My friend Barbara is a cleaning crazy person. She cleans things that I don’t even know need cleaning. When we were young Moms, she used to call me with “another thing we need to clean” tip of the week. I kid you not! Once she phoned to say that we needed to wipe out the gussets of the refrigerator seal (check it out if you don’t already clean it – it’s gross)! I am not Barbara. I would never be killed for how clean my house is, although Bruce would probably argue this point. However, I do think a good spring cleaning is a worthy endeavor. Everybody has their way of doing (or not doing) this, but the following is my easy spring cleaning checklist. These are things that are often ignored, but shouldn’t be. So here goes….
1. Wash Your Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinets
Bruce and I recently changed the knobs and pulls on our kitchen cabinets. In for their installation I wanted to clean the heck out of these babies. I am so glad I did. Your kitchen and bathroom cabinets are among the most expensive, permanent items in your home. Washing them regularly allows you to keep them looking their best and also helps them to last as long as possible. Daily cooking adds a layer of grime to all your kitchen surfaces and your cabinets are some of the prime offenders. Just do this: Make a solution with your favorite, wood-safe cleaner and have at it. You may want to use cotton swabs or an old toothbrush for the crevices. After they dry, it’s a great time to use that touch-up pen you got when they were installed to erase any ugly marks that have occurred over time.
2. Wipe Out Your Kitchen Drawers
Stuff, I’m talking gross stuff, falls into your kitchen drawers on the daily. You religiously wash your counters, but in doing so you accidentally brush crumbs, dust and other grossness into the drawers. When Bruce and I did the pull/knob replacement this was embarrassingly evident. This spring, empty them out, one at a time. Pull them out of the frame and dump them into the sink or trash. Then, give them a good wipe out with a Pine-Sol or Murphy’s Oil Soap solution. The drawers will thank you, and they will hold up better for your efforts.
3. Clean Your Dryer Vent
Last year we had to replace our dryer. This set off an accidental cavalcade of projects. One of them was replacing our dryer vent because, unbeknownst to us, the previous dryer vented directly into the attic! Two of my brothers are firemen. I cannot have a fire. They would die of embarrassment. According to the National Fire Prevention Association, “U.S. fire departments respond to an estimated average of 15,970 home structure fires involving clothes dryers or washing machines each year.These fires cause an annual average of 13 civilian deaths, 444 civilian injuries, and $238 million in direct property damage.The vast majority of fires (92%) involved clothes dryers.” Clean your dryer vent, please, because clogged dryer vents cause house fires! You can replace the hosing or use a long-handled tool to clean them out. Prevent yourself from becoming part of the statistic.
4. Clean Your Blinds/Shutters
I’m allergic to dust. I know, this is super-weird for someone who owns a consignment store. Because of this allergy, I clean my shutters every time I dust. It makes me, literally, breathe easier. If you don’t do it every time you clean, no worries. It’s probably not a huge essential. But, once a season it is really important to get the dust off these babies. Use a solution if they are extra yucky and they will last way longer too. It’s an easy thing to add to your easy spring cleaning checklist.
5. Clean Your Washing Machine
I love the front-loading washing machine, but man can they get a funky smell sometimes. Maybe it’s using too much laundry soap? Maybe it’s my daughter, Charlotte jamming it full of 10 days worth of clothing all at once? Who knows? Spring is a great time to add this to your easy spring cleaning checklist. Clean these appliances and extend their life by doing so. I use Oxi Clean Washing Machine Cleaner, but there are a lot of great cleaners out there. They eliminate soap residue and gross odors.
6. Flip Your Mattress
OK, so a lot of us have one-sided mattresses these days, but that does not preclude you from “flipping” them. This spring rotate your mattress 180 degrees (your head becomes your foot) for more even wear on this expensive item. It’s a must on your easy spring cleaning checklist.
7. Wash Your Curtains
Your curtains suck up all the odors in your house and all the dust in your room. Washing your curtains once a season helps you to breathe better and helps the textiles last longer. When you take them down to launder, you will will also be able to take an inventory of how they are wearing/fading and you can flip them accordingly. Realize that some window treatments can not be washed in your (now newly clean) washing machine. These must go to the dry cleaner. For expensive draperies, this is well worth it.
So that was painless, wasn’t it? I am hoping that spring is around the corner. I am also hoping that you enjoyed the easy spring cleaning checklist. Keeping up with these tasks makes you breathe better, for sure, but it also makes your home hold up better and be worth more over time. Who doesn’t want their house to be a more valuable asset?
For more on cleaning up your act, see my previous blogs: Inexpensive Cleaning Hacks You’re Going To Love and Four Quick Tips For Cleaner Floors.
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