By the end of August, summer has left its fingerprints all over the house.
Literally.
There is sunscreen on door handles. Grass hiding near the entryway. Dust on the ceiling fan that has been running since June. And somewhere, there is probably a beach towel that has not officially retired for the season.
Homes around Bentonville, Centerton, Rogers, and Lowell have worked hard all summer.
Before pumpkins start appearing on every available surface, this is a good time to deal with what summer quietly left behind.
Not a deep clean.
Not a fall overhaul.
Just a little summer cleanup.
1. The Ceiling Fans Have Been Working Overtime
Ceiling fans are easy to forget because they rarely stop moving long enough for us to look at them.
Turn one off in late August, though, and you might get a surprise.
Dust collects along the edges of the blades. Then, when the fan runs, some of that dust can move back into the room. Keeping dust under control is also part of maintaining better indoor air quality. The EPA has more information about EPA Indoor Air Quality at Home
Before cooler weather arrives, turn the fan off and wipe each blade.
A pillowcase can also help contain loose dust while cleaning the blades.
Just make sure the fan is completely off first.
2. Your Doors Have Summer Fingerprints
Take a look around the handle of your back door.
Then check the refrigerator.
Now the pantry.
Summer means people are constantly coming and going. As a result, door handles, cabinet pulls, and light switches get touched all day long.
A quick wipe of these high-touch areas can make a surprisingly big difference.
You may not notice fingerprints building up.
You definitely notice when they are gone.
3. The Space Under Your Furniture Has Been Collecting Evidence
This is where summer gets interesting.
Move the couch and you might find:
- Popcorn
- Dog toys
- Hair ties
- Grass
- Crumbs
- A missing sock
- Something nobody is willing to claim
During busy summer months, we tend to clean around furniture instead of underneath it.
So, before fall settles in, move one or two easy pieces of furniture and vacuum underneath.
You do not need to dismantle the living room.
We are looking for crumbs, not buried treasure.
4. Your Baseboards Know Where Everyone Walks
You do not need to clean every baseboard in the house.
Instead, look at the ones in your busiest areas.
Entryways, hallways, kitchens, and living rooms tend to collect more dust and scuffs because people and pets pass through them constantly.
Homes in growing Northwest Arkansas communities like Bentonville and Centerton can also see plenty of outdoor dust tracked inside during dry summer weather.
Start with the areas you actually notice.
A damp microfiber cloth is often enough for a quick refresh.
5. The Car-to-House Pipeline Needs a Reset
There is a strange migration that happens during summer.
Things leave the house.
Things enter the car.
Different things come back into the house.
Eventually, nobody knows where anything belongs.
Water bottles, sunglasses, reusable bags, sports gear, receipts, toys, and random objects start collecting near the door.
By late August, the entryway can become a transfer station.
Take five minutes and return anything that belongs in the car.
Then put away anything that made the trip inside but never reached its final destination.
Suddenly, the doorway can breathe again.
6. Your Windows Have Been Collecting Summer Too
Summer windows deal with more than fingerprints.
Dust, pollen, insects, and outdoor debris can collect around the sill and tracks.
You may notice it even more when that late-August sunlight hits the window just right.
Fortunately, you do not need to clean every window in the house.
Pick the ones you use or look through the most.
Vacuum loose debris from the tracks first. Then wipe the sill and glass.
Sometimes one clean window makes an entire room feel brighter.
7. Do Not Forget the Places Your Pets Love
Northwest Arkansas dogs know summer is for going outside.
Unfortunately, they also believe everything from outside should come back inside with them.
By the end of August, pet areas can collect:
- Hair
- Dirt
- Grass
- Dust
- Treat crumbs
- Mystery debris
Wash pet bedding if the care instructions allow it. Vacuum around favorite sleeping spots and give the area around food bowls a good wipe.
If your pet has a favorite window, check that too.
There is a very good chance their nose has decorated the glass.
The End-of-August Rule: Do Not Start Everything
This is where a simple cleanup can accidentally become a six-hour project.
You wipe one baseboard.
Then you notice the wall.
Then the closet.
Suddenly, everything you own is sitting in the middle of the bedroom and you deeply regret your choices.
Do not do that.
Instead, pick three summer leftovers.
Maybe it is the ceiling fans, entryway, and pet area.
Finish those.
Then go enjoy your house.
Why This Is a Good Time for a Home Reset
Late August sits in a useful little pocket of the year.
The chaos of early summer has slowed down. Meanwhile, the holidays are still far enough away that nobody needs to panic about them.
That makes this a great time to take care of the small things.
For homeowners in Bentonville, Centerton, Rogers, Lowell, and nearby Northwest Arkansas communities, it is also a natural transition point. Summer routines are winding down while fall schedules begin taking over.
Your home does not need a seasonal transformation.
It may just need summer cleaned off of it.
From Busted Knuckles Cleaning
Homes tell you what season they have been living through.
Summer leaves grass by the door, fingerprints on the fridge, dog hair under the couch, and evidence of a lot of coming and going.
That is not a bad thing.
It means the house was used.
So, before moving on to fall, give the hardest-working areas a little attention.
Clean up what summer left behind.
Then let September be September.
0 Comments