It’s that time of year again: spring rains are washing away the salt and grime of winter outside, but there are still Christmas tree needles living in your carpets. It’s time for spring cleaning, but you’re short on time and don’t know where to start. We’ve compiled some cleaning tips and tricks to help you wipe away winter in no time using natural cleaning agents that are good for your health, home and wallet. You’ll find there isn’t much you can’t clean with a little baking soda.
Getting Started
Deep cleaning your whole house can seem like a daunting task, but there are a few simple steps you can take to speed through your chores. First, build your kit. Gather all your cleaning supplies in one caddy that you can carry with you. You’ll save time and avoid distractions. Second, establish a plan of attack. Work from room to room and start small; pick a project and don’t move on until you’ve finished. Finally, stay focused. Turn off the TV and put down your phone. Nothing can derail a cleaning day like an impromptu Facebook session. (Listening to music and dancing, however, is highly encouraged.)
The Bedroom
Where to Start. Your first spring cleaning task should be to declutter. Get rid of items you no longer use and properly store the ones you do. The result is a tidier home before you’ve even lifted a sponge. Organizing your closet is the first step to organizing your entire home. If the closet is neat and tidy you will be less willing to re-clutter it with other items laying around the house.
What to Clean:
- Bedding. Your fluffy sleeping accessories should be washed 2-3 times per year.
- Mattress. Use your vacuum’s attachments to clean the surface and sides, spot clean any stains, and finish with a spritz of sanitizing spray. For extra freshness, sprinkle it with baking soda mixed with a few drops of your favorite essential oil and let it sit for a few hours before vacuuming it up.
Cleaning Hack: To bring up dust from inside the mattress, try jumping on the bed before vacuuming it. (See, cleaning can be fun!)
The Living Room
Where to Start. Your primary living spaces are going to collect the most dust over time, and a thorough dusting is the best way to get your house feeling fresh. Start at the door of each room and move in a set direction, starting with the higher places and working your way down to the floor. This prevents dust from falling onto spaces you have already cleaned. Be sure to dust before you vacuum so you catch everything your dust rag didn’t when you clean the floors.
What to Clean:
- Drapes. For the best results, take them down and run them through a 15-minute fluff cycle in the dryer with a damp towel to attract dust. Rehang them right away to prevent wrinkling. Wipe your blinds with a damp cloth or dusting mitt.
- Upholstered furniture. This gathers dust, too! Vacuum the surfaces, including under the cushions, and spot clean any stains according to the care instructions.
- Woodwork and baseboards. Dust and shine these grit-gathering surfaces with a mix of one part lemon oil to one part vinegar.
Cleaning Hacks: There are a few simple tricks for easily removing dust and pet hair from your home. Try tossing balled-up socks into corners and hard-to-reach places to pull down any dust or cobwebs, and use a pillowcase to clean ceiling fan blades. Slip it over the blades one at a time and wipe, and dust will fall into the pillow case, not onto your furniture and floors. Finally, forego the lint brush for damp rubber cleaning gloves to wipe away pet hair.
The Kitchen
Where to Start. Of all the rooms in your home, the kitchen may be the most difficult to clean. Baked-on gunk and kitchen stink can be tough, so let your cleaning products do their job. Apply your cleaning agents to appliances, tile surfaces and drains and go clean something else. Letting them sit will make it easier to remove grime, and you can get something else accomplished in the meantime. Yay, multitasking!
What to Clean:
- Cabinets. You will be surprised at how much dirt, dust and residue these can collect, especially above the stove. Use your vacuum to suck up the crumbs in the corners before lightly scrubbing down the surfaces with a half-cup of vegetable oil mixed with one cup of baking soda. Wipe away the mixture with clean water.
- Refrigerator. Wash the surfaces with a combination of abrasive salt and bubbly soda water for a quick, natural clean. Don’t forget the inside; remove everything from the shelves and drawers so you don’t miss a spot.
- Oven and Stove. Sprinkle baking soda and a few drops of white vinegar inside the oven and let it sit. After it starts to bubble you can wipe it away with a sponge. Remove burnt-on food from the surfaces with a spritz of ammonia, and use mineral oil to tackle old oil splatters.
- Dishwasher. Your cleaning appliances are often overlooked, but they need some freshening up occasionally, too. Remove and clean the filter with warm soapy water. Pour a cup of white vinegar into the dispenser and run a heavy cycle. For extra deodorizing, sprinkle a cup of baking soda in the bottom and let it sit overnight, run an empty cycle the next day, and scrub away any remaining debris with a sponge or toothbrush.
- Stainless Steel. This trendy finish collects every finger and nose print in your house. Try wiping down your steel surfaces with a microfiber cloth and a solution of 1 teaspoon of dish detergent in a quart of hot water.
Cleaning Hack: Load up your dishwasher with everything but dishes. This hard-working appliance can take on unusual items like glass light fixture globes, plastic toys, kitchen exhaust fan and vacuum filters, and even sponges and scrub brushes.
The Bathroom
Where to Start. The bathroom may seem like the most daunting task on your cleaning checklist, but you can get through it quickly by using common items from around your home. Scouring pads work wonders on glass tiles and shower doors, an old toothbrush is perfect for removing mold and mildew from grout, and old makeup brushes can get into the small spaces in your drawers and small bathroom appliances. Power through the really tough messes by attaching a sponge to a drill. Take that, hard water deposits.
What to Clean:
- Tiled Surfaces. Mix a solution of a half-cup of (you guessed it) baking soda in 2 gallons of water to strip residue from your counters, floors, and even your shower walls. For a deeper clean you can also mix ¾a cup of household bleach with 1 gallon of water, but only apply it to small areas at a time so you can wipe it away quickly.
- Faucets, Drains & Shower Heads. If there is lime build up, hard water scale or mildew around your faucets and drains, lay paper towels soaked in vinegar over the fixtures. Let them sit for an hour to soften the deposits and make them easier to remove. To freshen smelly drains, pour in a half-cup of baking soda mixed with a quarter-cup of table salt, followed by 1 cup of heated vinegar. Let the solution stand for 15 minutes while it foams and bubbles, then run hot tap water for at least 30 seconds to clear it out.
Cleaning Hack: Over time the walls and ceilings in your bathroom can also start to collect stains, dust and mildew. Use a damp paint roller to easily clean these surfaces. If you have a bathroom fan, make sure the filter is clean and that you are using it daily to prevent future buildup.
All Finished?
Now that you and your home are ready for spring, what can you do to make it easier next year? Establish a regular cleaning schedule. The best trick for cleaning fast is cleaning more often. When you set aside a specific day each week, chores won’t seem so bad, and because you just cleaned last week, a squeaky-clean home isn’t too far out of reach!
