A Mom’s Top Ten Spring Cleaning Safety Rules

Spring is welcomed by new beginnings in nature and a fresh clean home for many families. For those making lists of spring cleaning tasks, there are risks involved and some important safety rules and tips to consider as those plans are made. Where safety risks are concerned, they are all weighed equally. The following 10 safety hazards encountered during spring cleaning are not all inclusive but address many common concerns.

Practice Common Sense Climbing. Use appropriately sized and sturdy ladders to reach and clean high objects. Ladders are designed for your safety while countertops and dining room chairs are not. Follow the weight limits on ladders and be sure that you do not climb higher than the highest recommended rung.

Avoid Water Hazards. Clean up spills to avoid slips and falls, close off wet slippery flooring if possible, and avoid leaving children unattended with standing water sources such as 5 gallon buckets or filled tubs and totes. Standing water, even in small quantities can present drowning risks to curious little ones.

Use Non-Toxic Cleaning when Possible. There are many commercially produced green cleaning products or homemade cleaning recipes that accomplish many tough cleaning jobs just as effectively as those without toxic, dangerous ingredients.

Do Not Mix and Match Cleaning Products. Chemicals, even the virtually mild ones, have a way of reacting with undesired and even dangerous results. For example, combining two favorite toilet bowl cleaners may result in toxic vapors rather than the intended extra spotless toilet bowl!

Follow Packaging Directions. Use recommended quantities of the product in the manner for which it was formulated. Just like the dangerous chemical reactions of mixed products, excess and incorrect product usage can create hazards, risks, and even property damage.

Use Safety Gear. Yes, you may feel odd wearing safety goggles to clean those windows with the neighbors watching, but you owe it to yourself and your family to stay safe. Wear appropriate gloves, safety glasses, hearing protections and any other product recommended safety equipment.

Practice Safe Lifting and Carrying. Improper lifting and moving of heavy items severely injures many each year. Spring cleaners often seek to accomplish the many tasks in one short time rather than spreading it over several weeks-leading to added risk of muscle strains and pulls. Seek the help of a partner or from specialty moving products for lifting heavy furniture and household items. Bend and lift from the knees rather than the back and be sure that you are able to see over and around any load that you are carrying.

Work in Moderation. Bending, stretching, climbing, repetitive motions, heavy lifting and even strenuous scrubbing make spring cleaning tough work. Rest and take breaks! The dust bunnies did not appear overnight-and they will wait for you until after your rest.

Keep Paths Clear. As you move things around to clean, the room may turn into an obstacle course. Be sure to leave clear paths through the rooms-especially near stairways and doors.

Keep Up Childproofing. If you cannot send the children out of the area while you clean, you need to be vigilant with childproofing. The bottles of cleaners, moved furniture, ladders, and other interesting equipment are often too much for the curious little ones. Make sure that you take precautions to keep the kids safe from the supplies and the obstacle course style rooms in progress.

Household accidents and injuries are unfortunately frequent, but following these tips will help reduce or eliminate some of the more common risks associated with spring cleaning.

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The article is written from the author’s professional and personal experiences in the field of environmental, health and safety and as a long-time “spring cleaner”.