Spring Cleaning

I happen to LOVE spring cleaning, I like to do it more than just spring and I look forward to it.  It just feels so good to know it is deeply cleaned, fresh, and smelling good.  So here are a few tips to help in your spring cleaning efforts.

Overly basic but worth remembering:
-First: don't leave all your cleaning for one day. Split it up amongst the days, weeks and years. So that when you do get to your Spring Cleaning day, you can do the really deep hard stuff. Look at this Cleaning Schedule I posted here.
-Have a plan: List all the jobs you need to do, the order of which need to be done first, and make sure you have all the supplies.
-Carry a tote/bucket with commonly used supplies so you aren't running back to get forgotten items.
-Piles: I'm all about piles.  Instead of running back and forth all day, as you are working in one room or area make piles of the things that need to go upstairs, in the trash, or to their designated place.  Then when you are all done you can take care of the piles.


Kitchen:
-Microwave: Before cleaning the microwave, microwave a small glass of water for 2-4 minutes.  This softens any spills or splatters that have built up and hardened on the walls of the microwave...makes for much faster cleaning.
-Dishwasher, run your empty dishwasher with vinegar in place of detergent.  Followed by another cycle using lemon juice. This will clean your dishwasher, remove build up, and the lemon leaves a fresh scent. I also like to finish by wiping down the door and cleaning any cracks and crevices.
-Oven after cleaning your oven, line the bottom with an oven liner, or with foil.  This catches any drips and spills in future baking and can be easily removed to keep from burning and keeping your oven clean.
-Hard Water and Mineral Deposits:  Use a strong cleaner like CLR, or SHOWER POWER.  Spray them and let them soak on the area while you clean something else.  So that they have loosed when you go to clean them.
-Use a butter knife inside a washcloth to scrape and clean out the cracks and hard build up in places like you sink faucet.
-Don't forget the back splash and the walls...these often have splatters and drips on them!

Floors:
-Spoon: a spoon can easily scratch shoe scuffs off of the floor.
-Don't forget the baseboards...they get dirty! and are often forgotten.  After cleaning use a Magic Eraser or even better a little paint to touch up marks and scuffs that don't wipe off.

Clogged Drains or just Freshen Drains:
- Pour 1/2 c. baking soda & 1 c. vinegar down the drain through a funnel. The mixture will foam up considerably & unclog drain. When there's no more foam, flush drain with hot tap water. After 5 min,
flush drain again with cold water. It also deodorize drain.
-To speed up a slow drain, pour 1/2 c. salt followed by 2 c. boiling vinegar down drain. Flush with hot water, then cold water & drain will be much faster.

Washing Windows and Mirrors:
-Use newspaper instead of a rag or paper towel.  The newspaper doesn't leave streaks or dust & lint from the rag behind!

Toilets:
-The "ring" of minerals and water deposits that build up in a toilet can be removed using a pumice stone.
Showers and Tubs:
-As I have said before...Shower Power, it works like a charm!
-Also, use an old credit card to scrape the walls, it scratches build up and soap scum amazingly well!

Extras:
-Electrical switches:Wipe down light and electrical switches.  These are rarely cleaned but collect dirt from constant contact.
-Lights: Wipe down lights.  Again rarely cleaned, but they collect lots of dust and dead bugs.