Plan your spring cleaning

Transcription

1 Plan your spring cleaning Posted by Joy Shrum-Reporter On 02/24/2017 Hollywood, MD- Mother Nature can t decide if she s finished with winter but it seems spring is sneaking into the region which means it s time for some spring cleaning. This time of the year is the perfect time to tack some of those jobs you ve been putting off for months. Here s a checklist of things and places around your house that might need a good deep cleaning and make sure you have some vinegar and baking soda on hand: Kitchen cabinets: Build-up can collect on your cabinets, especially above your stove. If you have wood cabinets, there are several ways to tackle the job. You can use any oil/grease cutting liquid detergent; dish or laundry. Mix it with water and you re all set. You can also use a mix of vinegar and water. And if you have a touch stain, try mixing water with some baking soda. Oven: Most newer stoves have a self-cleaning options but that can cause quite the stink as the oven burns off food particles. Try a mix of baking soda, water and vinegar and make a paste. Use a sponge to spread it around the dirtiest spots and let it sit overnight. In the morning, use a wet sponge to wipe out the grease and grime. Page 1

2 Inside of your fridge: Remove all of the food so you can get to all of the corners and crevices. Pull out any drawers or shelves and wipe them down with warm water and dish soap. Use a mix of warm water and dish soap to wipe down the interior. Use baking soda to remove tough stains. Page 2

3 Stainless steel: You ll need that vinegar again. Do a preliminary clean of your appliance with vinegar then spray your appliance liberally with vinegar. Use a paper towel or soft cloth and wipe the vinegar off in the direction of the grain. If there s a stain, mix some baking soda and vinegar and rub it onto the stain with a soft cloth. Follow the grain so you avoid scratching the surface. Page 3 Seal your granite countertops: Select a sealer designed for natural stone and then wipe off the granite with a specialized stone cleaner. Allow it to dry for hours. Apply the sealer evenly; the

4 countertops should be damp but not soaked. Let the sealer absorb into the stone (follow the instructions on the bottle). Wipe off the sealer with a clean cloth. Allow the sealer to cure for 48 hours before washing it off. Dishwasher: It s a good time to make sure there are not leftover food particles collecting in the bottom of our dishwasher. Fill up a cup with vinegar and place it in the top rack of your machine and run a hot-water cycle. Sprinkle one cup of baking soda across the bottom of the dishwasher. Page 4

5 Washing Machine Top Load: Again, you can simply use baking soda and vinegar. Set your washer to run on hot water with the largest load setting. Once the tub is full, stop the washer and add 3-4 cups of white vinegar and turn the washer back on. After a couple of minutes, stop the washer again and add ½ cups of baking soda. Turn on the machine for a few minutes and then stop it and allow the water to sit for minutes. While the hot water, vinegar and baking soda and penetrating the grime and odors, use water and vinegar to wipe down the rest of your washer. Page 5

6 Washing Machine Front load: Spray vinegar into the folds of the gray and rubbery gaskets in the front of the machine and then wipe them down with a cloth. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of baking soda into the drum. Pour two cups of vinegar into the detergent dispenser and then turn the machine to the cleaning cycle. Windows: Don t just focus on the inside but outside, as well. Try to clean them on a cloudy day so the sun doesn t dry the cleaner before you re finished. Page 6

7 Carpets: Move furniture and vacuum the area to be cleaned. Vacuum both horizontally and vertically to make sure you re picking up everything, especially pet hair. Fill the water container on the carpet shampooer with water and just a small amount of detergent less is more. Once you start, allow the extractor to pull up as much water as possible. Allow the carpet to dry for 6-12 hours. Rule of thumb: high-traffic areas should be shampooed twice a year. Infrequently used spaces only need to be done every 18 months. Area rug: Area rugs will benefit from a deep cleaning every months. Be sure to test a small area first before using a commercial cleaner. Vacuum the rug and then place it on a vinyl or concrete surface. Apply cleaning foam and rub in according to the directions. Finish by rinsing or vacuuming. Allow it to dry completely before replacing it. Page 7

8 Grout: This can require some serious elbow grease but if you stay on top of it, it will make regular cleanings much easier. For grout in the shower, apply a paste made from baking soda and water. Spray it down with diluted vinegar. Scrub it with a brush, rinse it, then wipe it dry. For floor grout pour a solution made from oxygenated bleach and warm water onto the grout. Scrub it with a brush, rinse it, then mop it up. Walls: To safely clean latex-painted interior walls, mix three or four drops of dish detergent in half-filled bucket of water. Or you can use two or three tablespoons of distilled white vinegar to a gallon of water. Wet a sponge in the mixture and wring it out dry. A sponge mop makes it easier to reach higher spots. Page 8

9 all-purpose cleaner, a sponge, and a polish cloth will give new light to your life. Light fixtures: A few minutes with a stepladder, Pillows and comforters: You probably wash your bed sheets and pillow cases regularly but now is a good time to wash that bulky comforter and pillows. Both will collect dust and dirt. Make sure you wash your pillows in hot water to help kill the dust mites that survived the winter. Page 9

10 Mattress: Regular vacuuming will keep mattresses clean and fresh. While you re at it, rotate or flip your mattress, too. Bookshelves: Take all the books off, clean the shelf, wipe down dusty books, rearrange in alphabetical order by author, put all the books that were living in stacks on the floor back onto the bookshelf. Create piles of books to give as gifts to friends and family, donate to your local library, or even to pass on to a teacher you know. Patio furniture: -Plastic furniture can be wiped down with a clean cloth dampened with a mixture of water and a mild dishwashing detergent. Rinse by hosing down. Page 10

11 -Wicker furniture use a soft scrub brush dampened with water and a mild oil-based soap, such as Murphy Oil Soap. Rinse by hosing down. For maintenance, hose down every few weeks to prevent dirt buildup in crevices. -Wrought iron furniture use a soft scrub brush dampened with water and a mild oil-based soap, such as Murphy Oil Soap. Rinse by hosing down. For maintenance, hose down every few weeks to prevent dirt buildup in crevices. -Teak furniture use a soft scrub brush dampened with water and a mild oil-based soap, such as Murphy Oil Soap. Rinse by hosing down. -Aluminum furniture wipe with a clean cloth dampened with a mixture of water and a mild dishwashing detergent, such as Ivory. To remove scuff marks, use a soft cloth dampened with water and a small amount of Soft Scrub. (Abrasive cleaners and brushes will scratch.) Rinse by hosing down. Contact Joy Shrum at j.shrum@baynet.com Copyright 2017 thebaynet.com. All rights reserved. Page 11