Coming clean

In March, New Englanders open their windows, eager for fresh air. But when they see swirling dust glistening in the sun, they know its time to get to work. We chatted with area cleaning professionals to get the down and dirty on 10 different aspects of spring cleaning. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but should get you off to a clean start.

Jonathan Glazer, owner of PowerBees, a mold removal and remediation company, recommends controlling basement humidity with self-draining dehumidifiers. If it smells musty, have the air tested. Check for visual cues, too. Look up at floor joists: anything white and cottony is probably mold, Glacer says. And check cardboard boxes and Sheetrock for gray or black spots. Mold can grow in attics too, resulting from condensation caused by poor ventilation. Glacer says that soffit vents covered by insulation are the most common culprit. The solution: Pull insulation away from eaves and vents to help get air moving.

Unfinished attics and basements make terrible storage places, says Christa Hagearty, president and chief executive of Dependable Cleaners. Keep clothing in dark, dry, cool environments in breathable containers to prevent mold from growing. That means no plastic. Hagearty recommends acid-free cardboard boxes, cloth bags, or just a cotton sheet. Also, be sure to clean garments before storing, as organic materials, like sweat or sugar from what Hagearty calls invisible stains attracts bugs and fungi, and can stain clothing yellow.

To revive feather pillows, says Dependables Hagearty, recommends a service that sanitizes feathers by killing dust mites with ultraviolet light, then blows them into new ticking. If you prefer a home remedy: Be sure there arent tears or holes in the ticking, wash pillows two at a time in hot water with a bit of gentle detergent, blot with towels (dont wring, youll break the feathers), and fluff in the dryer with tennis balls.

Beat rugs, pre-vacuum carpets

Trung Nguyen, owner of VioClean carpet and upholstery cleaners, recommends that area rugs get a deep cleaning at least once a year. Rugs hold a lot of dirt, says Nguyen, So its best to get them out of the house. On-site area rug cleaning only pulls up surface dirt. Nguyen uses a vibrating tool that shakes debris free. For wall-to-wall carpet, be sure to pre-vacuum before deep cleaning. Finally, dont forget about those entry mats. Youd be surprised how much debris a good wiping shakes loose from your shoes.

Dryer Vent Wizard owners Webb Dickson and Bob Dalimonte stress that dryer vents should be cleaned, or at least inspected, annually. Warning signs that a dryer is poorly vented and in need of cleaning or replacement include excessive drying time, hot but damp clothing at the end of a cycle, a dryer top that is hot to the touch, and lint accumulating on the outside of the machine. Glazer of PowerBees advises that professionals with suction hoses clear debris from long dryer vents. If the vent is less than 6 feet, a homeowner maybe be able to do it with a vacuum cleaner, or can just replace the vent altogether.

Clean in & around appliances

Vacuum refrigerator condenser coils at least twice a year, more if you have pets, says Shaban Banushi, service manager at Yale Appliance, since excessive dirt and fur can impede function. If you have a self-cleaning oven, dont run it right before the holidays, because if something goes wrong, parts can be hard to come by. Every few years have a professional recalibrate the oven. (Note: store-bought thermometers can be 50 to 100 degrees off.) Also, you can use dishwasher deodorizer tablets to banish buildup in garbage disposals. As for dishwashers themselves, use a paperclip to clear debris from holes in the spinning arms.

Keith Campbell of Acu-Bright uses his own invention, a handheld ultrasound machine to clean chandeliers. If you opt to tackle your dining-room chandelier the old-fashioned way, Campbell cautions against chemical spray cleaners sold as quick solutions, as they will corrode the protective lacquer coating of the metal components, as well as the circuitry. Instead, after cutting the power and photographing the fixture so you know how to put it back together, remove each crystal and soak in hot water with a drop of dish detergent. Place on clean towels until partially dry, then buff with a cloth diaper. Before reassembling, wipe down the fixture itself with a microfiber cloth.

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Coming clean