Top 5 Spring Cleaning Tasks

Spring is in the air! Around this time you’re bound to have Clients who hire you for spring cleaning tasks.

Based on real cleaning tasks that we’ve seen over time, we’ve rounded up some of the more challenging ones that you can expect. Conquering these deeper cleans will impress your Client–and inspire them to book you again! 

1. Greasy stove

These can be tricky because every stove is different. Some stoves, like glass tops, are easy to clean. Others, like electric stoves with burners, are not as straightforward.

Flame top:

• Make sure the stovetop is cool: These stoves use a real flame for cooking so only clean at least 30 minutes after your Client’s last use.
• Remove and clean grates: First, remove large bits of food or crumbs. Then let the grates soak in warm soapy water (you can do this in the sink). Finally, you can wipe off grease with a sponge or pad.
• Wipe stovetop: Use a damp cloth and kitchen cleaner to wipe away any greasy build-up.
• Replace grates: And you’re done!

Glass top:

• Make sure the stove is off: This is very important!
• Wipe stovetop: Top Cleaning Taskers recommend spraying the stove with vinegar and sprinkling on some baking soda. Place a warm wet cloth on top and let sit for 10-15 minutes, then wipe away.
• If necessary, use a single-edged scraper: These are great for particularly stubborn residue. Taskers have marveled how a scraper only costs a few dollars, but works wonders!

Coil top:

• Unplug and clean the burners: These are prone to sticky build-up. Unplug these and then use a sponge to wipe with warm soapy water (be sure not to get the electrical connection wet).
• Wipe down stovetop surface: While the burners are drying

Reattach coil burners: That’s it!

2. Oven

Cleaning an oven involves a lot of scraping, wiping and washing. It can be intimidating for even the most seasoned Tasker. An oven clean requires the following materials. You can ask your Client if they have any of these, or if you should plan on bringing them before you arrive at the task.

• Oven cleaner
• Rubber gloves and safety goggles
• Damp cloth/rag(s)
• Old newspapers
• Large garbage bag

 Plan on cleaning the oven to take about 90 minutes if you use the following tips:

• Remove racks from oven: Lay out newspaper on the floor to prevent any food crumbs or waste from falling on your Client’s floor. It makes cleanup afterwards much easier.
• Put on safety goggles and gloves: Oven cleaners are highly toxic and should be treated with care. Let your Client know this before starting so they have the option of leaving the room while you clean the oven.
• Spray inside of oven: Cover every bit of the oven’s inside and then let the spray sit for approximately 20-30 minutes.
• Spray oven racks: Take the racks outside or to another well-ventilated area. Spray the racks with the cleaner and place them inside the garbage bag. Tie up the bag and let sit.

Wipe away grime: After the time has passed, use a damp rag to remove all the grime from the oven. Clean the racks with soap and water, and then place back in the oven.

3. Fridge

We can all relate that cleaning out a fridge needs to be done every so often. Top Cleaning Taskers use a process like this:

• Remove items: First, take out everything inside the fridge. Make sure there’s enough counter space available to place these items. If there is a cooler handy, use it tokeep perishable items like milk and cheese cold.
• Clean removable parts: Take out and clean the trays, drawers, and shelves using warm soapy water. Towel dry and leave aside.
• Clean inside of the fridge: This can be done using a standard multi-purpose kitchen cleaner or a natural cleaner like white vinegar and baking soda. Some people prefer to use organic materials where they store their food. Ask your Client what they prefer.
• Clean outside of the fridge: The front of the fridge can be streaked with grease, while dust and grime can accumulate underneath, behind, and on the outside edges of fridges. A broom and/or vacuum may be required. Most people overlook the outside when they think of a fridge clean–let your Client know about this step if they are unaware.

Put all food items back in the fridge: This is a chance to make your Client’s fridge even more organized than before. Speak with them about how they would like to arrange items. Clean up any mess left behind on the counter space, if necessary. Make sure you put everything back in that you took out!

4. Getting rid of old or expired items

Every home contains some items that need to be tossed–no one needs empty or expired containers taking up space! As such, it’s important to know how to properly dispose of these items. Be sure to communicate with your Client if you are working a task and see an item that seems like it needs to be disposed of. Here are some household items to watch out for (not an exhaustive list)

• Expired household cleaners: Most liquid, gel, and powder water-soluble products can be disposed of down the drain. Solid products can usually be tossed in the trash.
  • In the trash: Aerosols, crystals, disks, pads, pastes, sheets, sticks, towelettes
    • Examples: fabric softeners, all-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners
  • Down the drain: Liquids, powders, gels
    • Examples: bleach, detergent, ammonia, baking soda, hand soap
• Overworked cleaning sponges: After a while these can do more harm than good as old sponges host germs that end up spreading to dishes. If your Client has old sponges, inform them immediately.
• Expired frozen foods: Food stored in freezers for too long–from frozen meat to ice cream–can get freezer burn and turn bad. Frozen food can be thrown out in the compost (if available) or trash.
• Expired makeup: Cosmetics products can contain harmful chemicals and often come in non-biodegradable packaging. Some makeup companies have their own recycling programs. You can upsell yourself and offer to dispose of these items on behalf of your Client (and get booked for a Delivery job in the process).
• Expired medicine: If your Client asks you to dispose of prescription drugs, make sure these are brought back to a local pharmacist for proper disposal. Do not flush down the toilet/sink.
• Batteries:
  • The following batteries can be recycled:
    • Standard A, AA, AAA, C, D, 6V, 9V
    • Lithium
    • Mercury
    • Rechargeable batteries (Lithium Ion, Nickel Cadmium, Small Sealed Lead Acid)
  • The following batteries should be dropped off at a hazardous waste depot:
    • Car batteries (wet lead acid batteries)
    • Leaking batteries

5. Car washing

Because your Client may have personal car washing preferences, it’s best (as always) to communicate clearly with your Client beforehand to understand what they expect. Some Clients will want inner detailing done, others will want to focus on exterior washing, and some will want the full clean inside and out.

In case you’re working on your car washing skills, here are the basics:

• Trash removal: First, remove all of the trash from your Client’s car and trunk. Determine how to best dispose of unwanted items or junk (e.g. trash, recycling, compost).
• Interior vacuuming: Many Clients prefer to have their car vacuumed to give it a professional finish. Ask your Client if a vacuum or hand-held is available on site. If not, many Taskers have recommended a hand-held vacuum as being a useful tool for many types of tasks!.
• Disinfect & wipe down surfaces: Use disinfectant wipes to clean the steering wheel, seatbelts, dashboard, handles, and any other high-touch surfaces.
• Exterior washing: This will require a pressurized hose on hand. Wash the exterior of the car completely. Then use a wet rag to apply soapy water to the rims (you’ll need a bucket handy), and then wash down once more. 
• Scrubbing tires and rims: Remove dirt build up around the tires and inside the rims–brushes work well for this. Then, you can use the same suggestions as above for exterior washing.

Consider purchasing a car deodorizing spray to bring along on all car cleaning jobs. For a nice touch at the end, you may even hang an air freshener around the rearview mirror. Your Client is bound to love the extra care (and hopefully give you 5 stars for your efforts!)

You are most likely to get booked for tasks like these in categories including Cleaning, Deep Clean, Organization, and Car Washing. Do you have any favorite stories about challenging cleaning tasks, or supplies that you recommend? Share with fellow Taskers in the comments below!

Information provided by The Burrow is for general and informational purposes only and we make no warranty regarding the accuracy, completeness, or validity of any content.