A Guide to Semi-Annual Home Maintenance

Most of us have a regular, weekly routine for keeping up with tasks around the house. Whether Saturday mornings are spent scrubbing the bathrooms or Wednesday is “laundry day,” a consistent schedule helps make life run more smoothly. There are also areas of your home that need attention but not as frequently. Working these jobs into a semi-annual maintenance regimen ensures nothing is overlooked.

6 Steps to a Well-Maintained Home

1. Give Carpets and Furniture a Clean Start We don’t always notice the places where dirt and debris accumulate. Vacuuming your floors frequently helps with what you can see, but deep cleaning your carpets with a Big Green Deep Cleaning Machine® from BISSELL® gets rid of hidden dirt. Meanwhile, use the accessory tool to spot clean stains from upholstery.
2. Remove Lint (and Other Debris) Where It Hides Since it’s your dryer’s job to collect lint from clothing, it makes sense that dirt and debris would also build up here. So, add this workhorse to your semi-annual checklist by vacuuming out the vent. Then, remove the dryer hose and vacuum inside where the debris collects.
3. Refresh Sleeping Surfaces Mattresses are another item that we often don’t think about cleaning. Vacuuming this surface every six months can extend the life of the mattress.
4. Get a Brighter View After passing through two of the four seasons and daily activity, your windows could probably do with a good cleaning. Use a spray cleaner formulated for glass on the panes themselves and a soft cloth and appropriate product to dust the frames. Also, you may want to clean your windows on a sunny day so you don’t miss a spot!
5. Clear the Air Replacing your old air filter with a new one can make your whole home feel fresher. When you remove the old filter, be sure to notice the direction the arrow is pointing so you position the new one correctly.
6. Be Prepared Lastly, it’s a good idea to check the batteries in any appliances where they are required, like smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and flashlights. This way, they’re ready to go when and if you need them.

Adding these semi-annual tasks to your overall maintenance routine will help you keep your home clean, safe and enjoyable for the whole family.