Deferred maintenance. No one likes it. Everyone does it – especially through the winter months. Spring cleaning is our chance to take care all those often neglected, out of sight, and out of mind areas. This could be acheived by hiring a maid or other cleaning services, or alternatively you could get down and do it yourself. If you’re starting your spring cleaning this year then it is as good as time as any to consider checking out Vacuum cleaners in India. They have a great range of vacuum cleaners for any type of cleaner. It’s important to reduce allergens, minimize clutter, and to make your home a haven once more. Here’s how:
1. Wash Walls, Cabinets, Baseboards, and Woodwork
- Walls – First, swipe away dust and cobwebs from walls and ceilings with a cloth covered broom or a duster attachment on an extension pole. Don’t forget to dust the tops of door frames and trim. If you have an unusually large amount of spider webs, it may be time to call a pest elimination specialist. Give us a call for an all natural recommendation.
- Floors and Baseboards – Wipe down baseboards and any hard flooring surfaces to remove any built-up mopping residue. Use a white eraser sponge to remove stubborn scuff marks on white painted baseboards. For everything else use Biokleen.
- Cabinets and Woodwork – Kitchen cabinets are prone to all sorts of grease, grime and gunk simply from being in the kitchen. A dash of BioKleen on a wet cloth works well to remove any deeply hidden dirt and marks. Want step-by-step instructions? Check out How to Clean Cupboards by Clean Mama.
2. Finish your Floors – Hand-mopping is the best way to be sure that your floor is completely clean. Prepare a small bucket with warm water and cap full of Biokleen. Use a microfiber cloth, wring almost dry, fold and you’re ready to start. Buff the floor with a dry cloth immediately after washing. What’s your favorite method and cleaner for your floors? Do you use Mrs. Meyer’s or Ecover? Here are ten awesome floor cleaning products worth checking out!
3. Clean Carpets and Upholstery – We recommend choosing a non toxic approach when it comes to getting your carpets and upholstery cleaned. It’s safer for your home environment and for the planet. NewAge is a local natural and organic carpet and upholstery cleaning service. They do an absolutely fantastic job keeping it green and clean! Check them out if you live in the Rogue Valley! Tell them we sent you!
4. Oven Cleaning Magic – Who likes cleaning the oven? No one! Try this method to make it a little more pleasant. Cleaning the oven after months of roasting and baking is a delight with theses quick and easy cleaning steps.
Self-Cleaning Oven
- Remove the oven racks. Place them in a sink full of warm soapy water.
- Turn on the oven’s self-cleaning mode – The oven will clean itself for 2 to 6 hours, during which the grease and burnt food will turn into a light gray ash. Let the oven cool for at least 2 hours following the cleaning cycle.
- Open the oven door – Sweep out the ashes with a small brush and dustpan or vacuum. Spray with an all purpose cleaner and wipe the oven clean with a wet rag.
- Use a scraper or pumice stone soaked in water along with Bon Ami to remove any leftover carbon.
- Glass Door clean with Soft Scrub and Bon Ami on a damp rag. This will work away any build up in the oven.
- Clean the oven racks – Scrub the oven racks with scouring pad in the soapy water. Rinse, dry, then replace them in the oven. If your sink is to small use an all purpose cleaner and an SOS pad.
Non-Self-Cleaning Ovens
- Remove the oven racks. Place them in a sink full of warm water mixed with a few drops of dish-washing liquid to soak. Scrub the oven racks in the soapy water. Rinse them off and dry them. If your sink is too small use an all purpose cleaner and an SOS pad.
- Make a cleaning solution. Load a 1-liter spray bottle with 4 tablespoons (56.7 g) of baking soda and fill the rest with water. Shake the spray bottle to dissolve the baking soda.
- Spray down the oven. Spray the interior of a cold oven, focusing on the charred and stained areas until the carbon is completely saturated. Allow it to sit for an hour.
- Remove the loosened carbon Use Bon Ami with a wet SOS pad. Keep scraping until the carbon is gone.
- Cleaning Oven Glass Soft Scrub and little Bon Ami on a damp cloth will de-grease and clean up your window to a sparkling shine.
- Wipe down the oven once more with a solution of half vinegar, half water. At this point the interior of your oven should be clean. Return racks to your oven and it’s ready to enjoy!
5. Cleaning Your Refrigerator and keeping it clean isn’t a herculean task if you follow these tips:
- Remove all food from the refrigerator – this will allow you to clean all the corners and crevices.
- Remove any fridge drawers or shelves and soak in warm water mixed with dish washing soap.
- Use a mixture of warm water and dish washing liquid to wipe the interior.
- Sprinkle some baking soda on stubborn stains, and scrub to remove.
- Use a non-abrasive sponge to remove sticky, caked-on spills, and an old toothbrush for getting into crevices.
6. Shower – The place where we get clean can get dirty and dingy in a hurry. Removing minerals & soap buildup is fast and easy with a DIY soft scrub and Bon Ami. These two ingredients are packed full of stain-fighting and whitening power!
- Wet down your shower surfaces. Apply your soft scrub onto a wet cloth, working from top to bottom. Begin gently scrubbing the tub or shower walls, working your way to the bottom.
- Grab your scrub brush and and start to add in Bon Ami powder, working back over all surfaces. Rinse to find areas that still need attention and continue until the scum is gone.
7. Toilet – Let’s face it this is not anyone’s favorite job, but removing mineral buildup will not only help with bathroom aesthetics, it will also help to keep your bathroom smelling fresh for longer with a lot less maintenance.
- Pour Soft Scrub into the toilet, rub around the bowl and let it sit for 30 min. Next, take a pumice stone soaked in warm water and rubber gloves! Once the gloves are on start scrubbing any buildup. It’s very important make sure the surface and pumice are always wet to avoid scratching the porcelain.
- Next, once you see the stain is gone, flush the toilet and your throne should be sparkling clean and fit for a king or queen!
8. Cleaning Hard-To-Reach Spaces – You may think your home is pristine, with the dishes washed and the counters wiped down, but think about the last time you cleaned these hard to reach areas. It’s time to confront those dark, out-of-sight places and shine some light behind the furniture where dirt and grime love to hide. Seriously deep clean your home with these simple tips!
- Pulling out furniture – When was the last time you moved your couch to clean the space beneath? Unless you have some help, don’t do it alone. What you can do in the meantime is take the handle of a broom and pull out any items that may have found their way there. Kids and pets hide lots of treasure under furniture. You never know what you might find! Then vacuum or sweep up any dust.
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Tackle the Wires – The wires between your computer, phones and your entertainment center are a magnet for dust build up. First, unplug all cords before cleaning, then use a damp cloth to remove dust from cables and under your devices. You’ll feel better, and your devices will too.
- Bathroom Fan – these get super dusty. They run for a long time and suck up tons of dust. The next time you’re cleaning, use your vacuum with brush attachment to suck up the dust. Wipe down with a damp cloth and you’re ready for some fresher air!
One thing I will point out, is that a tool I’ve mentioned an awful lot is a vacuum cleaner. Mine is a complete godsend, so if you don’t have you you need to take a look at reviews on sites like All Great Vacuums. Once you’ve had a look around and found one that suits you, get it. It will make your life a whole lot easier!
What other spring cleaning tips do you use to keep your home fresh? Reply in the comments section with suggestions or questions. We’re here to help!
Now, let’s get out there and clean the heck out of Spring!
Happy Cleaning!
~ The Cleaning Crew