When the first wildflowers start to bloom and the snow is finally gone, all across the globe people begin to prepare their homes for the big annual one-off cleaning. It is fascinating how this century-old tradition has made its way to almost every culture on the planet. But where did it originate from? Why do we keep doing it and what is so important about Spring cleaning? We will try to answer these questions while showcasing the health benefits one such house cleansing has.
From Where Does the Tradition of Spring Cleaning Come?
Nobody knows what are the origins of this cleaning tradition as it is present in many ancient cultures. You can find it in Asia, Africa and Europe. The common denominator seems to be the beginning of the New Year. Depending on the calendar used back in the day the first day of the year was between February and April. Therefore the Spring cleaning was perceived as a way to cleanse the home and the body from the negative energy accumulated during the old year. This way you can enter the new cycle, free of bad emotions. As they say “Clean home – healthy body”
The Benefits of the Good One-off Cleaning
There are a lot of perks in doing a spring cleaning of your home, especially for those who live in cold and humid places like Oxford in the UK. During the winter months, you are unable to properly cleanse your home thus a lot of dust and dirt has accumulated. With the beginning of the rains, the combination of humid air and heavy dust creates the perfect conditions for the development of allergies and triggering asthma attacks. Here is just a small list of all the health benefits a thorough Spring cleaning can bring you:
- Boost your energy levels and make you feel more happy and active. The clean house environment has a great positive psychological effect. When you live in order, you feel at peace and free from negativity. No wonder Spring cleaning is associated with the new year and the new beginning.
- Sharpen your concentration and bring order to your thoughts. Those are not only words. Try to stay put in a messy room. How would you feel at the end of the day?
- You actually burn calories while cleaning. Have you wondered why professional cleaners always look fit and healthy? Think about your Spring cleaning as an intensive workout.
What You Need to Be Careful About During Your Spring Cleaning
We have consulted with one of Oxford’s top cleaning companies and asked them what should we be aware of when attempting a big one-off cleaning. Here is the advice they have given us:
- Always wear protective gear. During the winter you can’t thoroughly clean your home due to various reasons. This means that in spring you will really have a big mess in your hands. To protect your lungs and skin you must wear a face mask and rubber gloves, especially when you are washing the bathroom.
- Be careful when you attempt to clean your windows. Most people make the newbies mistake of waiting for a sunny day to start washing their windows. However, our Oxford professional cleaners say the perfect time for this action is during a cloudy day. The reason is simple – the sun won’t shine as much and you will be able to see all of the smudges and spots.
- Multitasking is the best way to cover more ground in less time.
- Get everybody on board or else you will clean your home for a whole week. Before starting the one-off cleaning sit down with your family and make an action plan. Professional cleaners work in teams and each member knows exactly what their chores are. You need to do the same if you want to be successful.
- Get a cleaning apron with lots of pockets. This way you can carry your gear with you and not lose half an hour searching for that squeegee.
- Toddlers although they are adorable, may pose somewhat of an obstacle during the thorough spring cleaning of your Oxford home. It will be best if you find them a babysitter or leave the little ones at your parent’s house for the day.