Spring Clean your Garage
It is officially spring, which means it’s time for a Spring clean!
Here are 5 simple steps to ensure your garage is getting the perfect clean and how to create a functional clutter-free space.
Firstly, let’s start with what you will need:
- Work gloves. There is a lot of mess, some of which can be bad for your skin so, make sure your hands are protected.
Broom
Extension duster for the walls and ceiling
Step stool
Wipes/ cloth
All-purpose cleaning (or a cleaning product of your choice)
Boxes and rubbish bin
Step1: Empty your garage
It’s always a great start to move what you can out of your garage, including your cars, bikes, boxes, tools, etc. While you’re moving these items out start to think about what you want to keep, toss, sell or donate. If you see something you don’t need or want anymore, is it still working or in a good condition? If someone else could get use out of it put it aside in a sell/donate pile and if not, it goes straight into the suitable rubbish bin.
Note: Keep hazardous waste like paint and chemicals out of your rubbish bin. These need to go in a separate box so you can take them to your nearest waste disposal facility.
Step 2: Clean the space
Now your garage is empty it’s time to clear out the cobwebs! The key to cleaning efficiently is working top to bottom, left to right, so you are moving the dirt and dust down and then out. Here is where you will need your broom, extension duster, cloths and cleaning products.
Dust the top of cabinets and shelves, wipe down the walls, sweep the floor. Don’t forget to close the garage door and clean the inside of it, this area collects a lot of dirt and is easy to forget. For more tips on how to maintain your garage click here.
Tip: If you have oil marks on the floor or shelves, scrub it with some liquid dish detergent in a bucket of hot water.
This could also be a great time to freshen the space up with a coat of paint on the walls.
Step 3: Make it a functional space
What do you mainly use your garage for? Is it another storage room, just to keep your cars in? perhaps you want it to be a multipurpose space, but it just isn’t organised, well now is the time to make it the perfect functional space to suit your needs.
Create designated areas, visualise the different ways you use your garage and plan to keep similar items together so they’re easier to use and access. Look for ways to use vertical space in your garage, rather than storing things on the floor where they are easy access to insects, rodents, and water. Keeping your garage floor clear also makes it easier for you to move around the space and keep it clean.
Tip: If you store your items in cardboard boxes we recommend updating to plastic containers, this will protect your items from water, insect and rodents.
Step 4: Think twice, do you really need it?
Before moving everything back into the space have a good think about the last time you used it or if you will ever need it again. This is the time to finally remove these dust-collecting items.
Organise what’s left in your designated areas. If you only use an item once a year like Christmas decorations, put them somewhere high and out of the way. The items you use regularly need to be easily reachable, you don’t want to have to unload an entire shelf to access something you use most weekends.
Step 5: Lastly, keep it tidy.
Before you finish, remove the items you are no longer planning on keeping. This means:
- Trash or recycle items you’ve decided to toss.
Pack up items to be donated in your car and drop them off at the nearest donation centre – Plan to do this that day or the next so they don’t end up back in the garage.
Set aside items you plan to sell, are you going to sell them online? Upload them that day or the next so they don’t end up back in the garage.
Now you have done the hard work its time to keep this space tidy, sweep and hose down regularly and spray for pests.