Spring Cleaning 101

By Jaelle Kaylor

March bustles in on windy feet
And sweeps my doorstep and my street.
She washes and cleans with pounding rains,
Scrubbing the earth of winter stains.
She shakes the grime from carpet green
Till naught but fresh new blades are seen.
Then, house in order, all neat as a pin,
She ushers gentle springtime in.
Author: Susan Reiner

Room by room tips!

Kitchen

*Give all your kitchen cabinets a good scrubbing.

*Clean out your fridge. Check all expiration dates on food and condiments, toss out the bad ones. Using Windex on the shelves gives it a good shine. Also, replace your opened box of baking soda. Now is also a good time to go through your freezer to check for outdated food.

*Scrub your vent hood filter over your stove. Change the filter if applicable.

*Use a good cleaner or scrub with baking soda to get your sink sparkling clean.

*Wash out your garbage can really well, and disinfect it.

*Check pantry and cabinets for outdated food and nonperishable items you haven’t used in over a year. Try and get rid of the clutter.

*Clean your oven. Spray cleaner inside before you go to bed the night before, makes cleaning much easier!

*Clean inside your microwave. Use one of the neat new products out there for this, or make your own. Fill a paper cup with water and a few tablespoons of baking soda. Turn on the microwave for about 30 seconds and watch the contents explode! Take a paper towel and wipe away!

*Dust and clean your ceiling fan.

*Shake out kitchen rugs and wash if necessary. Hang out to dry for a clean smell!

*Wash windows.

*Scrub the floor!

 

Living Room

*Check your ceilings corners for cobwebs. Remove them with a broom or vacuum.

*Wash all the windows.

*Dry clean draperies or wash them yourself if you can safely, Hang them out to dry!

*Vacuum under all the furniture.

*Vacuum upholstery, flip furniture cushions.

* Dust everything! Don’t forget your pictures on the walls.

*Flip couch cushions and clean under them and vacuum!

Bedrooms

*Wash windows

*Flip mattresses.

*Wash your mattress pads, bed skirts, comforters ( now would be a good time to have your comforters dry cleaned if needed - you only need to do this once a year, twice if you have pets)

*Dust lampshades.

*Clean out under your bed ( scary thought for some of us, but it needs to be done at least once a year!!!! ) Vacuum the entire room, including under the bed.

*Clean up any clutter, especially beside your bed.

*Take mini blinds outside and spray them off.

*Closet tips- have family members each tackle their own closet. Have them put winter clothes away in a box clearly labeled "winter clothes, and the size"

*Dust and clean ceiling fan.

Baths

*Wash shower curtains, according to instruction. Replace your plastic liners with a fresh new one!

Bath cont’d

*Scrub everything! Shower walls, floors, countertops, make sure you use a good disinfectant.

*Clean out your medicine cabinet. Check all expirations dates, or medicines you haven’t used in a long time, don’t forget old prescriptions you are no longer needing.

*Wash your bath mats.

*Clean and sanitize wastepaper basket.

*Shake out bathroom rugs and wash them if needed.

*Don't forget the mirrors!


 

General tips

*Throw away anything you don't need. Be ruthless!!! Get rid of clutter. Donate as much as possible to others who really need the stuff!

*Play some upbeat fun music while you clean, it totally helps keep you in the mood.

*Open up your windows and let the fresh air come in! Nothing like smelling the flowers and hearing the birds while spring cleaning!!!!!

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