Opening the door to the bedrooms you have not seen since the summer, you are shocked to see the dust bunnies in the corner, and the inch of dust covering every piece of furniture. With a dust mask on and a tool belt filled with Windex, Scrubbing Bubbles, and Clorox Wipes, you are ready to take on the biggest task of them all: spring cleaning.

Cleaning sounds like too much work; is it really necessary? According to Small Business Trendsetters, it is very important to clean your house to get rid of all the airborne bacteria, mold spores, pollen, and all the other things you brought inside on the bottom of your snow boots.

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, “Removing allergens from the home can make you feel healthier, especially at a time when allergies are rife.”

“Nasal allergies affect about 50 million people in the United States” (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America). With the spring season quickly approaching, allergies are making people’s eyes water, throats ache, and causing chest congestion. It is important to take steps to prevent from getting these symptoms. One way to eliminate allergens is to get your carpet cleaned every 6-12 months.

According to Small Business Trendsetters, “All winter long the house has been shut and one’s carpet becomes a breeding ground for airborne bacteria, mold spores, [and] dust mite feces…. All of these things get lodged in our carpets, furnishings, bedding, and draperies and they need to be cleaned.”

SBT suggests hot water extraction as being the best way to clean your carpet. Hot water extraction is from a truck that can produce heat from 190 to 245 degrees, which kills and flushes out any germs and bacteria that may be growing in your carpet. The powerful vacuum can also suck up any other segments that can be logged inside the carpet.

Spring cleaning is not just about getting rid of allergens, it can also improve other ways of life as well.

Natural News claims, “63 percent claim that happiness is a shiny sink, and the act of cleaning itself gives 57 percent of the population a sense of satisfaction.”

Dr. Joseph Cilona with The OZ Blog said, “Cleaning and organizing your personal spaces lets you enjoy a tidier and more organized environment and this can relieve stress. Levels of stress can also be reduced during the act itself as cleaning is considered to be therapeutic.”

According to America’s Anxiety Disorder Center,  “A thorough clean helps to clear your mind of things that need to be done around the house and makes it easier to focus on other more important things.”

An important factor, that most people forget is to take the cleaning process slow and try not to overwhelm yourself all at one time. Start off small, taking one room at a time, and work to bigger things. Open the windows, let the fresh breeze come in, and embrace the wonders of spring.