Winter’s over, we’re well on our way into spring and now we can start looking forward to all the excitement that summer brings with it; long days on the beach, relaxing in the backyard, cooking a few snags on the barbie and simply enjoying the heat. But then, as it does every year, the heat will grow and grow, and suddenly it will become unbearable. Our Aussie summers are hot and sticky, and that means that the very last thing that you want to be doing is cleaning. But when the sun rises, we suddenly realise that doing it in the baking heat is not the best time.

That means that you need to start making preparations and getting your house ready for summer, while the temperatures are still relatively cool. That is why we have put together a summer cleaning guide that will show you exactly how and when to get those jobs done. And of course, this isn’t just because we want to laze around in the sun – some jobs will be more dangerous if you leave them until summer, and that is why you need to get them done now. Which of these jobs are you going to do next – or even better. . . get your kids to do?

Although we very much enjoy celebrating and spending time with friends and family over the summer months, one of the worst things about it is that most of the outdoors tries to move into your home with you too! Particularly those unwanted visitors like mosquitoes and flies. But ants are the worst, because they all move in together. You can make your kitchen much less appetising to these little critters by ensuring that your kitchen benches and the space underneath and around your fridge is kept nice and clean – but a less well known solution is to use coffee grounds. Put some around the cracks where you know they will always try to scramble in. It’s a great deterrent because they hate the smell, and it’s far safer than any pesticide that your kids or pets could pick up accidentally.

Now that the temperatures are rising, it’s time to get all of your winter clothes out of your wardrobe to make room for those summer outfits. If you use this next tip properly, then you’ll be able to bring out your winter outfits come autumn, and they’ll be clean, fresh and ready to wear. First, make sure you wash your winter clothes and allow them to dry thoroughly. Line your storage container with acid-free paper or a cotton sheet. This will keep them fresh, and keep those nasty bugs away. And if you have done this with your summer clothes too, you can just bring them out and start wearing them, without any stuffiness.

If you have friends or family coming to stay, then your guest bedroom will need a little bit of a spring clean. A quick once round with the duster is a great start, but while you are doing this, you should leave the windows and doors open to get a bit of a breeze in. This will make a huge difference to the feel of the room. You could also put the duvet in the dryer with no heat for about an hour. This will freshen it up and make it lovely and fluffy for your guests. Lastly, you can put a fruit bowl in there. Flowers are so last season, and you won’t be very popular with guests if they have allergy issues!

The last thing that you want during the summer months is a disgusting and smelly washing machine, but in high humidity this is often what happens. Take action now, before summer hits, so that you do not have this problem during the summer months. Run a wash with just water and detergent, and then when it is done leave the door open so that it dries completely naturally. This will rid it of any smells or stains, and make it as good as new!

You do not always need complicated and expensive cleaning fabrics and lotions in order to get your home to sparkle – sometimes even kitchen leftovers can be useful! Left over lemon wedges can actually be rubbed on steel taps and fixtures to bring up a really beautiful shine. Just remember to wash off the juice with a microfibre cloth afterwards.

A great way to refresh the smells in your bathroom completely naturally is to put a plant in there! Don’t worry: there are plenty of plants that do not need very much looking after, and they will naturally take any bad smells out of the air. We would suggest getting a spider plant, or even small leafed rubber plants as they look beautiful and require very little maintenance.

Summer means barbecues . . . but far too many people leave their grills in a terrible state over winter. As you are getting your house ready for summer, you should not ignore your outdoor cleaning. The easiest way to clean a grill is to bring it inside and cover it with oven cleaner or if you prefer the environmentally friendly approach, applying bicarbonate of soda and spraying with white vinegar will have the desired effect. Let it sit for a while, and then give it a good scrubbing. Always wear protective gloves when you do this.

Preparing the house for summer is not always a fun job, but it is one that definitely needs to be done. Cleaning is not particularly fun at any time of year, but holiday season is definitely the worst. And if you are really committed to making your home sparkle for summer, then why not get the Absolute Domestics team in to help you. We are here to do those jobs that you just don’t want to do, so you can just sit back, relax and enjoy the summer.

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