by Jaime Rodriguez, RDPFS Intern
For many people, spring is the time to deep clean your home, wash and pack up winter clothing and bedding for storage, and take out warmer weather wear. Completing these tasks when you have low vision can sometimes be daunting. Here are tips and tricks to accomplish spring cleaning with limited vision:
Before cleaning, gather your supplies, such as cleaning agents and rags or paper towels.
If making your own cleaning agents instead of using commercial products, here are two easy recipes:
For an all-purpose cleaner, use one part water, one part white vinegar, a half teaspoon of liquid dish soap, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil.*
For a window, glass, and mirror cleaner, use one part white vinegar, ten parts water, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil.*
Both cleaners are best stored in plastic or glass spray bottles.
Some non-visual cleaning techniques can make the tasks much easier:
When cleaning windows, glass, and mirrors, spray the cleaning agent directly onto your cleaning cloth to avoid liquid running down the glass surface. It also ensures that you don’t leave any cleaner on the glass.
When wiping down glass surfaces, use a Z pattern starting in the upper left-hand corner and working across to the right corner.
To clean non-glass surfaces, use a similar process, spraying the cloth directly, and use a two-handed technique to clean. One hand can inspect the area you’re cleaning, with the other wiping down the area. For more details and spring cleaning tips, read the Vision Aware article, “Spring Cleaning with Low Vision.”
*A Safety Tip for Households with Animals: Beware of Many Essential Oils: When using essential oils, please be aware that many are toxic to animals, even in small quantities. Please avoid using the following essential oils if you have working animals or pets in your home: citrus oil, clove oil, eucalyptus oil, melaleuca oil (tea tree oil), pennyroyal oil, pine oil, sweet birch oil, oil of wintergreen, ylang-ylang oil, or liquid potpourri. For more information about essential oils and animals, read The Pet Friendly House article, “Essential Oils and Dogs & Cats: Which Essential Oils Are Toxic to Pets?”
