Spring has finally sprung, and that means it’s time to take care of all those cleaning tasks you’ve been putting off. Don’t worry, you can focus on one room at a time to keep things manageable or do one thing each day to get your house ship-shape before summer entertaining season rolls around. Try these spring cleaning tips and tricks, and your home will be spic and span in no time.
Hard-to-Clean Blinds
We all dread cleaning blinds, but in certain areas of the house, your blinds can take on the most dust and dirt. Bathrooms, entry ways, and main living spaces are great places for hair, dust particles and pet hair to collect. To clean your blinds, draw the them all the way down (let them hang below the window sill if necessary) and close the slats. Vacuum completely with the dusting attachment, applying medium pressure to dislodge dirt. Then twist the rod so the slats close in the other direction and repeat.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget the valence! If you can easily remove it, simply vacuum the top and all sides with the dusting attachment. If it’s not easily removable, use a stepladder (be careful not to trip on the vacuum cord!) so you can see all sides. A dust buster attachment works well too.
See More Clearly with Shiny Windows
Let the sunshine in! Nothing is more embarrassing on a sunny day than living room windows that have wet-nose smudges from Fido or little Johnny’s fingerprints all over them. To clean dirty windows up in a snap, simply use newspaper instead of cloth or paper towels to get a streak-free shine on glass. If you hate the smell of Windex, use a 50-50 solution of white vinegar and water instead. Bold and beautiful! With a clear shot of a beautiful backyard.
Climbing the Walls
After a few cold months with the kids occupying themselves indoors, chances are you’ve got plenty of grime on your walls, especially around door frames. To spiff them up fast, try gently dry scrubbing with a microfiber cloth first, especially on matte surfaces. For glossy painted woodwork, use a bit of dish soap, water and a soft sponge. If that doesn’t do the trick, using a Magic Eraser is your best friend when it comes to getting rid of tough dirt — just test it on an inconspicuous spot to make sure it doesn’t mar your paint.
Pro Tip: You can remove crayon and scuff marks with a bit of toothpaste and a damp napkin as your scrubbing tool of choice.
Screen Time
Our homes are filled with computer and TV screens, and they get dirty over time. If you’re interested in knowing how to clean computer and smartphone screens, give this a try: Buff smudged screens with a dry microfiber cloth first. If they still need a little elbow grease, just mix just a drop or two of dish soap in warm water and try again, making sure to buff with a dry cloth when you’re done.
Clean those Keyboards
Laptops, remote controls and other items with a keypad get dirty fast. Did you know that research has shown that computer keyboards and phone or game keypads can have 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat? Yuck! It’s important to stay on top of these germs, especially before, during and after flu season. You can start by cleaning keyboards with a vacuum to clear away debris first. Then dip a cotton swab into rubbing alcohol and use it to scrub between the keys. You can use a soft cloth for large areas like the track pad. This will disinfect your keyboards and help them look like new.
Keep the Pets, but Get Rid of the Hair
Spring is shedding season, and your pets have plenty of shedding to go around, for sure. If you’re looking to find out how to stay on top of keeping pet hair off furniture and floors, there’s an easy way to do it. Once a week, grab a dust mop or Swiffer and keep tile and hardwood floors clean in a jiffy. Weekly (okay, you can stretch it to 10 days), run the vacuum on area rugs and carpet. And if you love your dust buster, it’s great for quick pick-ups in small rooms and in corners. To remove pet hair from upholstered furniture, try making an oversized lint roller by wrapping duct tape around a paint roller, sticky side out. No paint roller? Spritz your upholstery with a bit of water and use a squeegee to scrape up hair. If you can bear to cover your furniture, it’s a lot easier to shake it out every so often and throw the cover in the wash. Surefit offers very durable covers and they look great too!
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to rid your car upholstery of pet hair, too!
Now that those hard-to-clean areas are all spiffed up, take a break and enjoy the beautiful weather that’s well on its way to turning into a beautiful spring filled with sun, flowers and lots of fun.
