Obviously, some house cleaning tasks you can do on your own. For instance, washing your curtains is something you can do. You take the draperies down and, unless they are an unusual fabric, toss them into the washing machine to clean them. Pressure washing your home, on the other hand, may be something you want to leave to the professionals.

What You Can Do Yourself and What to Hire Out

Carpets: Vacuuming your carpet will go a long way to cut down on dust and dirt in your home. You can also rent a carpet cleaner and do that job on your own, however it may be more than you may want to tackle. Since professional carpet cleaners already have the knowledge and equipment, this may be a task to let them do.

Hardwood flooring: Mopping the floor is an easy enough task, but when the floor looks worse for the wear, it may be time to have the hardwood flooring refinished. Refinishing a floor is time consuming and can cause back injuries from all the bending over. You can have a professional refinish the floor to ensure the floor looks great and know that your floor is safe.

Windows: It is relatively easy to clean the insides of the windows because you can reach them. What do you do about the outside of the windows? Clean those with a hose and cleaner but it may damage the windows in the process. A professional cleaning service will clean the windows without damaging them. You do not have to use a window washer often, but it can help when you want an extra sparkle to your windows.

Upholstery: Do you have children or pets? If you do, chances are you have dirt and stains on your upholstered furniture. You can do spot cleaning to take care of small spills, but what do you do when the soil is deep? How do you handle the stains on the arms of the chair or across the headrest? A professional cleaner will get the upholstered furniture clean in much less time than you might imagine.

Air ducts: Air quality may or may not be a health issue, but having clean ducts may help reduce allergies. An air filter will remove most dust and allergens, however having the air ducts cleaned by a professional will ensure the ducts are clean and there is no damage to the duct system.

Chimneys: If you have a fireplace or wood stove, it is possible there is a creosote build-up in the chimney. This is one household task you will want to leave to the professionals. A chimney sweep can ensure the chimney is clean and your home safe.

Pests: Ants or other social insects can also be a problem in your home. You may be able to get rid of the ants, but what about bees or wasps. You may be tempted to try to resolve the issue on your own with store-bought chemicals, however these insects can be dangerous if they swarm and you or a family member get stung. A professional beekeeper will have the correct equipment that will protect them. They will also know how to get rid of wasps from around your home.

Mold: If there is any moisture in your home, you may also have a problem with mold. Household mold can be dangerous to your entire family’s health. You may be able to remove the moisture on a mirror or shower stall, but mold can develop up to 10 square feet away from the moisture.

Black or greenish-black mold is especially dangerous. If you find this type of mold, call a professional mold cleaner as soon as you can. The professional will come into the home, examine the area where you found the mold, inspect the rest of the home to ensure the mold has not spread to other areas, clean it up and then ensure it will not come back.

Now you know which household tasks are safe for you to do, you also know which ones are better to leave to professionals. It is best to have your spring cleaning planned out so you can be at home when the professionals you hire are present.

Members to ListPlanIt will find the lists they need to put their home in order in Home Management.  Not yet a member?  Join today and get your home and family organized.