If you plan on tackling spring cleaning projects, as Personal Injury Lawyers, we always suggest that you take a few steps around your house to ensure a safe environment for you, your family and your visitors.  Here’s a list of our top five tips to consider when doing your annual clean up.

1. Fire extinguishers  -  Extinguishers should be installed in plain view above the reach of children near an escape route and away from stoves and heating appliances. They require routine care and should be inspected and serviced annually. Rechargeable models must be serviced after every use, and disposable fire extinguishers can be used only once and replaced. 

2. Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors -  Smoke detectors should be tested monthly and there should be a working detector on each floor of the home and in each bedroom. As part of your spring clean up, make sure that you change the batteries in your smoke & carbon monoxide detectors.

3. Your Medicine Cabinet - We all have that medicine cabinet with a slew of medications we haven’t touched in months and are long expired. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to sort through all of your household’s old medications and properly dispose of expired and old medications.

4. Chemicals, Cleaners and weed killers - Your home is most likely full of potentially harmful household chemicals that include everyday products like bleach, oven cleaners, drain de-cloggers, insect and weed killers. Treat those household chemicals like the toxic materials that they are and dispose of them like hazardous waste.

5. Stains, varnish, and paint -  Dispose of all oil-based paints that you never us at your local Hazardous Waste facility. Some Vermont communities offer year-round access to these waste-handling services, while others offer specific drop-off days.  Unlike oil paints, latex paints aren't considered hazardous waste. If you have leftover latex paints that can't be recycled, reused or stored, pour the paints into a box with shredded paper or kitty litter, allow it to solidify away from kids or pets, then discard in the trash.

6. Clutter -  In the middle of a spring cleaning whirlwind, you may even add to the clutter that you are trying to rid your house of simply because there are so many tools and supplies being used. Keep clutter off the floor as much as possible to avoid tripping and falling, and clean up after yourself every night, even if you’re going to be working on it again the next day.