Spring Cleaning Tips and Tricks
We all know that we should turn our mattress, clean under the couch, maybe even pull out the fridge & stove to clean out the muck & mire behind or under them. So rather than give you a cookie-cutter checklist, we came up with a few less obvious spring cleaning tips. Try interweaving them into your other cleaning checklist to spice it up a bit!
Declutter your junk drawer.
The best way to truly clean it out is to do just that - empty it! While you’re puling everything out, categorize like items together. This will help you identify duplicates and scale back how much “stuff” gets stored there. As you put things back, make sure they’re items that belong there (instead of, say, in your jewelry box or desk).
Deep Clean Your Garbage Disposal.
No tools required! Giving this useful appliance a good cleaning might be easier than you think. First, put some ice cubes down the drain and run the disposal to sharpen the blades. Next, use some baking soda and lemon peels to eliminate germs & odors. Voila! Your disposal is clean.
Reorganize your bookshelves.
While you’re going down that boring checklist and doing all of the dusting, have a little fun with the chore! Take this opportunity to reorganize your shelves. Pull everything off - books, trinkets or both - and put it back in a different place, categorizing books by author or color or genre and arranging trinkets by date acquired or some other methodology.
Wipe down your walls.
Do you keep walking by that smudge mark on the entry wall? Now’s the time to wipe away those greasy fingerprints, dust or stains. Most will wipe away easily with a damp microfiber cloth. Start from top to bottom & don’t forget the door frames and baseboards!
Clean your cutting boards.
Over time, the knives we use on our cutting board create little grooves where dirt and debris can become trapped. To clean these out, sprinkle a little baking soda onto the board and then scrub with half a lemon.
Clean your doormats.
To keep those entryways cleaner, it’s best to have one doormat outside and another on the inside. To clean the outdoor one, hose it off and then allow it to air-dry. The indoor one should be vacuumed on BOTH sides in order to push out trapped dirt
Check expiration dates.
You should absolutely check the expiration dates at least once per year, but are you checking them in your bathroom cabinets as well as your pantry and fridge? Ensure that medications and toiletries aren’t past their shelf life. If you don’t see an expiration date and can’t remember when you purchased the item, chances are it’s time to toss it.
Wash your reusable bags.
Bacteria can build up as you tote these bags to and from the stores, filling & emptying them with everything from food & drinks to clothes & shoes. Toss your fabric bags in the wash and wipe down the rest with an all-purpose cleaning wipe.
Put Your Old T-Shirts to Use.
As you swap out your winter clothes for spring & summer attire, pull those old t-shirts out of your drawer and give them new life - as cleaning rags! Instead of using single-use paper towels, you can rip up t-shirts into smaller rags and tackle the house-cleaning with them.
Break out the vodka…to clean your jewelry!
Who knew that the old bottle of vodka that might be collecting dust in the back of a cabinet could serve another purpose?? It’s known to be a great cleaner for gold & silver jewelry. Simply soak for about 30 minutes and then take a toothbrush or straw brush to clear away any loose debris. IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not use vodka for gems or pearls.