Spring cleaning feels good ... once it’s finished. But getting there isn’t always so enjoyable. To help you get to the enjoyable side of spring cleaning, we’ve rounded up some tips and tricks to smoothen the job and leave you with more time to enjoy your fresh and orderly home.
A good, deep spring clean-up is a lore that not only aids wellness by keeping your environment polished and orderly, but it also helps carry the fresh start feeling brought on by a new year well into the summer.
We’ve collated some of the best spring-cleaning tips so you can declutter and deep clean your house to make it sparkle all year round.
Use Your Dishwasher for More than Dishes
There are lots of things that you can clean in the dishwasher that don’t have anything to do with place settings. Once every few months, throw some of the following into the dishwasher for a intense clean: contact lens cases, hair brushes, makeup brushes, pet dishes, plastic kids toys, refrigerator shelves, soap dishes, tweezers, various knobs and pulls, and even your showerhead (if it’s removable).
Steam Clean Your Microwave
To remove ancient food stains from the inside of the microwave, steam them before you scrub. Top up a microwave-safe bowl with 1 to 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, and little drops of your favourite essential oil and zap the mixture for five minutes.
Remove Water Stains with Lemon for a Natural Faucet Fix
This spring, make faucets polished and shiny by rubbing a lemon half on the water stains. The citric acid helps remove hard water marks.
Dust With Fabric Softener Sheets
Dryer sheets are a less expensive dupe for more expensive electrostatic cloths, and they work just as well. Lone socks that have lost their partner, when worn as a mitten, also work for wiping tight areas and Venetian blinds. Always remember to work up to down when moping to avoid wasting time going over surfaces twice.
Toss Expired Toiletries and Make Up
If your medicine cabinet is beginning to seem over-cluttered, spring cleaning is the right time to re-check the expiration date on all your toiletries and throw anything that’s past its expiration. You can check the internet for details, but sunscreen should only stick around for a few years after you bought it, and mascara should be thrown every couple of months.
Make Space for Clutter
One way you can make sure that your hard-earned tidiness doesn’t vanish is by setting aside space for the unavoidable clutter. If you have an entryway closet, mount a plastic or cloth shoe rack to store toys, hats, gloves, and uncategorized mail.
Wash Your Windows on a Cloudy Day
For a fast made-at-home window-washing solution, mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water or put in one teaspoon of mild dishwashing liquid to several gallons of water. But time you’re cleaning wisely: Sunshine will cause your windows to dry too faster, leaving streaks.
Time Yourself
Not only will you be more likely to stay concentrated and get your tasks done effectively with a timer ticking, seeing how long chores take makes them more doable. If you know it only takes 10 minutes to scrub the bathroom, maybe you won’t wait till next spring to do it again.
Declutter Your Home
As you’ve been resting throughout the winter and stacking up on the sweaters and blankets, there’s a good chance that clutter and your lists of chores have been stacking up as well. Start small, don’t try to attack your whole house at once. Think about cleaning one room, or even one closet, at a time.
When this is done, sort it out. Go through your space and separate your belongings into groups. Determine the things you will keep on hand, store for later, sell, donate, or throw away.
Organize and Freshen Up
Once you’ve cleared out the clutter, give your home some much-needed TLC.
-
Empty your fridge and clean it thoroughly.
-
Brush under your large appliances, like the stove and the fridge, and larger furniture pieces, like dressers, desks, and the beds.
-
Clean blinds and take any curtains or drapes to the cleaners.
-
Flip your mattress. Don’t just clean your sheets; wash your pillows and mattress covers as well.
-
Clean your upholstery or hire a professional to do it.
-
After these more thorough tasks, do your usual scrubbing, mopping, dusting, and vacuuming.
If it’s warm enough, open the windows, and let the fresh air in as you freshen up your home. When your work is done, not only will the sun be shining - your house will too!
All done? Congrats! There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of a deeply cleaned home.
