Garage Spring Cleaning

While your garage may be one of the lowest maintenance areas of your home, it does require some love, care, and attention every once in awhile. After a long fall and winter, your garage is likely in need of some spring cleaning. Interior and exterior cleaning can help make your garage more usable and help preserve the value of your home. Here is a list of a few common areas that require attention during spring garage cleaning.

Interior Cleaning and Organizing

You might be surprised to learn that 5 percent of homeowners with a two-car garage are unable to park one or both cars within the space. Why? All year long, most of us use our garages as a catchall. Instead of throwing things away, they somehow get relocated to the garage. Depending on how messy your garage has become, you may feel cleaning and organizing is impossible. Do not be discouraged. It may take a weekend or two, but you can get there. Follow these steps:

1. Declutter: Depending on the work ahead of you, this project may take a day, a weekend, or longer. Encourage your family to help. Start sorting everything within your garage into four piles – donate, sell, toss, and keep. If the garage is too cluttered to start sorting, pull everything out and sort in the driveway. If you have not used the item within the past year, it is likely time to get rid of it. Take quality items to donation centers, or consider having a yard sale. Recycle anything that can be reused, and toss the rest.
2. Clean: With all of the contents of your garage pulled outside, or at least sorted into piles, now is the perfect time to do some interior cleaning. Use a broom to sweep the floor of your garage, and be sure to knock down any cobwebs hanging from the ceiling. Wipe all of the surfaces in your garage with a cleaning product or a simple damp rag. If needed, power wash the floor, or consider hiring a professional to treat your floors with an epoxy coat to keep them cleaner and shinier in the future. Now is also a great time to spray for pests if needed. While most modern garage doors are self-lubricated, older models may require lubrication with a silicone spray.
3. Organize: Once everything is sorted, it is time to organize. First, review how much space you have available in your garage. If you find you do not have enough room to store everything, go back and toss more, or consider other storage options. Overhead storage, shelving units, slot walls, and other storage solutions can provide nice additional space. Once you have determined how much space you have available, start organizing. Consider storing items of a similar purpose together. For example, create a space where all of your auto care items will live. Create another space for gardening tools, your workshop, etc. Frequently used items should be stored within easy access, while items that get used only a few times a year or less, holiday decorations for example, can be stored in harder to reach places.

Exterior Projects

The exterior work your garage needs depends on its condition. Major damage may require the help of a professional, but you can do some exterior work yourself as well. Follow this checklist:

1. Examine the roof of your garage. Remove any branches hanging close to the roof of your garage, and clear off any debris left behind from winter. Look for broken, cracked, or missing shingles. A garage expert may be needed if serious roof repair is necessary.
2. Clean out your rain gutters and downspouts, ensuring that water flows properly off of your roof and away from your structure.
3. Look for any weeds, shrubs, or other vegetation encroaching on your garage and remove them. Plants can provide great pathways for insects to enter your garage, and can also cause rot, mold, and mildew.
4. The siding of your garage can be washed using water and mild soap if needed.

Blue Sky Builders, Inc. Can Help

Whether you are doing some simple spring cleaning, or looking to rebuild or remodel your garage, the specialists at Blue Sky Builders, Inc. are here to help. Spring is a perfect time to get the garage of your dreams. Call 630-852-8485 or visit Blue Sky Builders, Inc. online to learn more today.