This is the time of year when dusty corners are illuminated by the sun, and a desire to make your home spick and span for entertaining arises. Before you start putting marigolds in your house, please take a look at our spring cleaning tips. It doesn’t take a weekend to do a deep spring cleaning (it can be done even in one day). And sometimes, the best spring cleaning involves very simple methods.
Use household ingredients
If you want to avoid toxic cleaning products, look in your kitchen cabinets for lemon, baking soda, and vinegar.
Rub a half-lemon, cut-side down, to quickly fix:
- Cutting boards with stains
- Brass that is tarnished
- Dull Chrome Fixtures
- Grout
- Hard water stains
Mixing equal parts of vinegar and water can clean:
- Windows
- Coffee Makers
- Blinds
- Microwave
- Bathtubs
- Shower doors
- Copper
- Showerheads
Mixing baking soda with water can be used to:
- Smelly refrigerators
- Clean kitchen surfaces
- Bathroom mildew
- Drains clogged
- Dirty patio furniture
- Dull jewellery
Reuse and save dryer sheets
Keep dryer sheets in your dryer next time. You can use dryer sheets in unexpected ways to keep your house clean. Use a dryer sheet to clean the bottom of your iron and to sweep pet hair from carpets and rugs. The dryer sheets can also be used to dust skirting boards, as they are effective at picking up dust and leaving behind a dust-repellent residue.
Steam clean when in doubt.
Steam cleaning is not only kinder to the environment, but it also disinfects and sanitizes quickly. What can you clean using steam? The list is extensive! Steam cleaning is beneficial for rugs, curtains, upholstered furniture, tiles, and ceramics, as well as glass, bins, work surfaces, and other textiles. After removing dirt with steam, wipe the surface.
Get back to the basics.
It’s not surprising that essential oils are so versatile. Essential oils are a great way to transform your home. A few drops of essential oils on the inner tube of your toilet paper can help keep it smelling fresh. Add a few drops of water and spray lightly on the fabric to refresh it. This will also help to freshen up your curtains, upholstery, rugs, or mattresses. Add ten drops of essential oil to 200g of baking powder to really freshen your carpets. Mix well, then sprinkle the mixture over the carpet. Let it sit for a couple of hours before vacuuming up the powder. Please read our blog on how to clean shaggy or sheepskin carpets for more tips.
Re-purpose odd socks
Orphan socks are those that we all have. They sit in our drawers, waiting to be reunited. Did you know that socks can be used to clean? Buy cheap fuzzy socks instead of expensive Swiffer clothes and stretch them on top of the Swiffer. Cotton socks can also be worn on your hands, like gloves to clean blinds. The same method can be used for cleaning house plants. Filled with coffee grounds, place a sock in your wardrobe or fridge to absorb musty smells.