The spring season brings us green grass, blooming flowers, chirping birds and warmer weather. In our homes, we usually get obsessed with “spring cleaning” by opening windows to release all the dust and dirt that built up, ridding out closets and drawers, and washing everything in its entirety. This is perfect time to organize a group of volunteers to spring clean your animal shelter as well. When planning a spring cleaning day, be sure to educate volunteers on the do’s and don’ts of cleaning as well as provide them with safe to use cleaners.
Dos and Don’ts of Spring Cleaning
1. Don’t do it all in one day. Trying to conquer all of the cleaning in one day will lead to stress and aggravation among volunteers and with any animals in your care. Instead create a 4 week plan that identifies the goals of the cleaning project. (i.e. shred unneeded paperwork, clean kennels, wash bedding, dust vents)
2. Always finish what you start. There is nothing worse than stopping a project in the middle of its completion. If you do not initially complete the project, you are less likely to return to it later. Make sure you schedule more time than you think it will take and always see it through until the end.
3. Remember the little things. Often times small projects or areas are overlooked but can carry the most dirt and dust. Be sure to remember things like vents and base boards when creating your cleaning plan.
4. Clean from top to bottom. If your project includes washing a room in its entirety, start with the ceiling corners, then the walls, countertops, baseboards and floor. This assures that you do not missing any areas and is the most efficient method of cleaning.
5. Don’t expose animals to harsh chemicals. If you need to clean the areas where the animals spend their time, be sure to use animal friendly products. Look for all natural cleaners when shopping at the store. Some household products you can use in your cleaning include alcohol, baking soda, borax, and white vinegar.
6. Don’t clean windows on a sunny day. We tend to think that cleaning windows on sunny days is best but that is not the case. The sun speeds up the drying process of the cleaner and causes streaks.
7. Don’t overuse cleaning products! Using too much cleaner on a surface can cause a sticky residue to be left behind. Make sure you use the called for amount on the back of the bottle to avoid having to redo your work later.
8. Do get rid of clutter. If there are boxes and piles of unused items sitting in the corners of your animal shelter, now is the best time to go through them and get rid of what is not needed. Cluttered spaces tend to be less appealing to potential adopters, visitors and volunteers.
9. Remember your computer. It is not just the physical building that needs cleaned out. Be sure to schedule a time to clean your computer as well by getting rid of unneeded files and documents on your desktop. Reorganize so items are easy to find and navigate to.
10. Don’t forget the shred. You collect a great deal of confidential data throughout the year. If you keep paper files currently, sit down and decide how long you want to keep those files. Set a time frame and then shred everything that does not fit within that time. This helps to prevent identity theft as well as security breaches in your animal shelter.
Cleaning is a necessary part of running an animal shelter and spring cleaning gives you and your volunteers the opportunity to do a deep cleaning of the shelter. Be sure to create a plan and recruit volunteers to tackle the tasks at hand. Your animal shelter will look more organized and clean and you will feel lighter with less mess to be stressed about.