months time, if you haven’t found yourself looking for anything in that box, take it straight to the charity bin without opening it!

There are a number of Illawarra charities and not-for-profit groups who would love to take your good quality used clothing for those less fortunate to be able to use. Green Connect is a social enterprise that combines environmental sustainability, employment opportunities and support for parts of the community who need it, including refugees. Their op-shop in Unanderra collects donations of clothing, toiletries, homewares and toys to distribute to those who need them. During the 2020-2023 period of economic instability, they’ve responded to hundreds of requests for help.

7. INDOOR PLANTS

Indoor plants add a literal breath of fresh air to any space and can really change the aesthetics of a room. If you love being surrounded by gorgeous, healthy greenery, but lack the green thumb and know-how to keep them looking great there’s also the option of hiring plants. Indoor plant hire services choose species that suit your lighting, temperature and needs, plus they can periodically come and care for them. Indoor plants require the right amount of water, fertiliser and sometimes a wipe over to keep large leaves looking glossy.

8. CLEAN YOUR DRIVEWAY

The vegetation fallout of Autumn and the wet weather of winter can leave your driveway stained and slippery. For an instant facelift and a safer walk to the letterbox, why not get your driveway pressure cleaned. It’s one of those jobs you can do yourself, or for lasting results, engage a professional to clean and reseal your driveway.