The ultimate home security spring cleaning guide

Longer days mean it’s that time of year - spring cleaning time! If you’re about to plan your annual spring cleaning, then we’ve got you covered. By thoroughly inspecting your home for any security risks, alongside your decluttering tasks, you can ensure safety in the place you call home. So aside from covering the usual spring cleaning spots in your home, we’ll dive into why spring cleaning your home security is super important too.

In this guide:

1. Why spring clean your home for safety and security?

2. Home security spring cleaning tips

3. Top home spring cleaning safety tips

4. The ultimate spring cleaning checklist

Why spring clean your home for safety and security?

It’s always a good idea to conduct an annual spring clean. Not only is it good for the mind and soul, but it can help you spot vulnerable areas within your space that could be reinforced with home security measures. Here are some of the many reasons why you should do a spring clean, as well as its benefits for home security:

1. It reduces unnecessary clutter

We naturally accumulate things we don’t need throughout our lives. By having a yearly spring clean, we can dive deeper into our drawers and cupboards where unwanted or unnecessary items are taking up valuable space. Plus, less clutter could mean fewer things falling off shelves, trip hazards or items collapsing on you.

2. It helps deter burglars

Have you noticed your trinkets, keys or other valuables are in plain sight of a window? A spring clean may make you think twice about where you place your precious possessions. 

3. You can find fire safety hazards

Found an overloaded socket, frayed TV wire or cluttered radiator? These are common fire hazards which can devastate your home. You can help prevent fire hazards by identifying areas where fires can occur and taking the necessary precautions to improve home safety by replacing equipment and removing the hazard as a whole. 

4. Reminds you to check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

Spring cleaning is a great time to test all of your smoke detectors. If you want to protect your Airbnb property, or you rent out a property to tenants, governmental Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations state you must have at least one smoke alarm installed on each storey of your property where there is a room used as living accommodation.

5. Improve the air quality in your home

By having a spring declutter, you can remove areas where dust is likely to accumulate, meaning fewer respiratory hazards and allergens. You can even make room to place plants to increase the quality of air in your home.

Home security spring cleaning tips

The thought of spring cleaning your home can be daunting, but with our practical tips, we’ll show you how easy it is. Here’s how to spruce up your home indoors and outdoors, alongside tips on home security spring cleaning too.

Indoor home security spring cleaning

1. Check all locks in your home

Anything that can lock, like windows and doors, needs to be regularly inspected. This is so you can check the locks work as intended - to keep you and your home safe. If any are showing signs of wear or aren’t working properly, get them replaced as soon as possible.

2. Test your home security system

During your spring clean, if you have a home security system installed, it’s a good idea to test if it’s working properly. Run through the various ways it can be triggered to ensure it works and replace batteries where needed. The same applies to smoke detectors too, which you must ensure are up-to-date and complicit by law.

If you don’t have other home security devices in place alongside smoke detectors, these are worth investing in, particularly as a crime in the UK can vary from place to place. Bespoke home security can be tailored to vulnerable areas in your home, as well as any additional security you feel your home needs.

3. Clean your home security systems properly

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t douse electronics in water or cleaning solutions, but it is important to keep your home security systems clean and maintained. For any indoor security systems, go over any lenses, sensors and detectors with a duster or microfibre cloth (the latter is useful for outdoor systems). 

4. Shred old documents

Shredding old documents can rid your home of sensitive information that could fall into the wrong hands. Plus, shredding can be quite thrilling! If you don’t have a shredder, grab some scissors and cut up any sensitive information on your documents into fine pieces.

Outdoor home security spring cleaning

1. Walk up to your front door

When you walk up to your home - can you see any vulnerabilities? Installing a video doorbell can provide an extra layer of security by allowing you to see who is at your door before answering it. Typically, a video doorbell connects to an app on your phone so you can see who’s at the front of your door, wherever you are. It’s a great way to check if the postman has arrived, or if an uninvited guest is making themselves known.

2. Check exterior lights turn on

Porch light security can be a fantastic burglar deterrent. If you have a motion sensor light placed outside your home, make sure it still works. Replace the bulb or inspect the wiring if you suspect any issues. If it’s functional, but you want to add another layer of security inside your home, consider installing motion sensors in different rooms for peace of mind.

