How to Keep a Safe and Healthy Home
Let's be honest, staying organised with home maintenance is probably not at the top of anybody's to-do list, but we all need to face domestic facts occasionally and fix that leaky tap or deal with that dodgy floorboard.
Chances are, you have a million and one other responsibilities that feel more important. You might be an incredibly busy a stay-at-home parent, have other caring duties, have an all-consuming career, have an illness or condition which makes things difficult or you might even just be a bit weary when it comes to home maintenance (I know I am!). However, none of us want to live in a space that feels unsafe or uncomfortable, so sometimes facing these unpleasant tasks just becomes necessary.
Here are some non-nonsense tips from me about how to approach that growing list of home maintenance chores:
For Dangerous Fixes, Hire Expert Help
There are some features in the home that you will be able to fix yourself without risking your health and safety (I can just about manage changing a lightbulb or hanging a picture). However, there are some zones that just aren't meant for us laymen. The one that definitely springs to mind is: electricals. I would never think to tamper with electricals myself as the potential hazards are innumerable and I've seen far too many opening scenes of 'Casualty'.
For electrical work it's best to hire the right person for the job so that you can guarantee safe and efficient results. Hiring A Grade Level 2 Electrician will guarantee you attain the most professional and experienced help to resolve your electrical issue, whatever it might be. It can be tempting to hire a trainee or somebody less experienced to save money, but it probably won't promise the safest results. It's a harsh truth, but when you invest money into fixing such important measures, you really need to hire the best people for the job. If you're able to do this, hopefully the results will be safe, long-lasting and you won't have to fork out for it again anytime soon.
Prevent Water Issues
Speaking from grim experience, I know that one of the worst issues you can experience in your home is a water disaster. Whether you have a small leak or a burst pipe, any kind of situation where water is somewhere it shouldn't be can lead to structural issues which can ultimately hinder the durability of your home as well as your safety (which is important!).
If you can, get regular water assessments throughout your home and if you ever do experience an issue then don't think twice about it: just hire a local plumber. Preferably one that comes highly recommended.
Maintain a Regular Cleaning Routine
I know that nobody wants to hear this, but the smartest way to maintain your home is to keep up a regular cleaning routine. I, personally, do not love cleaning. Plus I live with a Turkish man whose entire culture tells him cleaning is not for men (controversial - I know!). The result is that we often have a home that is pretty tidy, yes, but not always the cleanest.
We all know that a clean home is a more hygienic home, which will also boost your own and your family's health and safety. I try to maintaining a very simple weekly cleaning routine, which includes my boys, a healthy dose of pocket-money dangling plus shedloads of disinfectant and bleach. I'm determined that my lads will become better cleaners than their father and the other day I even caught my littlest lad whistling and singing whilst he scrubbed the shower tiles. Result!
Control Your Home’s Moisture Levels
You probably know that moisture can cause mould and mildew, which, left unattended, can lead to all kinds of structural and durability problems in your home.
It's a good idea to try to control your home's moisture levels so you can reduce this nasty risk. Having lived in a quite a few rental properties, I've picked up a few ways of doing this over the years, including adding air filters to different rooms, regularly opening doors and windows, and adding plants to each room that can help regulate the air (plus they look gorgeous!).
Remove any dust from high areas
Dusting is not on many people's wish list but we all have to do it sometimes. I mainly focus on lower-level stuff because it's much easier to reach and stops my arthritic back from giving me problems in the days that follow my cleaning outburst.
However, every now and then, I pull out all the stops and get the stepladders out. It is important to pay attention to the higher areas when you feel you've got the time and energy and there's a sense of satisfaction in knowing that you've got sparkling ceiling fans, tops of cupboards and lampshades. Removing dust from high areas will obviously help you on your way to a cleaner, healthier home, and will also make you feel like a total star cleaner meaning a lovely treat like chocolate or wine should be in order. At least, that's my method!
Different people respond differently to maintaining the cleanliness of their home and I've got friends who absolutely revel in it. However, until I become one of them, I'll keep roping my lads in, cleaning when I've got a spare minute and rewarding myself with lovely things. Hope you can too!
Go well,
Abi
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