Spring Cleaning 101
Tips and Tricks for Maintaining a Tidy Turf
It’s here folks… Spring. With the change in season comes a change in scenery. Many people look forward to spring cleaning with the hopes of clearing out the old and starting fresh with the new. Here are several tips and tricks that will make your spring cleaning not only fun to try, but fast and affordable too.
Vinegar –
Let’s get one thing straight, white vinegar is a miracle worker. It can clean up after your pet stains the carpet and remove odor left behind in the cats litter-box. It can prevent ants from returning back to your home once they’ve entered. Vinegar can clear mildew and mold, cleanse shower heads, clear drains and toilet bowls, remove microwave stains, remove coffee pot buildup, remove dishwasher residue, clean the toughest dishes, get rid of charcoal on your grill and remove weeds from your yard.
Baking Soda –
If there’s one thing you should clean more often than once every spring, it’s your mattress. Ohio State University published a study that said people shed 1/5 of an ounce of dead skin every week! Knowing that, it’s important that you rub baking soda on your mattress once every three to four months. You don’t need to leave it on there over night, just vacuum or dust it off when you’re done. Then, if you’re feeling really sanitary, flip your mattress and do the same thing to the other side as well.
Sponge –
If keeping the surface of your house clean is at the top on your priority list, consider cleaning what you clean with.
Using a traditional sponge is the most common method for washing dishes and counter tops in the home. Sometimes it seems that after only a few uses you are ready to toss the sponge. Two ways to keep your sponge clean is to rinse it out with baking soda after using it. This will kill any odor or bacteria that may be lingering behind. The second way is to rinse out your sponge with water, then place it in the microwave for 60 seconds.
Lemon –
It’s refreshing when your house smells clean. For less than $0.39 you can have the long lasting scent of lemon for weeks. Go to the store and get yourself a lemon. Cut it in half and squeeze the juice into a microwave-safe bowl. Then cut that half in half again and place the juice and two halves in the microwave for five minutes. Let the freshness begin!
If you don’t have a microwave, squeeze a whole lemon into a bowl of warm water and proceed to wash your counter tops. The scent should hold for up to two weeks.
House Plants –
If there’s one thing you can clean while not cleaning at all, it’s the air around you. House plants are said to remove over 85% of air pollutants in your house. Try to fill your rooms with English ivy, ferns, mums or palms.
Ice Cube –
Ice cubes can extend the lifetime of your garbage disposal. Turn on your garbage disposal and throw in a couple handfuls of ice cubes down the drain while running cold water. This will break down grease build up and will help keep things running smoothly.
Dryer Sheets –
Have you ever tried to soak, scrub and maybe even scratch stains off of certain pots or pans? Here’s the secret to removing those tough, hard-to-clean build ups – dryer sheets. Let a dryer sheet (or two) soak in the pot or pan over night with lukewarm water. This will weaken the bond between the gunky-food and the pan, making it easy to wipe clean the next morning.
Hair Spray –
This one is for all you parents out there. Hairspray is the answer to reversing your childs artwork on the walls. Apply hairspray to the wall and wipe the work away. Repeat as necessary. Good luck!
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