3. Consider extra foliage

If you have a front and/or back garden, plants can be used as barriers to deter burglars. Such plants include Holly - as you can imagine, its prickly edges are enough to put off an attempt to climb over. There are many plants you can incorporate into your garden security plan, such as Hawthorn and Firethorn too. It goes without saying that an outdoor security system should be strategically placed, particularly if there are blindspots caused by taller plants and hedges.

4. Secure your garden

Check your garden gate and fencing for any holes people could look through. Back door handles and locks may also have a tendency to rust, so ensure these are replaced and maintained if they don’t look secure.

By following each of these home security spring cleaning tips, you can ensure the indoor and outdoor safety of your home.

Top home spring cleaning safety tips

A spring clean (or any clean for that matter) may cause injuries if you aren’t capable. Here are some spring cleaning safety tips, especially around electronics and using harsh cleaning agents.

1. Check for flooding hazards

You can help prevent your home from flooding hazards by installing a water sensor. They’re especially useful if you live in an area prone to flooding or think may be susceptible to water damage. In addition to this, consider contracting someone to seal any cracks in walls, ceilings, doors and windows.

2. Ventilate the area you’re cleaning

Whilst you spring clean your home, it’s a good idea to keep the areas you’re cleaning well-ventilated. This is super important if you’re using chemicals like bleach. Ventilate the area you’re cleaning by opening windows and doors if needed. Be especially careful not to leave them open when you aren’t around, though.

3. Wear gloves

Again, if you are working with harsh chemicals like bleach, you could wear gloves to protect your hands. Be sure to wear clothing and footwear that fully covers your skin, or that you are worried about damaging, should there be any accidental splashes or spills.

4. Don’t forget to clean light fixtures

Did you know dust on a lightbulb or fixture could lead to a fire? We’re not trying to alarm you - we simply want to warn you about a very real problem that could arise without a deep and thorough spring clean! Bulb fixtures, ceiling fans, switches, chandeliers and lamp shades are examples of things to clean this spring.

The ultimate spring clean checklist

Not sure where to start with your own spring clean checklist? Here is an ultimate spring cleaning checklist to help you tackle all areas of your home:

Exterior home cleaning

1. Exterior windows

2. Gutters

3. Patios and decking

4. Outdoor furniture

5. Barbeque

6. Braziers/fire pits

7. Garage

8. Walkways

9. Driveways

10. Foliage (bushes, hedges, trees etc.)

Kitchen

1. Pantry, cupboards, drawers and other storage methods

2. Sinks

3. Fridge

4. Freezer

5. Stoves

6. Extractor fans

7. Interior and exterior of ovens

8. Washing machine

9. Dishwasher

10. Small appliances (kettles, toasters, coffee makers)

11. Kitchen tables and chairs

12. Windows

13. Ventilation

Living Room

1. Carpets, hard flooring and/or rugs

2. Under sofa seating cushions, plus exterior

3. Sofa cushions

4. Side tables

5. TV stands

6. TV

7. Consoles

8. Speakers

9. Blinds

10. Curtains

11. Storage units and shelving

12. Windows

13. Fireplace

Bedrooms

1. Duvets, sheets and pillowcases

2. Cushions

3. Carpets, hard flooring and/or rugs

4. Surfaces

5. Wardrobes, drawers and other storage

6. Side tables

7. Lamps

8. Consoles

9. Desk

10. Desk chair

11. Computers and laptops

12. Blinds or curtains

13. Mirrors

14. Windows

Bathrooms

1. Toilet

2. Bathtub

3. Shower

4. Sink

5. Mirrors

6. Windows

7. Blinds or curtains

8. Grout and tiles

9. Toiletry storage

10. Empty toiletries

11. Ventilation

Home security

1. Porch lights

2. Video doorbell

3. Motion sensors

4. Flood sensors

5. Outdoor Cameras

6. Indoor security system

7. Smoke detectors

8. Camera and/or sensor mounts

9. Lightbulbs

10. Light fixtures

11. Light switches

We hope our tips on home security spring cleaning, as well as general spring cleaning tips, help make your annual deep clean a walk in the park. If you’re considering a home security system, contact SimpliSafe for more information. If you already have home security fixtures from us, check out the SimpliSafe help centre to get more out of our home security devices.