It's that time of the year again. After Purim, we feel the air slowly changing. Temperatures rise, everything begins to bloom around us, and our homes, of course, need thorough cleaning. Cleaning for Passover might seem like a daunting task, but with proper management, it can be easy and efficient. Asaf Kraevy, Chief Chemist at Tatz, provides smart tips to help you breeze through the upcoming Passover cleaning peacefully.
1. Work Plan - Just like in anything in life, a work plan makes the process easier and more organized. Start by listing all the rooms in the house on a piece of paper or on your phone, then divide the tasks within each room (closets, windows, cabinets, under the bed, etc.). It's recommended to walk around the house while making the list to avoid forgetting anything.
2. Stick to the work plan and clean room by room. Moving between rooms during cleaning might create unnecessary chaos. Clean systematically, finishing all tasks in one room before moving to the next. This ensures energy efficiency and ensures that nothing is accidentally overlooked.
3. Declutter before cleaning - Get rid of anything unused, "unnecessary items", according to the KonMari method. An unnecessary item is something not used daily or regularly, with no clear expectation of future use. Removing unused items not only creates space and fresh energy but also reduces the cleaning load.
4. Prepare cleaning materials in advance - Save yourself the back-and-forth trips to your cleaning cupboard by organizing all necessary cleaning materials beforehand. Take your vacuum cleaner, basket or bucket (preferably with a convenient handle for carrying), and fill them with all the necessary tools: vacuum cleaner accessories, rags, sponges, cleaning supplies, and more. This way, you can carry them from room to room, taking out only what you need at that moment.
5. Use appropriate cleaning materials for each area of the house - from multi-purpose to highly specialized, suitable for cleaning specific areas. Whether you prefer economical or ecological cleaning materials, centralized purchasing according to the list will save you time and money.
6. Start cleaning from the outside - Gardens and staircases are good places to start. Cleaning from the garden and the staircase and then entering the house is a practical and efficient recommendation, as dirt often waits at the entrance. Dust and other pollutants will find their way inside, so you need to find ways to keep them out as much as possible.
7. Start dry cleaning before wet - It's better to start with "dry" cleaning and organizing the house, then move on to wet cleaning. The idea is first to properly arrange the internal spaces of the room, such as closets, cabinets, and drawers, and only then move on to different surfaces and floor cleaning. When you do, it's advisable to start with dust removal - vacuuming the floor and dusting surfaces, before moving on to floor washing and cleaning with a damp cloth.
8. Persistence, determination, and expectation coordination - Let's say it as it is: this Passover deadline is very tight, so it's crucial to persevere and stick to the schedule. Regarding determination, just do the things you planned, and if the work plan says to discard or donate, don't linger and indulge in nostalgia right now. It's not the time. Apart from not having to wait until Passover for Passover cleaning, there's no reason to wait until the last minute. If you're at home on a chilly weekend with nowhere else to go, take advantage of the time to start early. Clear out closets of things you no longer need, like old clothes or unnecessary kitchen utensils, and make space. If you perform such tasks early, before the actual cleaning, you'll find that you've made your life much easier.