Spring is officially here, and many of us are ready to blow away the cobwebs and give our homes a refresh. Your spring cleaning may already be in full swing, but the top home maintenance tasks for April are what we should be prioritising next, according to home experts.
Hopefully you've already had the chance to tick off some of the jobs on your spring cleaning checklist and completed the home maintenance jobs for March. As we move in to April, it's time to shift our attention to areas of the home we probably haven't looked at for a good few months, and get everything ready for the warmer months ahead.
April is a sweet spot where the weather is generally cooperating, but there's still some time before higher temperatures hit. With that in mind, a lot of the maintenance tasks to prioritise this month involve getting our homes ready for the rest of spring and summer, which we'll no doubt be grateful for down the line.
1. Refresh your upholstery
Top of the list of home maintenance tasks for April is to give your upholstery a refresh. Lee Tretheway, General Manager at Sustainable Furniture, points out that you sofa and cushions are likely to need some TLC after being used over the colder months.
'After months of indoor use throughout the winter, the likes of sofas, cushions, and curtains will probably need a clean. Now is a great time to vacuum fabric upholstery, spot clean stains, and consider opting for professional cleaning for any larger items.'
Fortunately, you can clean curtains without taking them down using a steam cleaner. I use the Tefal Pure POP Steam Cleaner, which not only helps creases drop, but leaves my curtains feeling much fresher afterwards.
And to give your sofa a refresh, you can vacuum it using a soft-brush attachment head (any of the best cordless vacuums will do the job perfectly). 'Regular vacuuming is vital to keep your sofa in top condition,' Jennie Mijailovic, Head of Buying at DUSK says. 'This will help remove any debris and dirt that have found their way onto your sofa and will also prevent dust, allergens, or odours building up during the warmer months.'
2. Clean garden furniture
April is the ideal time to clean your garden furniture so it's ready to be used during the spring and summer months. We've already had sunshine this year, so fingers crossed that there'll be plenty more where that came from. Ahead of any heatwaves (which have been known to happen in May), now is the time to refresh your garden furniture and bring it back to life after the winter months.
'If your garden furniture needs oiling, staining or protecting, now is also a good time to do this,' Lee advises. 'Make sure you clean your garden furniture properly so as not to damage it in any way, and always leave your garden furniture to dry thoroughly before it's used.'
There are some easy tricks to make your outdoor furniture look new again, but our top tip is to use natural cleaners where possible. Whether you're cleaning metal garden furniture, wooden, or rattan garden furniture, reach for distilled white vinegar and a soft brush like the £5 one from Amazon or cloth in the first instance. These will refresh the furniture without causing any damage.
If you're cleaning furniture with a glass table, you might want to get some of the Purdy & Figg Microfiber Cleaning and Multipurpose Polishing Cloths - they're perfect for adding shine.
Marigold's range of cleaning gloves are bestsellers for a reason. The brand recently released their Extra Tough Outdoor Gloves which are perfect for protecting your hands while doing cleaning jobs in the garden.
I recently stocked up on Miniml's White Vinegar - I get through it quickly because it comes in handy for so many different jobs including cleaning garden furniture.
Another one from Marigold, the Flexi Microfibre Cloths make cleaning tasks much easier because they're double-sided, so they can be used to both clean and dry.
3. Check the plumbing
To keep your house in tip-top shape during the warmer months, plumbing maintenance is essential. Obviously, a lot of plumbing jobs aren't home repairs you can DIY, but you can definitely carry out a few checks to make sure there aren't any problems bubbling up under the surface.
'April is the ideal month to check the plumbing for possible leaks or other problems that may have developed during the winter,' Alex Atkinson, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning expert Super Brothers advises. 'I always advise homeowners to check underneath sinks, behind toilets, and around appliances like the dishwasher and washing machine for any evidence of water damage or mould.'
There could be several reasons why your washing machine is leaking if this is something you've noticed, including a loose hose, clogged filter, or a damaged seal. If the problem seems too tricky to fix yourself, it's best to call a professional - and the same goes for any other plumbing issues you spot around the house.
'One important maintenance job people can do themselves is to flush the water heater,' Alex adds. 'Flushing it will clear out any sediment from the inside, which if left unattended will lead to decreased efficiency and a shorter life for the water heater. To do this, simply connect a garden hose to the drain valve and direct it into a safe drainage area, and flush until the water runs clear to flush the tank.'
4. Refresh your bedding
In April, we recommend focusing on giving your bedding a refresh. Creating good sleep hygiene is essential for your sleep, and there's every likelihood that your duvet, pillows, and mattress are crying out for some TLC after the winter months.
'A spring clean is the perfect time to go one level deeper than cleaning your sheets – instead focusing on the mattress, duvet, mattress protector and pillows themselves,' Chris Tattersall, Managing Director at Woolroom says. 'It takes just six weeks for house dust mites to completely colonise synthetic or feather bedding if left unwashed at a high temperature, so washing your duvet and mattress topper is essential at this time of year.'
Always check the care label first, but many duvets can go in the washing machine, and be tumbled dried as well. To clean your mattress, we recommend sprinkling some baking soda over the surface and letting it air out for a few hours, before vacuuming it up. This will naturally deodorise your mattress and leave it feeling fresh.
And if there's any sunny days in April, take advantage by popping your duvet, pillows, and mattress topper outside. It's a really easy way to freshen everything up.
5. Declutter the kitchen
Now is the time to give your kitchen a cleanout ahead of the summer months. A clean and tidy kitchen will make any hosting duties feel much easier.
