Clean up Your Garage for National Cleaning Week

Taking place each year starting on the fourth Sunday in March, National Cleaning Week is a full week designed to inspire a cleanup of your home. It was created by the ISSA, which is the worldwide association for the cleaning industry. This week of cleanup has been declared in a number of states across the U.S., though spring cleaning is something that has been around for centuries. Persian culture had a form of spring cleaning 3,000 years ago that was called khaneh tekani. This translates to “shaking the house,” to dust and remove clutter in an effort to prevent ill-fortune for the coming year. In Jewish customs, spring cleaning was performed on Passover to remove any yeast bread from the home.

This year, Commonwealth Garage Doors would like to encourage you to participate in National Cleaning Week, but we want to encourage you to consider some garage cleaning tips in addition to cleaning the main area of your home. Often a forgotten space, the floor space of your garage is typically taken up by all kinds of items. From sporting equipment to lawn care items, you may be in need of a thorough cleanup and an investment in some storage solutions. Here are some tips for getting started.

Remove Everything from Your Garage

The best way to conduct an in-depth cleaning of your garage is to remove everything first. This allows you to sort through items that you own. Make piles for things that you need to keep, items that should be donated and items that need to be discarded properly. You may have enough to have a garage sale so you can make a little bit of extra money!

Clean the Floor

Once you have your garage emptied out, this is the perfect time to clean your garage floor. It’s likely that this floor hasn’t been cleaned regularly, leading to an accumulation of oil stains, dirt and grime. Before you mop anything, sweep your garage out to get rid of any big debris that has blown in from the outside. Once you have the floor clear, a simple cleaning solution you can use is a mixture of baking soda and water. You can let the mixture sit on the concrete for about 30 minutes. When you return, mop the floor with clean water. Some areas might need a little bit of scrubbing to come clean. Leave your garage door open, and let the fresh air do its job of drying the floor before anything is moved back in.

Add Storage Solutions to Your Garage

You can make your garage a more functional space by installing some more storage solutions. Depending on what you need to store, you can find items that allow you to hang bicycles from a suspension system on the ceiling, bags that keep balls and sporting equipment contained and even peg boards that allow you to organize your tools without taking up floor space. Durable shelving made of metal or plastic can be used for seasonal items that don’t need a permanent spot in your home.

Consider a Mudroom or Drop Zone

If you have a large garage and would feel comfortable converting some of that square footage, consider having a mudroom or drop zone constructed. This would be an area where people would pass through to enter your home, but it’s a contained area where boots, outerwear and other items are stored before they can clutter your house. It’s becoming popular to add a mudroom to a garage, so you don’t have to give up any square footage inside of your home. The amount of organization you achieve is well worth the investment, and homes with a mudroom are usually worth more.

Inspect Your Garage Door Opener

While you’re focusing on your garage space, this is a good time to have your garage door opener inspected. You rely on this piece of equipment to gain access and provide security to your home. However, it’s often neglected when it comes to routine maintenance. The opener should be cleaned and inspected. You may also want to clean the tracks and weatherstripping of your garage door and lightly lubricate them so the door can open and close smoothly.

A spring cleanup of your garage is the perfect time to schedule some routine maintenance for your garage door or garage opener. As you celebrate National Cleaning Week this year, it’s a good idea to reach out to the team at Commonwealth Garage Doors to set up an appointment.