It’s not just people who need a detox. Doing a super and neat restorative cleaning in your home also does very well to health – yours and your home, your house or your apartment. But cleaning includes not only taking away the dust, organizing the drawers. Other types of cleaning are useful to prevent problems.
It is still quite common for all of us to seek maintenance services only when defects appear. But prevention is the best way to avoid those problems in the first place. Let’s blend your favorite green detox shake and start the work!
Cleaning house gutters
We tend to spend time cleaning the entire house but do not even remember to see if there are leaves, branches, sand, and dust on the gutters, clogging the water drains coming from the roof. This dirt in the gutters can prevent water from draining properly.
Then the problems begin: starting with paint damage and water overflow, to more serious problems to the structure of the house, since standing water is very heavy. And not to forget that standing water in the gutters will be a breeding ground for mosquitoes during the warm time of the year.
When the gutter is clean, the rainwater coming from the roof drains down and goes to the sewage system. The rule is very simple.
But who cleans gutters?
There are independent professionals and companies specializing in gutter cleaning. As they will climb on the roof, this service demands adequate personal, protective equipment and requires a number of safety procedures.
If you, the house owner, decide to clean gutters by yourself, make sure that you:
- observe the height and proximity between the gutter and the power grid;
- ensure that the ladder is firmly in place;
- never place the ladder directly on the gutter as it may damage or loosen it;
- wear tight-fitting shoes and thick gloves to avoid cutting yourself.
Then collect the leaves and branches with a shovel and place in a garden bag for disposal.
You can also use cleaning rods or cleaning tools, sold in home appliances stores to clear dirt that is stuck in the gutters. Then use running water to remove the dirt that is left. The ideal is to flush the gutter with high-pressure water jets.
With certain gutter cleaning tools, you do not even need to climb to the gutter. Use an extendable hose to do the work. At this stage, if the job was well done, the water should easily go through the gutters. My gutter cleaning tool is Gutter Viper. Here is an Amazon link to this product, check the current price.
It is recommended to do the gutter cleaning every 6 months. Gutter cleaning needs to be done on a dry day with no rain. If your house is close to trees or you live in the area with strong winds that bring dust, inspect and clean gutters more often to ensure that they are kept in a proper state and do not let you and your house down when you need it the least.
Cleaning grease trap
A grease trap is a small tank that holds fat that is thrown in the kitchen sink or that comes from the dishwasher. To avoid problems such as bad smell or clogging of the sink and sewage pipes, you need to regularly remove fat that accumulates inside the grease trap.
There are specialized cleaning companies that provide this service with the right tools and chemicals. Enzyme cleansing is done with biological components that degrade accumulated fat. This eco-friendly method is great for regular maintenance but is not usually very effective if the grease trap is already clogged.
You can also do manual grease trap cleaning. To get started, find the box (it is usually located outside of the house, but may also be under the kitchen sink or on the kitchen floor). Put on washing rubber gloves, open the trap lid and remove the fat waste (a yellow, solid, butter-like material) with your hands or a shovel.
This grease waste needs to be discarded in organic waste or donated to companies that recycle it. It does not make sense to throw this waste in the toilet, as this fat will then clog the sewage system! When you see that there is only liquid left inside the box, the cleaning is complete!
Repainting gates
It is also important to take care of the gates exposed to the sun and rain. If the gates are made of wood, apply varnish every six months. For steel gates, lubricate the hinges every two months so that they will not wear out. If you live on the coast, paint all-metal structures with anticorrosive paints.
Cleaning water tank
If you live in one all-year-round warm climate and your house is using a water tank, see what needs to be done to keep your water tank in the right condition.
First, see if the water tank has the lid and it is capped! Dirty water tanks with no covers or broken lids can create microorganisms harmful to health and ruin the quality of the treated water coming from the water supply.
It is usually recommended to clean the water tank every six months. Start preparation one day prior to cleaning, decrease the amount of water in the tank to avoid waste.
To clean the water tank:
- remove the lid and close water outflow with a plug or cloth;
- leave a small amount of water inside, which is enough for cleaning;
- wash walls and bottom of the water tank with a damp cloth, a sponge or nylon brush;
- remove dirt and the remaining water from the water tank with a plastic shovel, bucket, and cloths;
- dry the bottom of the water tank with clean cloths;
- with the water outflow still closed, add clean water with cleaning liquid;
- let the mixture work for two hours;
- wash walls of the tank with this water and let them dry for one or two hours;
- you can use a brush or a plastic mug to throw water on the walls of the tank.
When the process is finished let running water in and also let water outflow open to clean the water tank with the running water. You can avoid water waste and store this water – that was used for cleaning – in gallons to wash floors and sidewalks. Also, flush the water tank lid with running water and put it back in place. Now the water tank is ready to be used for the next six months.
At times when water supply may be limited, people tend not to do proper water tank cleaning in order to save water and money. This can cause serious health risks. The good news is that new methods are emerging to clean the water tank while it is still full, by vacuuming the dirt from the bottom of the reservoir with a robot.
Hire professionals for this work
Two other major house detox duties that only professionals can do:
- Checking the roof structure and
- Repairing cracks in the walls, ceiling, and floors.
These maintenance procedures involve the structural safety of your house, do not neglect them!
To plan this maintenance during the year, make a schedule and stick to it. You can also hire a professional to help you with the general evaluation of necessary cleaning and maintenance.
Be Renovative Tip: The best way to keep your house problem-free is to look for small problems and fix them before they become big problems.
Detox bonus
Recipe of the favorite detox juice:
- 2 slices of pineapple (on average 1 finger thick)
- 1 leaf of cabbage
- 1 handful of mint
- 1 small piece of ginger
- 100 ml of coconut water
Use a blender if you like. Let it settle down before drinking. Yet better, if all ingredients are organic. Enjoy!
Read also: Planning a renovation project? Key project planning rules to help you cope – in this article. And, How to avoid wasting time on a renovation project? – in this article.
