When a baby is on the way, your nesting instinct kicks in and with it comes a desire to get the house ready for your bundle of joy. In addition to clothing, a cot and a pram, you’ll want to create a hygienic and organised home.
We’re not talking your regular clean or even a spring clean.
It’s “baby clean” time.
A few months before the baby is due, take the opportunity to clean your home from top to bottom.
Look at every room with a new set of eyes by lying on the floor at baby height. You might be surprised at the amount of dirt and fluff under beds, couches and cabinets.
DEBUG YOUR HOUSE
Long before your baby arrives, it’s a good idea to fumigate your home, especially if there are pets or cockroaches around. When fumigating, you should leave your home for a couple of days and sleep elsewhere. If using commercial gels, apply them in advance so you can remove the gel before the baby is in the home. Cockroach baits take around six weeks to work. Avoid using aerosol insect killers around young children; they are safe for adults, but not for children of any age.
Surface sprays offer more long-term control. Apply to cracks, crevices and inside rubbish bins, cupboards, drawers and shelves. Yet make sure you don’t spray surfaces on which food is handled. Baits and traps are also effective, but shouldn’t be used with surface or knockdown sprays because they contaminate baits and traps, making them ineffective. Use knockdown sprays when you see a cockroach. Other cockroach remedies are available, but always handle with care. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority has an online portal where you can check whether a product has been approved.
Eco solution
Make your own non-toxic cockroach deterrent by mixing 1 cup of uniodised salt, 1 teaspoon of avender oil and 1 litre of water in a spray pack. Spray the solution around doors, windows, drains, air vents and areas where cockroaches lurk. It creates a barrier that cockroaches don’t like to cross. Re spray when you see cockroaches – more often during summer.
“Look at every room with a new set of eyes by lying on the floor at baby height. You might be surprised at the amount of dirt and fluff under beds, couches and cabinets.”
AIR CONDITIONERS
If you have an air conditioner, clean the filter and trap every two weeks. Remove the pad and wash in the sink with a little dishwashing liquid. Dry in sunshine. The pad must be completely dry before being put back. Vacuum over the air conditioner vents and slats.
HOW TO KEEP MOULD AT BAY
Keep mould to a minimum because babies’ respiratory tracts are still developing. Bleach only whitens mould – it doesn’t kill it. Instead, wipe with 1/4 teaspoon of oil of cloves in a 1 litre spray pack of water on a cloth – don’t spray directly. If wiping over walls, repeat every six months. Oil of cloves has a strong smell that’s not dangerous, but might disrupt the baby, so wait until the smell dissipates.
CLEANING BLINDS
To clean cotton and fabric blinds, place 1 cup of unprocessed wheat bran in a large bowl. Add drops of white vinegar one at a time, stirring as you go, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
It shouldn’t be wet. Place the mixture into the toe of pantyhose and tie it tightly. The tied section will be the size of a tennis ball. Wipe over the blinds as though using an eraser. When nished, store the “bran ball” in a zip-lock bag in the freezer to use again.
When vacuuming fabric blinds, stuff the vacuum cleaner head into the leg of a pair of pantyhose to prevent marks. To remove insect droppings, fill a 9 litre bucket with cold water and enough dishwashing liquid to generate a sudsy mix. Apply the suds only to the stains using a damp cloth. Rinse with a damp cloth.
When cleaning blinds, keep a clothes peg handy in case the doorbell rings or you get a text message. Peg the spot you’re up to and you’ll know where to resume cleaning.
Cleaning tip: Try eco-solutions when you can and remember that little babies lungs are very sensitive so the less smelly the better.
**FLOORS AND SOFT FURNISHINGS*
Prepare to vacuum, mop and wipe.
First up, ensure your vacuum cleaner is ready for the task. Clean the dust bag regularly and if bagless, clean the cylinder.
If you have carpet, it should be thoroughly cleaned before the baby comes home. To do this, mix equal parts unprocessed wheat bran and bicarb, and sprinkle over the carpet. Bran is an abrasive and bicarb is a deodoriser. Sweep the mixture into the carpet fibres with a clean broom. Leave for several minutes before vacuuming.
Maintain your carpet by vacuuming once a week.
REMOVE DUST MITES
Babies react more quickly to dust mites than adults so keep them to a minimum. When wiping over surfaces, add 1 cup of black tea to the wash water to kill mites. If vacuuming carpet, add 1 drop of lavender oil to a used tea bag and suck it into the vacuum cleaner. This will kill any dust mites inside the vacuum cleaner. Vacuum upholstered furniture and bedding – the most common areas for dust mites.
