Spring Cleaning Tips

Spring has officially arrived so it’s time to start clearing out that closet, scrubbing those floors and dusting off those shelves. You may dread the work ahead, but once your home is sparkling clean, you will feel refreshed and completely satisfied. Whether you can only fit in a few minutes at a time, or want to spend the whole day cleaning up, we’ve got some great cleaning tips to share that’ll help you get your entire home clean from top to bottom.

Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans get dusty pretty quickly and they should not be overlooked when doing your spring cleaning. Place a large sheet or drop cloth underneath your fan so that you don’t get your other furniture all dusty when you clean it. If you have a ladder that can reach the fan, use a ladder to safely climb up and wipe the blades with a wet cloth. If you do not have a ladder, you can use an extendable duster to wipe the blades. Just be sure to shake out the duster and sheet or drop cloth outside.

Closet

Your closet is the ultimate collector of shoes and clothes, even ones that you haven’t worn in years. Spring is the perfect time to go through your closet and pick out any clothes and shoes that have stains, rips or tears in them. Then, go through the ones that you either haven’t worn in a long time or that no longer fit you. Chances are, you may have a pile that should go straight to your nearest donation center.

Dishwasher

Believe it or not, your dishwasher can even use a good clean every now and then. Instead of having to scrub away any soap scum or hard water spots, all you have to do is dump a couple cups of white vinegar in the machine and run the cycle on hot. Not only will it make your appliance sparkle, but it can also help it last longer by keeping the machine running smoothly.

Kitchen Sink

If you are constantly washing dishes or running food through the garbage disposal, chances are your kitchen sink may leave a bit of a stench. Fortunately, there’s an easy and all-natural way to get that sink smelling fresh once again. All you need to do is slice up a lemon into slivers and run them down the garbage disposal followed by some cold water. Just like that, your sink will be smelling fresh once again.

Mattress

While you probably already thought of cleaning your sheets and pillowcases, you may not have thought to clean your mattress. If you have a mattress cover on it, take that off and throw it in the washer. While your mattress has nothing on it, vacuum it to suck up any dust particles (or food crumbs). Then, you can spray your mattress with a disinfectant (such as Lysol) to kill any germs. Let it sit for a few hours to air out before putting your clean sheets back on.

Microwave

The microwave is certainly one part of the house that gets a lot of use and gets overlooked when doing a quick cleanup. Splatters of sauce likely cover the inside of your microwave and it probably seems like the splatters just won’t come off without scrubbing the microwave with all your might. Luckily, there is a simple trick to cleaning the microwave that will make the task a breeze. Fill a large bowl with one cup of water and a chopped-up lemon, lime, or orange and stick it inside. Turn the microwave on high for several minutes or until it boils and the window is steamy. Let the bowl of water sit in there for a few minutes, then remove it and wipe the inside with a sponge. The splatters will easily wipe away and your microwave will be like new again!

Refrigerator

Chances are you have crumbs, some sticky residue or maybe some spilled milk stuck in your fridge. While a quick wipe will certainly help keep your fridge looking less messy, you should also probably do a deep clean every once in a while. Most refrigerators have drawers and shelves that you can pull out to clean individually. Pop those out and wash them down with some soap and water to get rid of any residue of lingering crumbs and bacteria.

Throw Pillows

Your throw pillows might be something you don’t normally clean. Even though they may just be there for looks and aren’t used every day, they can still collect dust, which creates mites. Over your spring cleaning brigade, throw your pillows in the dryer to kill the dust mites or even lay them outside in the hot sun.