Quick Spring Cleaning tips

Spring Cleaning time is here! Spring has sprung and it’s that time of the year where we clean out the winter and welcome in the spring.Cleaning those areas that get neglected in our regular routine.

Make your house beautiful again with these tips to quickly refresh your home.

Declutter

First, declutter your home. Attack the piles of paperwork and clean that draw that has become the dumping ground for stuff that has no home.
If a room is looking cluttered consider moving things to another room or  donate them to charity.Remove or fix broken items and put things in their place.

Deep clean your carpets and floors

If you have carpets either employ a professional carpet cleaning service or clean your carpets yourself. Move the furniture to get the whole carpet. Cleaning the carpet will help restore the carpets color and texture. Whilst you have the furniture moved don’t forget to clean the baseboards, chair rails and walls if needed. Rearrange items to give a new look or give the room a new function.
If you have tile or wood floors this step is still important. movie the furniture to get under and behind  and get in the corners which may have been neglected.

Deep clean the furniture

At least once a year we need to deep clean the furniture. Sofas need vacuuming. Take off the sofa cushions. Vacuum the base and all cushions both sides. Use a rubber glove to remove pet hair before vacuuming. If you have animals consider using the rubber glove to take hair off curtains,bedding and any upholstered furniture.
Polish all the wood, on tables and chairs make sure you include the whole piece, legs, sides, chair arms. If your furniture is older wood consider using lemon oil to moisturize the wood.

In the Kitchen. Clean those hard working appliances.

If you have a self-cleaning oven then take out the racks and turn it on. Let it do its work then wipe out when cool.This is the best and safest way to clean an oven, free from nasty chemicals.If you don’t then use baking soda and water. Mix in a spray bottle and add to the oven. Leave overnight. Wipe clean with hot soapy water. For stubborn stains use a scotchbrite.

The fridge is the next job.

Clean everything out and throw away any half bottles of salad dressing that we tend to stash away. Clean with hot soapy water. Use a toothbrush and toothpaste to clean all the rubber gaskets around the doors…rinse with hot water and dry.
To keep the fridge fresh place an open box of baking soda in the middle of the fridge to absorb nasty smells!

Next Unleash the power of the dishwasher.

Make life easier and use it to wash other things except the dishes.Do you have a bar with glasses that get dusty, glass light shades, wall plates that can be washed. Use the dish washer. Kids plastic toys. Use the dish washer.
When all that is done give the dishwasher some love and clean it. I run the hot faucet, then switch on the dishwasher. Turn off the faucet. Let the dishwasher run for 5 minutes then add 2 cups of white vinegar to the bottom. Run for 5 mins and open the door, let it sit for 5 mins then run it 5 mins.Repeat a few times. This helps soak and release any grease and grime build up.After a few times just let the dishwasher run its full cycle.

Next freshen the waste disposal.

Run hot water down the disposal whilst it is running. Switch it off. Cut a lemon in half and add to the disposal.Run the disposal to clean, sanitize and get the fresh lemon smell. Alternatively add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the hot running water.

Steam clean the microwave.

Food, dirt and grime can build up inside the microwave. If it’s been there a while it’s not the easiest to remove. Steam clean the microwave by placing a dish of fifty, fifty white vinegar and water on the base and microwave for 5 minutes. Whilst it is still steamy, remove the dish and wipe out with a damp cloth.

Clean the bathroom whilst you sleep.

If you have hard water and no water softener you probably have soap scum and lime scale issues. Lime scale can clog the shower head, stain the toilet and leave white marks on your faucets.
Soap scum is easily tackled using a mixture of white vinegar and dawn dish soap. Mix equal amounts in a spray bottle and spray down the walls and glass in the shower or tub. Leave it to do its work. If you leave it overnight you may need to add water to the wall and scrub off the soap scum. Then rinse.
For the shower head fill a plastic bag with vinegar and tie the bag around the shower head. Let it soak overnight. Spray the toilets and the faucets with vinegar, or vinegar and dawn solution and rinse and wipe the next day.

Need help with Spring Cleaning? The Royal Maid Service can do one off Spring Cleanings or regular service. Call 727-773-0400 for a free, no obligation estimate.