Spring is in the air (finally!). With warmer temperatures, bluer skies and fresh air, now is the perfect time to prep your home for the summer holidays. Spring-cleaning is notorious for taking hours. But, with a little ingenuity and some hard work, you can shave a bit of time off your cleaning routine so you have more free hours to spend outside enjoying the ocean breeze.
Plan to spend a few hours at least twice a year getting rid of extra clutter, airing out your home and scrubbing down appliance. Keeping up with a regular cleaning routine or hiring a professional house cleaner to clean your home each week will make spring-cleaning much easier.
Besides deep cleaning, a few things to put on the calendar this time of year include:
Heating/Air Maintenance and filter change
Fireplace cleaning
Carpet cleaning
Professional window cleaning
Check out 15 of our favorite spring-cleaning hacks to help you save time when you’re chasing dust bunnies out of your house this year:
In the kitchen:
Use a lemon to remove water stains: Slice a lemon in half and rub the lemon over the surface of the faucets and knobs on your sinks (you can use this trick in the bathroom too.) If you want extra cleaning power, dip the lemon in a bowl of baking soda before scrubbing, and then rinse the area when done.
Door tracks: If you have sliding glass doors in your kitchen, you know keeping those tracks clean can be a major pain. For a quick clean, grab an old t-shirt and dip it in vinegar and scrub. The folds of the shirt should get down in some of the cracks, but you can also use a cotton swab for smaller crevices.
Clean your coffee grinder: Clean your coffee grinder quickly by blending a piece of bread. The bread soaks up the remnants of old smells.
Dishwasher duty: Skip scrubbing the dishwasher on your hands and knees. Instead, place a cup of vinegar on the top self of the dishwasher and run it on high. Remove the vinegar, sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of your dishwasher and run again. Ta-da, you have a nice fresh dishwasher!
Scrub vases: Old vases can be a bit difficult to clean especially if they have narrow necks. One simple solution is to fill the vase a bit of rice, a little water and a little dish soap. Cover and shake. Don’t add too much water or the rice won’t have enough friction. The rice rubs against the inside of the vase removing buildup.
In the bathroom
Clean glass shower doors: Clean your glass shower doors with a dryer sheet. The coarseness of the material pulls grime away with ease.
Toilet time: Fill the toilet bowl with a bit of vinegar and baking soda. Let it set for at least a half hour (while you clean the shower or other areas of the bathroom) and then scrub with a toilet brush. Grime and build up should pull away quickly.
Shower walls: Use a squeegee or a flat-head mop to wash your shower walls. Fill the tub with hot water, vinegar and lemon (or your favorite eco-friendly cleaner). The mixture will soak the bottom of your tub and you can dip your mop in the water and use it to scrub the walls quickly.
Holders/Dishes: Toss toothbrush holders, soap dishes and other containers into the dishwasher for a quick clean. Ideally, you should wash these at least once a month.
The rest of your house
Dust your ceilings: Attach an old t-shirt or towel to your broom with a rubber band. Wipe down crown molding, ceilings and ceiling fans with ease.
Dust your vents: Air vents are dust traps. If you have easy-to-reach vents near the floor, consider using a rag-covered butter knife to clean between each groove in the vent. You can dust the vent dry or soak the rag in vinegar and water or another eco-friendly cleaner for a deeper scrub.
Clean your electronics: Use clean coffee filters to dust your television set, VCR and computer. The soft material won’t scratch screens and the fibers in the filters pull dust away.
Polish your furniture with coconuts: Use a bit of coconut oil to shine your furniture instead of toxic cleaners. Just keep in mind you only need a little bit!
Clean your washing machine: Fill your washer with hot water, add a quart of bleach (or one entire bottle of white vinegar and a few tablespoons of lemon juice.) Set the washer on the longest cycle and allow your washer to agitate for a few minutes. Shut the washer off and let it set for at least an hour and then run the cycle all the way through.
Wipe down the inside and outside with hot water and vinegar.
The dishwasher is your best friend: You can save plenty of time by letting your dishwasher clean a few more things. A few items you can usually put in the dishwasher include:
- Glass light covers
- Shower heads
- Plastic Toys
- Pet Bowls
- Burner pans
- Sink Pugs
- Range hood grease filters
- Grates
- Salt and Pepper Shakers
Spring-cleaning is a great way to get your home feeling fresh after a winter of rain and cold. Shave some precious time off your cleaning routine with a few of these hacks. Tell us, what are some of your favorite spring-cleaning hacks?