Nothing is quite as satisfying as coming home to a clean home. It’s pretty overwhelming to think of cleaning your home top to bottom in one go – not to mention, time-consuming – so take it room by room (or appliance by appliance) with these tried & tested spring cleaning tips by Lauren Smith McDonough and Caroline Picard from Good Housekeeping!
SMALL ITEMS
Your Phone
So the bad news is, your cell phone probably harbors more germs than your toilet seat! That’s why you should give it a once over with an alcohol wipe to zap germs, as well as other electronics – like your TV remote and computer mouse.
Your Bag
Take everything out, throw away the trash and random wrappers, and organize everything by category and purpose. Sort the smaller items, like pens, hand sanitizer, makeup, etc into little pouches, or purse organizers before you put them back inside. Wipe down the exterior with a disinfectant wipe while you’re at it!
KITCHEN
Your Microwave
Enough with the random food stains – this trick will make cleaning them up much easier! Place a large microwave-safe bowl with 1 cup of water, and a chopped-up lemon, lime, orange, or several tablespoons of vinegar inside. Turn the appliance on high for several minutes, or until the solution boils and the window is steamy, and then let it sit to cool for 15 minutes before opening the door. Remove and wipe out the inside and outside with a sponge.
Your Fridge
You probably wipe down your fridge’s interior shelving on the regular already, but don’t forget about the rest. Pop out the door shelves and bins, and wash in warm, soapy water, to get rid of food bacteria and any spillage that’s occurred.
Your Kitchen Cabinets
Sticky kitchen grime is a mix of dust and grease that builds up over time. Rub the exhaust hood over your range every time you cook to keep grease from settling. To de-gunk, use a Kitchen Cabinet Cream to cut through dirt and leave shelves and doors moisturized. Do an extra pass around the door and drawer pulls and other places where grease may collect easily.
Your Junk Drawer (Everyone has one!)
Start small and pick your stash spot. Empty it out and vacuum up the dust. Toss or relocate any items you no longer need, or that don’t belong in that drawer. Everything else can go back, but in an organized matter! Repurpose mix-mated plates and bowls to store cords, stamps, and other odds and ends. Adding a nonslip liner will help keep them in place.
BATHROOM
Your Shower Curtain
Did you know you can wash a plastic or vinyl curtain in your washing machine? Throw it in on the gentle cycle with detergent and add a couple of bath towels for extra cleaning power. Then hang it to dry. To keep the curtain cleaner longer, spritz it a few times each month with a bleach-containing all-purpose cleaner. Then just let the shower rinse it off, before you hop in!
Your Makeup Brushes
To de-gunk your favorite foundation brush, squeeze a few drops of shampoo or dish liquid into your palm, and rub the bristle tips into the soap, then gently work the suds through them. To rinse, hold the brush (bristles down) under warm running water. Gently shake over the sink to remove excess water, and lay the brush down on a paper towel to finish drying, and preserve the bristles shape and texture.
Your Shower Drain
To freshen drains (not unclog them), and help keep them free-flowing – mix ½ cup baking soda with ¼ cup table salt. Pour the mixture down the drain, followed by 1 cup of heated vinegar. It will foam and bubble – let it stand for 15 minutes. Follow by running hot tap water for at least 15-30 seconds!
LIVING AREA
Your Furniture
Pull furniture away from the walls and vacuum behind and underneath – and don’t forget about the baseboards and air vents! Then switch to the upholstery tool on your machine, and go over both sides of cushions and underneath them. The crevice tool can help de-gunk along the trim and stitching.
Your Bookshelves
After all of those cozy winter reading sessions, your library (and likely your kid’s too!) is in need of a cleanup. Take a few minutes to organize your coffee table books, bedside novels, or favorite magazines. You can alphabetize, coordinate by color, or sort by size – and take a quick wipe down of each, to get rid of the dust!
Click HERE to continue reading the full article from Good Housekeeping.
