If you’re not sure where to start with attic cleaning, you aren’t alone. These tips can help you give this space the attention it deserves this spring.
Are you making plans for spring cleaning? If so, there’s a good chance you already know what work you want to do in your kitchen, your bathroom, and other parts of your home. But there’s one space many homeowners struggle to clean effectively—the attic.
Cleaning the attic space may feel like an imposing task, especially if you haven’t done this job recently. However, spring is the perfect time for attic cleaning; during this season, attics shouldn’t be uncomfortably hot or cold. By following these attic cleaning tips, you’ll have no trouble tidying and organizing your attic this spring.
Why Should You Clean Your Attic?
When you include your attic in your spring cleaning plans, you can:
Protect Your Physical Health
For the most part, you might ignore your attic until you need items like seasonal decorations and luggage. Even so, attics are often home to health hazards such as mold growth, insect/rodent problems, and chemical leaks.
By cleaning your attic every so often, you’ll have an opportunity to discover and mitigate these issues.
Improve Your Mental Health
According to the American Cleaning Institute, 87% of US citizens feel better when their homes are clean. That doesn’t just include your physical well-being—spring cleaning can also give your mental health a boost. By keeping up on attic maintenance, you’ll feel much better the next time you need to use this space.
Follow These Attic Cleaning Tips
While cleaning your attic, be sure to:
Get the Right Supplies
Your first step in the cleaning process should be collecting supplies for attic cleaning. That includes cleaning supplies like a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, trash bags, brooms, and dustpans. You’ll also want to have dust masks and other forms of protective gear handy.
Keep Safety in Mind
Instead of an actual floor, your attic could have drywall covered by insulation. To support your weight while cleaning one of these attics, lay down boards spanning the joists in your attic to support your weight. And no matter what type of attic you have, make sure you don’t hit your head on roof trusses.
Take Everything Out of Your Attic
The more cluttered your attic is, the more trouble you’ll have cleaning it. Because of that, it’s best to remove everything you store in your attic before trying to clean this space. That way, you’ll be free to focus on the attic itself.
Get Rid of Damaged Items
Unfortunately, attics are prone to roof leaks—and these leaks could affect your belongings. If you find moldy, musty, or damaged items while cleaning your attic, get rid of them instead of putting them back where they were.
Check for Evidence of Pests
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stated that rodents can spread Lyme disease, salmonellosis, and hantavirus (among other illnesses). Additionally, rodents and insects in your attic may cause problems with your insulation, roof, and electrical wiring. Droppings, dead insects, unpleasant odors, and strange noises can all point to a rodent or insect problem.
Look for Mold (And Other Moisture Problems)
The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s advice on mold states that it can act as an irritant and cause allergic responses (including runny nose, red eyes, and sneezing). Since roof leaks are a common cause of mold growth, you should look for mold and other signs of leaks during your attic cleaning process. If you notice mildew, wet spots, or strange odors, your roof could have a leak—and you’ll need to fix it as soon as possible.
Consider Your Attic Insulation
While you’re working in your attic, be sure to check your insulation for animal droppings, mold, or dust. If these substances are present, your insulation is contaminated and must be removed and replaced. And if your attic’s insulation has gaps or is starting to sink under the floor joists, you’ll need to add more insulation.
Thoroughly Clean Your Attic
Once you’ve inspected your attic for signs of trouble, it’s time to deep clean this space. Start by vacuuming any dust you find; then, switch to a broom and mop for additional cleaning work. It’s also wise to remove dust from your attic’s ceiling before moving down to the floor.
Organize Your Belongings
Before bringing boxes back up to your attic, take some time to look through them and organize their contents. If you no longer need some items you found in your attic, consider holding a yard sale or donating these items to charity.
Decide Where to Put Items
At this point, you’ll be ready to finish the attic cleaning process by bringing your belongings back to this space. However, you shouldn’t just put them exactly where they were. This is a perfect opportunity to put items you regularly use in areas where you can easily access them.
Don’t Wait Too Long to Clean Again
To prevent your attic from going back to the way it was, make plans to clean this space regularly. Ideally, you should take care of attic cleaning twice a year—once in the spring and once in the fall.
Do You Have to Clean Your Own Attic?
Having a clean home can definitely improve your life, but getting to that point isn’t always easy. The American Cleaning Institute has stated that 21% of Americans feel overwhelmed by cleaning tasks. That’s especially true of attic cleaning, which comes with a unique set of challenges.
The good news is that you don’t have to complete this spring cleaning job on your own. If you hire a team of attic experts to do this work, you can enjoy the benefits of a clean attic without lifting a finger.
Attic cleaning services can be especially helpful if your needs go beyond tasks like dusting and organizing. When you have a pest problem or a roof leak, it’s best to let the professionals resolve the situation. Take your first step toward having a clean, hazard-free attic by scheduling an appointment today!