Let me introduce myself. My name is Ray Hinsley and I am a Greater Houston home inspector. I actually have a home inspection company with many home inspectors serving the Houston area. Since founding Texan Inspection in 2003, I have seen everything you can imagine while inspecting the area homes. As a result, I am starting a new series titled “Expert Houston Home Inspector Tips” to promote better home maintenance and salability. Let’s start with a basic topic, Spring Cleaning.

Spring Cleaning in January

Most people talk of a “spring cleaning” but I have found that January after the busy holiday season is a great time to organize and deep clean your home. Tackling these items in January will give you a great feeling of starting the New Year off on the right foot.

Throughout the year, you have probably accumulated lots of additional “stuff” in your attic. Now is the time to organize and either donate or throw out items that you will never use again. Storing items in clear containers allows you to quickly identify items in a box.

I find the best way of accomplishing the deep cleaning is going room by room and cleaning every surface in each room. Everything from shelves to baseboards should be wiped clean.

Once you arrive at the kitchen, all appliances should be cleaned really well. We spend many hours each year in our kitchen so the stove, range and other appliance are due to be cleaned thoroughly including oven racks and under the hood.

Sink Cleaning Tips

One area of the kitchen that we often skip over that probably needs a deep clean the most is our kitchen sink and disposal. Since we use the sink daily to prepare food, it is important that we do much more than just spray it down with water. Germs, odors, and stains can quickly become problems. There is a detailed process which we can follow to clean and sanitize.

Here’s a list of items to help with the cleaning process:

  • Liquid dishwashing soap
  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Baking soda
  • Old toothbrush
  • Soft sponge

First, thoroughly scrub and rinse the sink.

Expert Home Inspector Tips

Disposal Cleaning Tips

Your disposal is also an item in your kitchen that gets lots of use and not much attention. It is very important that you take extra precaution while cleaning your disposal because of the obvious dangers.

You will need the following items:

  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Baking soda
  • Boiling water
  • Ice
  • Sea salt
  • Lemon (or lime)

Expert Home Inspector Tips

Congratulations, you are now ready to prepare many more great meals in a clean, fresh food prep area.

As I mentioned previously, having done home inspections throughout the Greater Houston area since 2003, I can tell you that deep cleaning your home on a regular basis will help keep the home in good condition and with less odors, stains and generally less deterioration. Then, when the time comes to sell your home, and home inspector shows up for the inspection, you will be able to relax knowing you have made efforts to maintain the home.

If you have a home inspection need anywhere in the Greater Houston area, please consider Texan Home Inspection. You can CLICK HERE and schedule a home inspection with one of our expert home inspectors in less than 5 minutes, or contact us today, 281-342-5762.