By the start of spring, most of us are ready to clean out our homes in anticipation of the warm and fun summer months. Follow this room-by-room list to get started right away.
Kitchen
- Any junk mail, expired food or general messiness should be removed. Then wipe down the countertops and backsplashes to get everything sparkling clean. Vinegar and baking soda can help get rid of tough stains.
- Deep clean the sink. Plug the sink and fill it all the way up with water and dish soap. Let it sit for about 15 minutes and then drain it. This should help remove any unpleasant odors coming from the drain. Be sure to run the garbage disposal if you have one while the water drains. If there is still an odor, try using water and lemon juice.
- Clean appliances. Wipe down the refrigerator and oven, and vacuum behind them if possible. No one sees these areas regularly, but they gather dust, debris and fallen food, requiring a deep cleaning.
Bathrooms
- Scrub the toilet. Use household cleaning items to help restore your toilet back to the way it looked when you bought your home. Hydrogen peroxide will even add a nice shine.
- Wipe down all surfaces. Make sure to wipe everything down, getting rid of dust, hair and buildup from hair spray. If there is any rust or grime in your shower, be sure to try baking soda and vinegar. Also check to see if your shower curtain has gathered mold. If it has, most curtains can be put through the laundry, but be sure to check the tags first.
- Clean the mirrors. Do this last so nothing will splash on the mirrors while you’re cleaning the rest of the bathroom. Using streakless window cleaner will make you look even better in your mirror.
Bedrooms
- Manage closet space. Now is the time to get rid of any clothes you no longer wear, or won’t be wearing during the summer. Pack away winter clothes until next fall. If you haven’t worn clothing in over a year, you probably don’t need it anymore. Be sure to donate clothing, or have a yard sale so usable clothes aren’t wasted.
- Flip the mattress. You should flip your mattresses at least once per year. It prevents uncomfortable body imprints from forming and causing you body damage. But don’t flip the box spring, it could cause damage. You can rotate the box spring 180 degrees to have roughly the same effect.
- Vacuum hidden places. While you’re flipping the mattress, vacuum underneath the bed. Get behind the headboard and anywhere you wouldn’t normally vacuum. Any bedroom furniture should be moved or tipped so it can be vacuumed underneath.
Living Room
- Dust everything. Over the year, dust gathers in places you normally don’t clean. Ceiling fans, bookshelves, picture frames, televisions and windowsills all should be dusted. If you apply an anti-dust spray to your cloth, it will help keep everything clean.
- Vacuum furniture and below. Take off the cushions to vacuum the upholstery and get in all the cracks of your furniture. If you eat on the couch, there are may be crumbs between the cushions requiring a quick once over with the vacuum. Lift up any chairs and vacuum underneath those as well.
- Clean area rugs and windows. You can take your rugs outside to dust them off or vacuum them then toss them in the wash. Wash your windows while the rugs are up off the floor.