Spring Cleaning Hints

It is hard to believe that March is already almost half over.  With the first day of spring just 10 days away, it is time to start thinking about spring cleaning.  Cleaning up after a long winter isn’t always the easiest task, but with these hints, you can hopefully save some time and energy!

Microwave

Over time, food splattered on the inside of a microwave is harder and harder to clean off.  If you microwave a dish of water for a few minutes, the steam will loosen up the stuck on food.  Also, when there aren’t any household cleaners on hand, the outside of a microwave can be cleaned with baking soda and water.

Windows

For the best results when washing your windows, wait until the sun is not beaming on the window.  The sun makes the cleaning solution dry quickly leaving your window with streaks.  To make your own window cleaning solution mix ½ cup of ammonia, ½ cup of white vinegar, and 1 gallon of warm water in an open area.  Did you use spray on “snow” at Christmas time and it left a film?  Try cleaning it off with one part vinegar and three parts of warm water.  If vinegar doesn’t do it, try ammonia.

Stove

In a perfect world, we would have the time to clean up spills on the stove right away.  But, we know that this doesn’t always happen.  For cooked on messes, spoon boiling water on the mess and let sit for a few minutes. This will make the mess easier to scrub off.  Also, to clean glass stove tops, you can use Windex or window cleaner after the stove top has cooled and wipe with clean cloth.

Blinds

Try taking metal or plastic blinds to a do-it-yourself car wash.  Hang the blinds up using the floor mat clips and clean them using the high pressure washer.  If you can’t make it to the car wash, let the blinds soak in a bathtub of warm water and detergent, wipe clean with a sponge, and fill the tub again with clean water to rinse.  Then dry the blinds by hanging them back up.  Place a towel on the floor under the blinds to catch any dripping water.

Helpful Household Items

Baking Soda – Use small amount of baking soda on a damp sponge to erase crayon, pen and pencil marks on painted walls.

Lemon Juice – Make a paste of lemon juice and cream of tartar to clean grout in bathrooms and kitchens.  Apply the paste, and rinse with water.

Cooking Spray – Spray a small amount of cooking spray on the vinyl floor in front of hard to move washing machines or dryers.  The spray will allow you to move the appliances more easily and clean behind them.

Sources:

Cleaning Magic by Joey Green

Clean House by Mary Ellen Pinkham

Real Simple – 799 New Uses for Old Things