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Cleaning The Attic and Basement

Cleaning The Attic and Basement

Cleaning The Attic and BasementThe best way to start spring cleaning is to first clean out all of the clutter from the house. You may need to recruit the help of a professional junk and rubbish removal company to help remove all of the items from the attic and basement. When you are in the process of removing items, you will want to separate everything into piles. Put the items you want to keep into one pile. Put the items that can be recycled or donated into another pile. The last pile will be for all the items you no longer want or use. The professional junk and rubbish removal company could cart away this pile for you. By separating the items as you bring them down from the attic or from the basement, you will find it a lot easier to get everything organized.

The Attic:

Once all of the items have been removed from the attic you will want to take the time to clean it out thoroughly. Now is also a good time for a through inspection. You will want to see if there are any holes or leaks. Holes in the attic could mean there are little critters living there. If the attic is small you may need to do a little crawling around to see if there are any holes. If you do find holes, even small holes, you will want to make the time to repair and patch them properly. You should also check the insulation to see if anything needs to be fixed or replaced. Be sure to check for leaks. If you see signs of a leak, the roof may need to be repaired.

Once you have finished checking the attic you will want to put the items you need to store back in an organized way. Be sure to store the items in plastic bins, and not in cardboard boxes. Cardboard boxes usually don't last as long as the plastic storage bins and plastic will keep small pests from rummaging through your items.

The Basement:

Even if your basement is the least visited area of your house, keeping it clean and organized is important. If you have things like chemicals or paint, check how long they are good for. If you know you won't use them by the expiration date, look at the label for the proper disposal technique. Also make sure you read the label to see what the chemical should or should not be stored with.

Even if you don't notice any mold in your basement, spores can hide in the tiniest of creases. A suggested mixture to clean and sanitize is 1 cup of bleach and 1 gallon of water. Clean the walls and floor thoroughly and dry them as well as you can. Use a dehumidifier for at least the next few days to reduce the risk of mold growth.

Install a shelving unit that will work best with your storage items. Arrange the objects and materials you want to put on the shelves by size and weight. Remember to put heavy items closer to the bottom of your shelving unit. For items that you will place on the floor, consider building or buying a small platform to put in a corner of the basement. The platform will prevent your items from getting dirty and, if your basement has a flooding problem, this will also protect your items from water damage.

Once you have decided which items you will keep in your attic or basement, you will want to put them back in an organized manner. The assistance of a professional organizer could prove to be helpful.