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After the seemingly never-ending snowstorms that hit the Northeast this year, it’s a huge relief to see some signs of spring. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we can throw open the windows and let in some fresh air. We all know that spring is a great time to clean out spaces that have become cluttered or stale over the long winter. Along with the usual spring cleaning to-do’s like washing windows and cleaning upholstery, there are also a few tasks that are great to tackle from an interior design perspective.
Adjusting Or Refreshing Cabinet Doors & Drawers
Cabinets are essential to both the appearance and function of kitchens and bathrooms. Over time, wear and tear is to be expected. Drawers start to stick, doors sag, and finishes become dingy or damaged. You can fill small nicks or dings in wood cabinets with the touch up kit provided with your cabinetry.
If your cabinets are painted, consider giving them a fresh coat or even change the paint color. As we saw at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show earlier this year, bold patterns and bright colors are nudging out the more traditional gray tones that have been popular in kitchen design for so long. Changing the paint color on your cabinetry can do wonders to lighten the mood of your kitchen.
For stuck or drooping drawers, use a screwdriver to make adjustments to the hinges until the drawer sits and moves properly again.
This is also a great time to change the handles and knobs on the drawers and cabinets—think of it like updating the “jewelry” in your kitchen or bath. The same can be said for lighting fixtures like chandeliers.
Stone Resealing
Natural stone countertops, such as granite, marble, slate, or limestone, are beautiful when they are newly installed, but wear and tear becomes obvious over a period of time. Inevitably, stains set in and the surface dulls.
While many home improvement stores offer DIY stone cleaning and sealing products, this is one job that’s best left to a professional.
Your stone countertops are an investment, and it’s worth it to have a professional who has experience in thoroughly removing stains and then resealing the countertops. Your countertops will feel like new again, which really refreshes a kitchen.
Grout Cleaning
You could say grout is our frenemy. It’s our friend because we clearly need it for the construction of tile floors, walls, and counters. But it’s also our enemy because when grout looks dirty, the whole room looks tired if stain-proof grout was not used. Because grout is porous, it stains easily and is typically difficult to clean.
Like stone countertop resealing, grout cleaning is another job that’s best left to the professionals. For example, if you’re attempting to clean grout between a coarse or porous tile like marble, you could stain the tile if you used a cleaner that’s too acidic. A professional will know which cleaning solution and technique will work best so that surfaces aren’t damaged and the grout isn’t eroded.
Appliance Cleaning
Our appliances are like the work horses of the kitchen, and it often shows. While we may wipe down the surfaces regularly, it’s necessary to do a thorough cleaning from time to time to keep their appearance and function as top-notch as possible. Taking the time to do tasks you don’t normally think about—like dusting the fan slats in the dishwasher—can give those hard working appliances a boost in doing their jobs well.
Take out and wash any removable parts and clean the inside, outside, and perimeter of each appliance.
This checklist in Real Simple will give you a good start. And if any of those work horse appliances are ready to be put out to pasture, this might be a good time to consider how new appliances might update the entire look of your kitchen.
What do you plan to tackle on your spring cleaning list? We’d love to hear about it.
Did you know that Edesia won a Best Of Houzz award for client satisfaction in 2017 and 2018? If you’re thinking of renovating your kitchen or bath, view some of Edesia’s projects and reviews on Houzz. Then, take advantage of our free consultation and estimate, with competitive pricing, by contacting us online or calling (781) 238-8800.
