Could your mailbox use a spring cleaning?

It’s spring! The buds are on the trees. The flowers are beginning to bloom. It’s time to spruce things up around the house and yard, to put winter behind us and make everything look its best.

As you put your cold-weather clothes into storage and check the outside of the house for necessary repairs, don’t forget to take a look at your mailbox. In many cases, the mailbox is the first thing people see when they come to visit. An attractive, well-maintained mailbox adds to the appearance of your home or business and our community, and protects your daily mail from the elements.

Here are some spring cleaning tips for you and your mailbox.

• If your mailbox is mounted on a pole or post, check its stability and make sure it is properly anchored.

• Your mailbox identifies your address, not only for the letter carrier but for the police, the fire department, emergency workers, and other service providers. Make sure your address appears on both sides of the mailbox, so people who need to find you can do so, and so can your mail.

• Check the door and its hinges. Make sure it closes properly to keep your mail in and the wind and rain out.

• Do you see any sharp edges or nails sticking out? Protect your own hands, as well as those of your letter carrier by filing them off. Also sand and repaint or replace your mailbox if it’s rusty - you don’t want to have to get a tetanus shot, and neither does your letter carrier.

The Postal Service requires approved traditional or contemporary curbside mailboxes whenever a mailbox is newly installed or replaced. You can find them at most hardware stores. You may use a customer-built curbside box if the postmaster gives prior approval and if the mailbox generally conforms to the same specifications as approved manufactured mailboxes. Contact us before erecting a custom-built mailbox.

If you have questions or want more information about mailboxes, visit your local post office or call 800-ASK-USPS (800-275-8777).