Shake out the dust: The ritual of spring cleaning

helps people relax,” she says, “they sleep better, study better a clean space makes people happy.” She acknowledges though, that keeping a house spotless shouldn’t be a priority if it causes anxiety. “Embrace your own lifestyle,” she urges, “cleaning is not one-size-fits-all. That’s why my clients can choose the kind of help they want and we do what they need. I just want to help make everyone’s life easier, we need more of that in this world.”

Beggs has generously shared two of her go-to cleaning hacks for everyone to try. See the sidebar stories for how to clean a garbage disposal, as well as the formula for a cleaning solution Beggs claims works wonders on any stain. To see more of Ashley Beggs’ cleaning hints, go to her Poppin’ Bubbles Cleaning pages on Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok, or visit her website: www.poppinbubblesllc.com.

Effective Cleaning Solution

Courtesy of Ashley Beggs

Poppin’ Bubbles Cleaning

How to Clean a Garbage Disposal

Courtesy of Ashley Beggs

Poppin’ Bubbles Cleaning

Fill the disposal and part of the sink with ice cubes.

By Terry Georgia The Surveyor

No one knows exactly when spring cleaning became a tradition, but historians have documented the phenomenon in multiple cultures dating back well over two thousand years. Apparently the onset of spring has always awakened a primal urge to clear out and clean up.

The Old Testament’s Book of Exodus describes the Israelites departing Egypt so quickly they didn’t have time to wait for their bread to rise, leaving them with only unleavened bread for the journey. Subsequently, the Torah required that during the springtime commemoration of the journey (during Passover) no traces of leaven can be left in the house, which means cleaning every last corner.

In the 1800’s when people burned coal and oil inside their homes for heat and light, coal dust and grease covered pretty much everything by the end of winter. Spring was the perfect time to throw open the windows and shake out the dust.

Even modern researchers have identified what they call the “fresh start effect” when people are more inclined to achieve a goal when that goal is tied to specific dates or events, such as the beginning of the year, the end of the week or the first glimmer of spring. So, if clearing out that pile of stuff in the closet has been on your to-do list for months, early spring is an ideal time to get ‘er done.

Since the urge to purge in the spring is nearly unavoidable, the question becomes how to go about it. What are the essentials of a good spring clean? We posed that question to professional house cleaner, Ashely Beggs, who owns Poppin’ Bubbles Cleaning in Berthoud. She loves helping people by taking on the chores they don’t have the time or energy to tackle themselves. As a mom with two small boys, who runs her own business and goes to school full time, Beggs values cleanliness and organization. Her website features cleaning hints and shortcuts to make cleaning easier for everyone.

For a good spring clean, Beggs recommends concentrating on areas that usually don’t get much attention the rest of the year:

• Purge. If you haven’t touched it in a year, get rid of it. Change or clean filters in the furnace, water dispenser, washer, dryer and dishwasher.

• Clean the oven.

• Wipe down tops of refrigerators and cabinets.

• Wipe down baseboards.

• Clean windows, sills and window tracks, including sliding door tracks.

• Clean and sanitize the garbage disposal (see sidebar for Ashley’s special technique).

• Empty the refrigerator to wipe down and sanitize the interior.

• Clean the back side of the TV.

If you can move them without hurting yourself, clean underneath and behind major appliances.

• Wash out trash cans (add a little baking soda under the bag to help reduce odors).

• Clean behind and under beds, couches and other large furniture. Clean ceiling fans and light fixtures.

• Clean behind toilets. Yes, even behind the toilets. It’s no fun, but it’s once a year. Twice if you’re ambitious and want a deep clean in the fall too. eggs believes that cleaning is therapeutic. “ aving a clean space is what

10 oz bottle of hydrogen peroxide (with spray nozzle)

1-2 teaspoons of Dawn dishwashing liquid

1-2 teaspoons of baking soda

Place the soap and baking soda into the bottle of peroxide and gently swirl to mix.

Works on sweat stains, pet urine, blood and just about any other stained fabric, carpet or mattress.

Avoid using on granite, quartz or stone countertops.

Run cold water and turn on the disposal. Keep it running until you see black gunk coming out of the disposal (this may take a few minutes).

When the black gunk appears, add a dishwasher detergent tablet to the disposal while it’s still running. It will foam up. Continue running the disposal and cold water for about 30 seconds.

Cleans and disinfects the disposal.