Clean air, clean water and clean living are all things most of us expect from our homes. But the truth of the matter is many homeowners neglect to clean the following five places in their home which can lead to a host of dirty problems including poor indoor air quality, fire hazards and energy inefficient appliances. Use the following five tips for keeping your home healthy and breathe easy knowing your home is truly cleaned from top to bottom.
AC/Furnace Ventilation
If you or someone in your home has allergies, then your home can seriously benefit from a professional heating and cooling duct cleaning operation. This will remove the buildup of dust mites from the inside of the ventilation, making the indoor air quality better-plus your air conditioner/heater is going to run a lot smoother in the process. Professionally clean your air ducts at least every five years for perfect indoor air quality.
Dryer Ducts
A dryer vent is often never cleaned and that poses a huge fire risk in the home with all of the dry, fluffy dryer lint tinder waiting to be ignited by the heat of your dryer. Whether you purchase a dryer cleaning vent kit yourself or you hire the pros to do the hard work for you, be sure to clean your dryer vent every three to five years to ensure that not only you prevent fire hazards, but your dryer will run more energy efficiently the next time you use it.
Coils
Whether they’re the coils on your refrigerator/freezer or they’re the coils in your heater/AC air handler, these sensitive materials should be cleaned using only a special coil cleaning solvent found in most retail home improvement centers. This super-solvent cleans the coils safely and allows appliances to keep cool longer and without wasting more energy in the process. Use a small cleaning brush with a telescopic handle to reach these hard to clean places safely and without damaging expensive machinery in the process. Clean coils every year or two to keep them in tip top shape.
Carpeting
Vacuuming alone can’t get your carpet truly clean. Dirt, debris and dust all coagulate in your carpet fibers and can only be truly loosened up and removed using a deep steam cleaning. While it’s easy enough to hire a professional to steam clean your carpet; don’t. Rent a machine from the local hardware store and DIY clean your own carpet to avoid damage to furniture, baseboards and trim. You’ll also be better able to focus on the spots you use the most since you’re home nearly every day, while the carpet cleaning person knows nothing about the traffic patterns in your home and what areas need the special attention.
Chimney
Cleaning a chimney is probably a job best left up to the professionals, but if you use your fireplace at least a few times a year, it’s important to have it cleaned regularly. Soot builds up in the flue and chimney and can easily ignite, starting a massive chimney fire which could catch to your house. Clean regularly used chimneys every year and clean moderately used chimneys every five to be sure your home is safe and sound from fire hazards.
