Traditionally, garages were meant for storing and protecting your car from weather elements and possible theft. However, with the increased need for storage space, most homeowners have turned their garages into storage rooms and dumping grounds for all manner of things.
In particular, garages offer perfect spaces for winter storage to safeguard your belongings from the harsh winter weather. But once the freezing rain disappears, the weather starts to warm, and the winter ice starts to thaw, you should start thinking of cleaning and organizing your garage yet again. Spring happens to be an ideal time to clean your garage and get ready for busy summer days.
Why You Should Spring Clean Your Garage
Spring is here and everyone is thinking about cleaning their garage and getting ready for summer. Thanks to the warm weather, most, if not all, homeowners consider spring an ideal time to clean and organize their garages, check for winter damages, and schedule timely repairs just before the busy season.
Garages are versatile rooms that can be used for more than just parking your car. Once you spring clean and organize your garage, you’ll have some extra space to use for just anything. You could store your gardening equipment and tools or better still, turn the extra space into a home gym, game room, or home office.
In addition, spring cleaning improves the functionality and safety of your garage. When you have a clear and orderly garage layout, you can easily access items and prevent the risk of injuries and getting overwhelmed.
5 Garage Cleaning Tips
Spring cleaning your garage can be quite tedious. With clutter everywhere, it can be hard to figure out where to start cleaning your garage. This quick guide, however, should help you figure out things fast and clean your garage effortlessly this spring.
1. Have a Garage Cleaning Plan
Planning your garage cleaning project ahead of time allows for a smooth and streamlined workflow. Here’s what you should consider when planning your spring garage cleaning exercise:
- Functionality– What’s your end goal with the extra space in your garage? Are you looking to set up a gym, laundry room space, or storage space for your extra gardening equipment? Whatever you want to achieve, cleaning and organizing your garage should revolve around that.
- Supplies– Make sure you have all spring cleaning essentials for your garage beforehand, including vacuum cleaners, sponges, and detergents. Creating a checklist of the things you need for spring cleaning will go a long way in ensuring you effectively clean the space.
- Help– Garage cleaning projects are often time-consuming and tedious. As such, it is highly encouraged to get help from your friends and family members. You can even assign duties to specific people to speed up things. If you’re into stacking piles of boxes and clutter from wall to wall in your garage, you may consider asking for professional help.
2. Declutter Your Garage
When spring cleaning your garage, start by removing everything that isn’t secured out. You can place them on the porch or lawn to make it easier to deep clean your garage.
As you declutter, consider sorting your items into the following categories:
- Keep- These are items that you intend to use, which will be going back in the garage.
- Sell- Includes things that can be sold to earn you some extra buck, such as an old engine.
- Recycle- Dispose of items that can be recycled properly or call your local recycling agent to come pick them up.
- Donate- Items that you no longer require but can be used, like, clothing, footwear, and gaming equipment, can be donated to any non-profit organization of your choice.
- Discard- Anything that’s litter should go into the trash bin. However, avoid dumping hazardous materials and chemicals such as old motor oil and paint thinners in trash bins. You can contact your area’s sanitation department to know how to handle and dispose of them properly.
3. Deep Clean Your Garage
Once everything is out, cleaning your garage becomes easier. Here’s how to deep clean your garage:
- Start by sweeping the floor to collect large chunks of debris
- Remove any cobwebs
- Vacuum thoroughly to collect dirt and dust
- Add water, detergent, and vinegar into a bucket. Use the solution to wipe dirt from the shelves and scrub off road salt from the floor. For stubborn stains like oil stains use a degreaser or a laundry pre-solvent.
- Also, remember to clean your garage door and the weather strip around your garage. Use a wet cloth and an all-purpose detergent to clean it.
- Rinse using clean water
If you experience a stale smell while cleaning your garage, consider spraying undiluted white vinegar as a deodorant or placing open boxes of baking soda at the corners of your garage to absorb the odor. The boxes of baking soda can be replaced monthly.
4. Inspect Your Garage
Once you’re through with cleaning your garage, inspect it. Start by checking all moving parts of the garage including the door, windows, pulleys, rollers, hinges, and tracks.
If you notice any signs of damage like a rusted door or cracked panels, schedule some professional assistance. However, if everything is okay, apply lithium grease or a good-quality silicone-based lubricant to keep the moving parts functioning smoothly.
5. Zone Your Garage
Once your garage is spotlessly clean, free from stale smell, and moving parts are functioning well, it’s time to organize it and put everything back in the newly found space. The best way to organize the place is by zoning your garage storage. You can set up a zone for say, gardening supplies, another one for tools, sports and so forth, making sure to put the items that are used more often in easy to access areas.
If you don’t have enough space to store all your belongings, consider using your wall space to store some items. You can use old dressers, hooks, and shelves to hang items on your garage wall.
The most crucial thing when zoning your garage is to ensure that everyone understands the need to return items to their designated zones.
Conclusion
Spring cleaning your garage is overwhelming, but you can turn it into a fun-filled family experience by following the above 5 tips for spring cleaning your garage.
As long as you’ve got a proper plan, and have the necessary cleaning essentials, spring cleaning and organizing your garage can be a one-weekend activity. You’ll find it easy and enjoyable as you organize your stuff in your newly-found outdoor storage unit.
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