Category: Home & Garden

It’s that time of year that many of us dread—spring cleaning. It may seem like an arduous task but once you’ve ditched the dirt and cleared out the clutter, you’ll feel like you’ve moved into a brand new home. To help you get started, we’ve got quite a few tips to make the process of spring cleaning go as smoothly as possible.

De-Dirt the Doormats
Your doormat is what helps prevent outside dirt from coming in, so keeping them clean is important to make sure they continue to do what they were designed to do. Shake them out, give them a wash, or swat them with a broom. If they are really bad, consider replacing them.

Clean Painted Walls
To clean a painted wall, start with a clean sponge or cloth and water. If there are stubborn stains, mix a little mild dishwashing liquid with the water and dip your cloth or sponge into the mixture. Dry the walls with a clean cloth.

Protect Wooden Floors
Guard your floor against scratches by using surface protectors on the underside of furniture legs. Replace any if they become dirty or worn. Place saucers under plants to protect against water damage. Use a damp mop with a mild soap once a week to keep your wood floor protected and clean.

Wash Windows
Using a rubber-edged squeegee instead of a cloth or paper towel makes the process of washing dirty panes a breeze. Wet your window with a sponge dipped into a bucket of warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap. Dampen the squeegee and draw it down the pane using overlapping strokes and wiping the rubber edge with the sponge after each stroke. Dry the windowsills with a cloth after you are done.

Dust Lightbulbs
Unscrew lightbulbs and polish with a microfiber cloth dampened with water. Make sure to avoid wetting the metal screw base when cleaning. If you have recessed lighting, use a telescoping duster to clean.

Wash Blinds and Curtains
Wipe wooden blinds with a few drops of wood cleaner onto a mostly-dry sponge. For aluminum blinds, take them to the outdoors to be washed. Place on a slanted surface and scrub with water and a non-corrosive cleaner. Rise well with a hose and dry the blinds thoroughly with a towel to prevent rust. Clean your curtains by either vacuuming and steam cleaning or have them dry-cleaned.

Deep-Clean Carpets and Rugs
Rent (or buy) a shampooer/extractor for synthetic carpeting. This helps clean the fibers and removes the soap traces with hot water. After cleaning, place a small piece of wax paper under each leg to protect your carpet and keep the furniture legs from getting wet while the carpet dries. Open windows to speed up the drying process. For valuable or wool carpets and rugs, call a professional for cleaning.

Caring For Tile
When cleaning kitchen and bathroom tiles, mixing baking soda and water makes a great homemade that is free of harmful chemicals. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into 2 gallons of water and mix well. Apply the liquid to the tiles with a mop or sponge.

Clean Out the Refrigerator
This daunting task may be the scariest one on the list, but it is much more manageable to do when broken down into steps. Wipe up any spills immediately to prevent future stains. Throw out old food on a weekly basis. Every few months, wash the interior of the fridge by mixing 2 tablespoons of baking soda into a quart of warm water. Let glass shelves come to room temperature before washing. If there is a hardened stain, loosen it by wetting with the solution before wiping up. Use a toothbrush to scrub the nook and crannies. Twice a year, vacuum or brush dust the condenser coils. Built-up dust can overhead the unit causing it to shut down.

Spring cleaning seems daunting at first, but making a checklist of what needs to be done and assigning rolls over a couple of days makes the process painless and productive. What spring cleaning tip do you use each year?

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