Place 1 tea bag in 1 litre of cold water in a spray pack, allow it to steep for 3 minutes and lightly mist over surfaces. Spray on a cloth and wipe over pelmets, the tops of wardrobes and light fittings.
DUSTING AND WIPING
Each time you vacuum, clean dust from window sills or it will circulate into the room.
Remove bacteria from high-touch areas such as light switches and door knobs by wiping with a cloth sprayed with 1 teaspoon of lavender oil in 1 litre of water in a spray pack. Don’t use menthol or pine based cleaners because they are harsh for a baby’s lungs.
Place a couple of drops of lemon oil on the head of a soft broom or a long-handled duster and dust ceilings and light fittings – the lemon oil will inhibit spiders.
Spray diluted lavender oil over – flyscreens and check the screens are in good repair. If not, have them fixed.
Wipe over door jambs and window frames with the lavender oil spray to deter bugs.
Check hinges and flyscreen door mechanisms – place safety catches on doors.
GET ORGANISED
Organise the room your baby will be sleeping in (it may be your bedroom), get clothes ready (washed and cleaned) and de-clutter as much as possible. Don’t overdecorate the baby’s room.
You can add colours as they get older. If you have a fish tank, keep it clean to prevent algal bloom. Keep kitty litter boxes away from the baby’s room because they are full of bacteria. If the litter box smells, it needs to be cleaned.
How to choose a highchar: The highchair will be covered in your culinary creations. When choosing one, consider ease of cleaning, safety and durability.
BABY EQUIPMENT
You’ll need a range of baby equipment. Some will be bought new, other items passed on or bought second hand. If buying second hand, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) suggests you only buy items that include full instructions (or check for instructions online). Make sure the item is sturdy and stable, has no missing parts, works correctly, has no tears, sharp edges or sharp points, has had no changes made that could make it unsafe, such as the wrong size mattress in a cot, or has had rough, non-professional repairs. If it doesn’t meet these standards, don’t buy it.
HOW TO CHOOSE A BABY CAPSULE OR CHILD CAR RESTRAINT
You’ll need a capsule to bring your baby home from hospital and when travelling in a car. Many parents rent one rather than buy. In cars, children under 6 months must be in an approved rear-facing child restraint with an approved anchorage system. If possible, have restraints fitted at an approved fitting station. Contact your local road traffic authority or Kidsafe for locations.
Child car restraints must have a tether strap and five-point harness with a singlepoint adjustment and quick-release buckle.
Each seat must be subjected to performance tests that simulate front, side and rear impacts, and come with instructions about installation, use and maintenance, and general information.
HOW TO CHOOSE A CHANGE TABLE
The ideal height of a change table is to the height of your elbow when you are standing so you won’t have to bend an already sore back. Choose a padded change table with a securing strap so the baby doesn’t roll off.
Never leave a baby unattended on the change table – always have one hand on them, even if they’re strapped in. Everything you need to change the baby should be within easy reach.
Have a disposal system, such as buckets for cloth nappies and bags with ties for disposable nappies.
Choose bags that are environmentally friendly and lightly perfumed. Ensure that the surface of the change table can be sterilised. To test, add a single drop of water to the surface. If the water is absorbed, don’t buy it. The length of the table should be 900mm.
HOW TO CHOOSE A HIGHCHAIR
The highchair will be covered in your culinary creations. When choosing one, consider ease of cleaning, safety and durability.
HERE’S A CHECKLIST:
Look for a three-strap harness – the tray is not enough (the baby may slide underneath it).
The wider the tray, the more food it will catch.
Make sure the base is sturdy – the legs should be splayed 10 per cent wider than the top of the chair so it doesn’t topple over.
Make sure the locking mechanism is sturdy.
Keep highchairs away from walls and other furniture so the child can’t push the highchair over.
Make sure the highchair is comfy to sit on, with adequate padding or cushioning.
If you have a choice, opt for stitched vinyl rather than heatfused vinyl seams, because the latter can break more easily and expose the foam underneath.
The tray must be able to be locked into position or you could get bruised fingers. Make sure your baby’s hands are clear of the tray when putting it into place. If you have an old highchair, screw a rubber stopper on the underside of the tray so it can’t squash fingers.
VIDEO: Bumbo kills six-month-old baby
