In short
A summer cleaning checklist for New Jersey homes works from the top down: dust and wipe surfaces first, then upholstery, then carpet and rugs last. Entry rugs, sofas and mattresses take the most from humidity, pollen, sunscreen and foot traffic. Keep indoor air dry with the air conditioning, since dry air keeps soft surfaces fresh and helps them dry after cleaning.
Worth remembering
- Clean from the top down and finish with the floors, so dust does not settle on clean carpet.
- Entry rugs, hall carpet, sofas and mattresses take the most from summer.
- Check a sofa's cleaning code before treating sunscreen or sweat marks.
- Dry indoor air keeps soft surfaces fresh and helps them dry sooner after cleaning.
Work from the top down
Dust falls, so clean in the order it falls. Start with ceiling fans, shelves and surfaces, move to upholstery, curtains and cushions, and finish with carpet and rugs. If the floors go first, they need doing again once the dust settles. In summer, add the window tracks and screens, where pollen collects, and wash any curtains whose labels allow it.
Entry rugs and hall carpet
Open doors and open windows bring in pollen, sand and wet shoes, and the entry and the hall take the brunt. Shake out the mats, vacuum both sides of the entry rug and look at the underside for grit. Put a mat inside and outside every door in use, and leave shoes at the door. Sweep the threshold weekly, because that is where sand starts its trip across the house. If a rug has sat in sun all season, turn it so one side does not fade faster than the other.
Sofas and chairs
Summer leaves sunscreen, sweat and food on upholstery. Sunscreen and lotion are oily, and oil holds on to soil. Vacuum the sofa, take the cushion covers off if the tag allows it, and read the cleaning code before treating any mark. Blot spills at once and avoid soaking the fabric. A sofa that has had a busy season of wet swimsuits or shedding pets may be due for a professional cleaning before fall.
Mattresses and bedding
Hot, humid nights mean more sweat in the bedding and the mattress. Strip the bed, wash the sheets and the mattress protector, and let the mattress air for an hour with the window open on a dry day. Vacuum the surface slowly, and turn the mattress if the maker says it can be turned. A mattress should be completely dry before the bed is made, so run the air conditioning after any cleaning.
Keep humidity in check
Aim for indoor air that feels dry rather than clammy, around 45 percent relative humidity. Run the air conditioning or a dehumidifier and keep the windows closed on muggy days. Drier air stops a musty smell from forming in rugs and sofas and holds dust mites in check. Carpet is usually dry within a few hours after cleaning, though the fiber, the humidity and the airflow in the room can stretch or shorten that. Dry indoor air shortens the wait.
Booking the cleaning in one trip
If the carpet, the sofa and the mattress all need attention, ask for them in one quote, so that the planning happens once. A quote costs nothing and follows from the size, the fiber and the state of each item. We clean in homes and businesses across six New Jersey counties, from Bergen and Hudson down to Middlesex, and we are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Related service: Carpet cleaning in New Jersey.
Questions, answered
What should I clean first in a summer cleaning?
Start at the top with ceiling fans, shelves and surfaces. Then do upholstery and mattresses, and leave carpet and rugs for last. Dust settles downward, so the floors would need a second pass if you did them first.
Does humid weather make carpet take longer to dry after cleaning?
Yes. Damp summer air slows evaporation, so close the windows, run the air conditioning and set a fan to blow across the carpet. Open windows help only on days when the air outside is dry.