Spring cleaning is for renters, too

I couldn't have been the only person in Northwest Ohio yesterday who unsealed the corners of winter's heavy plastic window coverings to invite the sun and fresh air into my apartment for the first time in months.

After all, it was 73 degrees outside. Who could resist opening the windows?

I might be one of few people who actually took down her blinds and soaked them in the tub with a bit of dish soap, though.

I'm no fastidious freak, believe me. The crumbs and dust hiding in my keyboard are evidence of that. But the fresh air was inspiring and my thoughts turned to spring cleaning.

Why, you might ask, would a renter bother to do spring cleaning? You don't own the property so why do you care?

Well, aside from the obvious reason of personal pride in your living space -- which I realize might not, you know, "do it" for you -- there are practical reasons, too.

At some point, you will move out of your rental apartment or house and hope to get all or part of your security deposit back. And take it from me, four years worth of baked-on oven drippings does not a fun cleaning task make. Neither do the two inches of vacuum-resistant dust that suddenly appear on your carpet from behind your couch, desk and bookshelves when you remove them and other furniture on move-out day.

And about that dust -- if you're allergy-prone, like me, allowing it to accumulate does nothing good for sneezing and watery eyes. The mold in your bathroom and kitchen isn't helping either. Nor is the cat hair stuck to your couch cushions.

But enough of making my case.

Ready to take on the task of spring cleaning, I went searching online for a project list to plan this season's attack on household grime and clutter. The thought of cleaning one's house or apartment top-to-bottom is a bit overwhelming, and it's hard to stay motivated if you try to do it all in one swipe.

What I found was a very well organized checklist for a Complete Spring Cleaning at About.com. The checklist is divided by rooms, which will allow you spread your spring cleaning out over several weeks if you choose. It also includes time-saving tricks and tips to get your family (or roommates) on board.

Some of my other thoughts on spring cleaning:

- Rubber gloves are for wussies.
- The Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, manufactured by Proctor & Gamble, should get its own holiday.
- You don't necessarily need a lot of special formula and pricey products to clean your house or apartment. Vinegar, baking soda and bleach are inexpensive deodorizers and stain-fighters.

Happy cleaning, fellow renters.