The ultimate kitchen spring cleaning checklist is a good place to start, but decluttering the kitchen before you clean will make the world of difference to the process. Go through each cabinet and drawer, one by one, and decide if you really need all the items you're currently storing (if you struggle with making quick decisions, the one-touch decluttering method could be your new best friend here).
Now is also a good time to rethink how your kitchen is configured, as B&Q's Head of Decor, Gill Baker points out. 'Bear in mind how your kitchen is laid out; a handy tip is placing your kettle and mugs near the sink, and your chopping boards and toaster near your bins to easily sweep any breadcrumbs away.'
You might finding investing in some new kitchen storage ideas helps too. 'Wall organisers are a great way to keep your utensil tidy, and you can use S-shaped hooks to hang anything from serving spoons to spare pans from the walls for a trendy, retro farmhouse look,' Gill suggests.
Make the most of unused space in your kitchen cupboards with these door storage containers.
A simple kitchen storage hack is to use S-shaped hooks to store utensils on the walls.
I love OXO's storage solutions for both their quality and practicality. The Good Grips Kitchen Utensil Drawer Organiser has utensil caddies and a larger area for awkward items like tin openers.
6. Repair (and repaint) garden fencing
There's plenty of gardening jobs to do in April that will keep us busy, and aside from knowing what to prune this month, a good use of our time is to give our garden fencing some TLC.
'During the winter months, your garden fences have likely taken quite a hit from strong winds, snow and rain,' Lee Tretheway says. 'Now is a great time to do any repairs to your fencing, as it's unlikely we'll get any more snow and temperatures are likely to increase, which makes fence repair a more enjoyable job.'
Fixing a garden fence can be a DIY job if it's a minor task like replacing a board or the arris rails. But if it's a major job - say if a whole section of your fence has been uprooted - this is best left to the pros.
Once the fence has been mended, why not give it a fresh lick of paint to get it ready for the warmer months. 'Giving the shed, fence or walls a fresh brush of paint is a great job to do at this time of year,' Morris Hankinson, director of Hopes Grove Nurseries agrees. 'By doing this now everything will look fresh before your plants grow bigger and you either can’t get to the area to paint, or you have other jobs to be doing in the garden.'
B&Q are your best bet when it comes to getting what you need for fence repairs. If the post needs replacing, we recommend this natural wood post, which has been pressure treated to extend its lifetime and protect against future rotting.
Johnstone's Woodcare range is highly recommended, designed to weather all conditions and last for up to four years.
This brush comes highly recommended, with a 4.5 star rating out of over 2,800 reviews. The thick brush head will allow you to paint the fence quickly, and it's made 100% synthetic filaments to give a super smooth paint delivery.
7. Clean the bins
Last on the list of home maintenance tasks for April is a job we'd all rather skip, but shouldn't. As temperatures start to warm up, bins - both in the house and outside - can become the source of unpleasant odours. Now is the time to deep clean all the bins to avoid attracting unwanted pests as well.
'Even with bin liners, spills and crumbs can build up over time, creating the perfect breeding ground for bacteria - which is the source of those nasty smells,' say the cleaning experts at method. 'Fortunately, it only takes a few minutes to rinse your bin with hot soapy water, followed by a spritz of your favourite anti-bacterial cleaner.'
Once you've given the bins a good clean, let them air dry - outside if possible - for a couple of hours before putting a new bin liner in. You can also try some of the tips that will stop your bin from smelling in the heat, too.
'A simple sprinkle of baking soda can work wonders for eliminating smelly odours,' method's cleaning experts advise. 'It's a natural odour-absorber that helps neutralise nasty smells before they have a chance to escape. Just add a light dusting to the bottom of your bin before placing in a new liner.'
Stock up on your spring cleaning supplies with this bundle from method. Including a floor, glass, kitchen and bathroom cleaner, plus an antibacterial spray, it covers pretty much everything you'd need to clean your home
A cleaning caddy is a must for getting through your cleaning chores. Keep everything you need in one place and carry it round the house, to save you going back and forth getting various supplies.
Bin Buddy is a guaranteed way to stop your bins from smelling bad. There's plenty of scents to choose from, but the Spring Blossom version seems apt for this time of year. The powder also soaks up liquids that can gather at the bottom of your bin, making the job of cleaning the bins much easier.
FAQs
What is a maintenance checklist?
A maintenance checklist is a way to organise all of your home maintenance tasks. It's helpful to create a checklist for each month, and plan your chores according to the time of year. Different things need prioritising in line with the seasons, and a checklist will help you keep on track.
'A maintenance checklist should include a month-by-month plan of the tasks that need completing - ideally ordered by the most appropriate month to complete them and the urgency of the job,' agrees Andy Simms, multi-trader from MyBuilder.com.
How do I organise my home maintenance?
The best way to organise home maintenance tasks is to think about what needs needs prioritising each month.
'For example, boilers should always be serviced before winter, so pop that into August or September so it's sorted,' Andy says. 'And garden maintenance is often best started in spring, so you can take advantage of the longer daylight hours and have a lovely garden ahead of the warmer weather.'
You'll notice that the home maintenance tasks for April correspond with the weather getting warmer, which brings new priorities like getting the garden furniture ready and refreshing garden fencing. Whereas the home maintenance jobs for February were centred around combating issues that arise during winter, like damp and condensation.
What task are you ticking of your home maintenance list first this April?
