ContentsView article sectionsClorox WarningSpring Cleaning Shopping ListEstimated Daiso Spring Cleaning BudgetCheck Your Window ScreensAir Out the HouseUse Damp Cleaning ToolsClean Your Washer DrumManage Seasonal MoldCheck and Clean Outlets and Extension CordsClean and Prepare DrainsClean Fan BladesClean or Replace FiltersCommon Appliances That Need Filters ChangedGet Your Air Conditioner ServicedWash and Store Winter BeddingClean Out Your ClosetAdditional ResourcesWith the arrival of spring comes spring cleaning! The chance to prepare your home for ultimate summer fun and comfort. This post talks about specific cleaning tasks that help you get into the flow of life in Korea and makes managing your home a little easier. If you don’t do the following things, life may feel hard and gross pretty fast. Clorox Warning WARNING: The following combinations can cause death Since many people moving to Korea may be living on their own for the first time, we want to begin the Spring Cleaning with a warning. Be VERY careful when cleaning with Clorox. You can kill yourself or your pets. We have met numerous young people who became sick mixing these Clorox in these ways while cleaning mold or pet messes. Spring Cleaning Shopping List Before you start your spring cleaning you need to have your cleaning items on hand. Much of what we recommend on this list can be found at Daiso or a Korean neighborhood house supply store. After 12 spring cleaning sessions, here is what we have on hand: Below you will see a visual shopping list that we have prepared to help you find the items listed in the shopping list above. You can match the number of the photo below to the English item/explanation above. Estimated Daiso Spring Cleaning Budget If this is your first time setting up for spring cleaning and you plan to go to Daiso, you should budget about 50,000 KRW to get everything you need. It’s likely going to be less than this if you stick to the basics, but make that the budget to make sure you aren’t tempted to skimp. Check Your Window Screens The first thing you want to do is check your window screens for holes and tears. Warm weather brings out the bugs and you don’t want to have holes in your window screens when you clean. If you do find a flaw in your screens, you can find patching kits at Daiso, Emart, Homeplus, and other home stores across Korea. Do NOT skip this very important part of making sure you are ready for summer. The tape for fixing window screens might look different depending on the manufacturer. Look at Image 5 in the shopping list to see how they look at Daiso. Air Out the House If it’s not a fine dust day, keep your windows open! You can use an air quality app to help you plan for the best days and times for filling your home with beautiful spring air. Airing out the house is important for several reasons. First, it can help improve indoor air quality by removing pollutants, allergens, and other harmful substances from the home. Second, it can reduce the risk of mold and mildew growth by increasing ventilation and reducing humidity levels. Third, it can help eliminate unpleasant odors, such as cooking smells or pet odors, and create a more pleasant living environment. Finally, airing out the house can help circulate fresh air, which can be beneficial for respiratory health and overall well-being. Use Damp Cleaning Tools For surfaces, use a damp cloth or microfiber cloth to prevent the particles from becoming airborne. Dust and dirt can accumulate on floors, countertops, and other surfaces, so it’s important to clean them regularly. Since South Korea has a fine dust problem, you want to take this seriously when doing your spring cleaning. Make sure you do all you can to keep dust from rising into the air while you clean. For floors, use a dry and wet Swiffer to trap the dust before you use a broom or vacuum. You want to avoid sweeping and vacuuming for your first run across the floors in order to pick up as much fine dust as possible. Clean Your Washer Drum Do NOT skip cleaning your washer drum. You will buy Item 10 세탁조 크리노 on the shopping list, dump the entire thing into your wash machine, and then run a full wash cycle with nothing in the machine. Such a process deep cleans your washer to help remove the odor-causing residues and grime that can form in machines over time. Do this at the beginning of the day BEFORE you wash your winter blankets and clothes to store for the summer. Manage Seasonal Mold Korean homes have the most mold issues in spring and fall when homes transition from heat to AC. A big part of spring cleaning in Korea involves keeping mold from spreading in your home. During this time you need to make sure no mold has grown in places that you may not think to look such as: Leave no furniture, dark corners, damp places, or piles of things unturned. You need to inspect everything and add dehumidifying tools as needed. You can read the South of Seoul post about managing mold in Korean homes. Keep in mind, mold can also grow on furniture, especially particle board furniture. This means you may need to look at the back of your mirrors, dressers, etc. This means that just because you don’t see mold on a wall doesn’t mean it’s not on the back of the furniture against the wall. Check it all very carefully. This is also the time to treat your bathroom grout and calk with mold treatment like the one from Daiso pictured in Image 3 of the visual shopping list. Check and Clean Outlets and Extension Cords Korean homes require an over-reliance on extension cords. Overuse of extension cords coupled with dust, animals, and everyday life can create serious fire risks that can and HAVE killed people. Everyone should prioritize inspecting … Continue reading Spring Cleaning in Korea