After a cold and snowy – OK, very snowy – New England winter, spring is the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and give your home a top-to-bottom cleaning to get it ready for summer entertaining. In addition to spiffing up your house, there are some things you can do during your spring cleaning to make your house healthier while promoting home safety.

Here are six spring cleaning tips to get you started, courtesy of MedicineNet:

1. Dust your entire home – thoroughly.

It’s important to clean or replace the filters in your air conditioner and heater. You should also carefully clean all the ducts and vents to get rid of pollen and other airborne allergens. If you have a monitored alarm system this would be a good time to schedule your free Wellness Visit and have your smoke detectors cleaned out.

2. Clean out your medicine cabinet.

Get rid of medications that have expired or that you no long use and dispose of them properly. Ask your pharmacist the best way to discard the meds. Many pharmacies and local police departments offer free “take-back” programs.

“You’ll reduce your chances of becoming a victim of a medication error and gain some storage space,” MedicineNet notes.

3. Clean out your basement and garage.

Remove old cans of paint, oils, stains, solvents, paint thinners, and other hazardous materials from your basement and garage. Check with the sanitation department in your town to locate the drop off center for hazardous waste. You should also ensure there aren’t any toxic cleaning products under your kitchen (or bathroom) sink. If you find any dispose of them properly as well.

4. Have your chimney cleaned.

Your chimney should be cleaned by a professional to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide exposure when you light a fire during the next New England winter. Deadly carbon monoxide gas can build up when a blocked chimney, rusted heat exchanger or broken chimney connector pipe (flue) prevents the gas from being exhausted from your house.

5. Mind your cleaning products.

Use non-toxic cleaning products to clean the mold and mildew from your bathrooms and other damp areas. Mold is a fungus and it can trigger allergic reactions in some people.

6. Check your alarms.

Changing the batteries in your carbon monoxide detectors and your smoke detectors is crucial to the safety of your family and home. Additionally, installing monitored carbon monoxide detectors as part of your fire alarm system offers another layer of protection for you and your loved ones. The staff at our 24-hour Security Command Center is always ready to respond to a carbon monoxide alarm at your home. As soon as we receive a CO signal, we will call for the fire department to respond.

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