Spring is here and that means it’s time to get the house back into ship shape after a long winter. These quick and easy spring cleaning tips are not only helpful but money saving ideas everyone should know about. If you’re like most people, spring is the time you do some major cleaning. There’s nothing better than being able to throw open the windows, let in a fresh, warm breeze and air out the house from months of winter living. These quick and easy cleaning tips will get your home smelling fresh and clean in no time. And because you’re using household items like vinegar and baking soda, there’s no harsh chemicals to worry about.
Vinegar
Vinegar should be stocked in everyone’s pantry. It’s versatile, natural, non toxic and safe for children and pets to be around. Vinegar is inexpensive, easy to find and is environmentally friendly. Buy the largest bottle of vinegar you can find and save even more money!
- Remove Coffee Maker Mineral Deposits – Start by filling your coffee reservoir with vinegar and then brewing it through the coffee maker. Pour the pot of vinegar into a bucket and set aside to cool. Rinse the coffee maker by running two cycles of water through it. Pour the water into the bucket with the vinegar.
- Remove Grease – Use the vinegar from the coffee maker to remove grease and grime from cabinets, stove, fan grills etc.
- Clean Windows – Continue using the vinegar from the coffee pot — use a cloth or sponge to wipe vinegar on windows and then use crumpled up newspaper to clean your windows for a streak free shine. If possible clean windows on a cloudy day so the vinegar doesn’t dry too fast leaving streaks behind. Wipe up and down on one side and side to side on the other so you can tell which side has streak.
- Clean Floors – Use 1/2 cup of vinegar in a gallon of water to clean linoleum and tile flooring.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a naturally occurring material made from sodium carbonate. It is non toxic and can be used to clean and freshen just about every room in your house. Baking soda is also inexpensive, easy to find, easy to store, has hundreds of other uses and is safe to use with pets and children around.
- In the Fridge – A box of baking soda in the fridge is something we all do, but when was the last time you swapped it out? Place an opened box in your fridge, freezer and cabinets to absorb nasty odors and keep them smelling fresh. If you have a musty basement fill a bowl with baking soda to remove that musty smell.
- Clean tile grout with a paste of baking soda and a toothbrush. Simply scrub away stains and rinse away.
- Burnt Pots and Pans – Pour 1/4 cup baking soda into the burnt pan and fill with hot water. Let it soak overnight and the next morning the pot will scrub right up.
- Eliminate Garbage Odors – Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of your garbage cans to keep the kitchen smelling fresh. You can also sprinkle some baking soda into the liner to keep it fresh between changes.
- If you have smokers around fill the ash tray with baking soda to eliminate cigarette odor and make it easier to extinguish cigars and cigarettes.
- Fresh Laundry – Replace half the amount of laundry detergent with baking soda for fresh smelling laundry. Make a paste of baking soda and water to pretreat tough stains.
- Carpets – Sprinkle on carpets and wait 15 minutes to vacuum.
- Lawn Furniture – Use 1/4 cup baking soda in a quart of warm water to clean lawn furniture. Scrub with mixture and rinse with hose.
Dishwasher isn’t just for Dishes – use the dishwasher to wash toys, glass lighting globes, Crocs, vacuum canisters, and a host of other items you might not have thought feasible in the dishwasher. You may want to wash your dishes separately. Use a dishwasher cleaner once a month to keep it smelling fresh and clean.
Grocery Bags – Reusable grocery bags are great. They save money, save the environment, and look great. The only downside to reusable grocery bags is that they can get dirty after lots of use. Clean them up by running them through the washing machine to remove bacteria and stains. Hang to dry or pop in dryer on low.
Wash Pillows and Comforters – We all know we should wash sheets and pillowcases once a week, but did you know you should wash your pillows and comforters at least every three months? If you have large comforters consider taking to a laundromat where they have larger machines (they also wash and dry much faster than a standard machine).
Clean Underneath – Spring cleaning is really all about cleaning the stuff we can’t see and that means cleaning underneath things like beds, furniture, the microwave, fridge and oven. If you have pets, you know you’ll find all kinds of interesting things underneath.
Microwave – Get the hard to remove dried food off the top of the microwave by placing a damp sponge in the microwave and running it for one minute or long enough to get hot. Keep door closed while it cools down. Wipe away grime with ease. Prevent food from splattering by using a microwave save splatter top.
Replace Air Filters – Replace the air filter on your furnace and clean out filters on window A/C units so you aren’t just recirculating stale and dusty air.
Reduce Pet Shedding – Brush your pets regularly to reduce shedding. If your furnitures is covered in pet hair use rubber gloves to collect it. Simply put on the glove and wipe the area covered in hair.
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