Top tricks for spring cleaning your home. Clear out your cluttered drawers and freshen up your mattress with these top tips for cleaning and de-cluttering.
Your Microwave
Enough with the ketchup stains – this trick will make cleaning them up a lot easier.
Place large microwave-safe bowl with 250ml of water and a chopped-up lemon/lime or several tablespoons of vinegar inside.
Turn the appliance on high for several minutes or until the solution boils up and the window is steamy, then let it sit to cool for 15 minutes before opening the door.
Remove the bowl and wipe out the inside and outside with a sponge.
Your Chopping Boards
If you think food stains are permanent, you’re wrong.
Sprinkle your board with salt or baking soda then chop a lemon in half and run the cut side over the board to remove food stains and smells.
Your Messy Drawer
Start small and pick your spot. Empty it out and clean out the dust.
Throw away the rubbish or relocate the things that don’t belong there. Everything else goes back, but this time organised!
Use bowls or tubs to store cords, stamps, and other odds and ends. A nonslip liner will keep them in place.
Your Children’s Toys
Don’t overlook the dishwasher! It can take more than just plates, including your children’s (and pet’s) plastic toys.
For stuffed animals, check the care label first, put them in a pillowcase and pop in the washing machine on a gentle cycle. A quick once-over with a lint roller can help too.
Your Mattress
Spring cleaning is the perfect time to pay attention to the thing under the sheets.
Strip the bed and put your sheets in the washing, get a sieve and some bicarbonate of soda and sprinkle a good dusting across the surface – any areas that have stains should be treated with more soda. The soda draws out dirt, moisture and odours from the fabric and absorbs them, leaving the material unblemished.
Leave this for several hours (a whole day if possible) and vacuum off pressing firmly with the nozzle to clean the top and sides.
(Some stains may be beyond the capabilities of this process and could require more extensive cleaning products.)
Your Phone
Bad news: Your mobile phone probably harbours more germs than your toilet seat. That’s why you should be giving it a once over with an alcohol wipe to zap germs.
Another way to spring clean your phone is to have a clear out of unused apps and transfer your photos on to a cloud or memory stick, clearing up your storage and giving you a fresh start.
Your Vacuum
Yes, even these need cleaned! Empty it out, replace the bag, clean the dust cup, and replace or wash the filters. Snip threads snarled in the brush with scissors or a seam ripper.
Washing filters can be done by filling your sink with warm water and mixing in a cup of washing powder. Soak your filters, squeeze and repeat until they are clean. Sit these on top of a radiator to dry and the next time you Vacuum your home will be filled with the smell of freshly washed clothes.
These are our top tips for making a start in spring cleaning your home, ready for the summer months. If you want to go the extra mile and de-clutter all the things you won’t need until winter, why not hire a self-storage facility to store all the stuff that clogs up your garage and home.