Your Guide to Spring Cleaning


With all the rain we have had lately, it seems the “April showers bring May flowers” adage is a month late. All the rain we experienced this month, has lead to some beautiful early bloom flowers and tree buds.

Due to all the blooming flowers, Spring often signifies new beginnings, growth and a shedding of the old. Which is possibly why many people find the arrival of Spring to be a good time for an annual deep cleaning and de-cluttering event; Spring Cleaning to be exact.

Spring cleaning is a great way to increase the quality of life, safety and well-being of your elderly loved one, while reducing their risk of experiencing a fall or fall-related injury. However, it is strenuous and often too difficult for an elderly loved one to tackle on their own.

The following Spring cleaning tips will help you get the most out of your annual spring clean and de-clutter.

The Game Plan

Behind every successful victory, is a well-laid out and strategic game plan. Spring cleaning is no different. Start by enlisting the help of family and friends. The more, the merrier and the faster it will go. Once you have your crew and a date/time that will work for everybody, start writing down a list of everything you want to accomplish during your Spring Cleaning. If you are having trouble figuring out where to start, we have started a Pinterest board to help.

The Dirty Details

When people think of Spring Cleaning, they often associate it with outdoor chores, cleaning out attic spaces and weeding of flower beds. While these are all important aspects of Spring Cleaning, there are some additional chores that often get overlooked including cleaning out the fridge, pantry and medicine cabinets.

You will want to check all food and perishables to ensure they are within a safe range of the expiration date. In addition, check dry foods such as cereal, noodles, rice, flour and sugar. These foods can attract mice and insects that are looking for easy food during the winter. Finally, check the medicine cabinet for expired medicines or prescriptions that need to be refilled.

The Clutter Bug

If you are into garage sales, you are probably already aware that Spring and Summer coincide with garage sale season. These sales are often an outcome of the annual Spring Clean. Reducing clutter in your elderly loved one’s house will help reduce their risk of experiencing a fall or fall-related injury. Some good areas to focus on during the de-cluttering aspect of the clean are all walkways, staircases and common areas such as the living room, bedrooms and bathrooms.

Annual Maintenance

Winter storms can wreak havoc on a house. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to look your elderly loved one’s house over from top to bottom and fix anything and everything that needs to be taken care of. Check for loose boards and flooring, loose grab bars, missing shingles and siding, etc. In addition to general maintenance, Spring Cleaning is also a great time to replace the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, check light bulbs and change water/air filters in the house.

Spring Cleaning is a great time to consider installing SmartCells fall protection mats and flooring.

SmartCells Fall Protection products are the perfect safety solution to minimize your elderly loved one’s risk of experiencing a fall or fall-related injury.

The unique SmartCells dual-stiffness technology provides stability for balance impaired persons and care givers, while at the same time providing life-saving cushioning to protect our loved ones when they fall.

SmartCells Fall Protection mats combine effectiveness with style and quality, including features like a low profile height (1/2”) and molded-in beveled edges which reduce tripping hazards and allow most wheeled objects to roll over the mat, without needing to move it out of the way.

SmartCells Fall Protection mats are available in a variety of colors (Black, Light Brown, and Grey) and configurations ranging from pre-sized mats (3×5 and 24×68) to build-your-own mats to fit custom-sized areas.

SmartCells Fall Protection mats and flooring are made of latex-free rubber that will not absorb liquids, which reduces the risk of contamination and infection and allows them to be easily cleaned. Independent testing, using widely accepted protocols (ATSM F355 – 10a) indicates that SmartCells cushioning technology is 2 – 4 times more effective at attenuating impact forces than other products that are nearly twice as thick.

SmartCells Fall Protection: We’ll be there when you can’t be.