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A Guide to Spring Cleaning your Apartment
The tradition of “Spring Cleaning” is a tradition for a reason—while we don’t necessarily need to clean the soot from our fireplaces, the changing of the seasons sparks within us a fresh start, and what fresher way to start than by deep cleaning? Check out this guide—which can also double as a checklist for those who can’t figure out where to start—for helpful tips and tricks on preparing for a new season. This guide is organized by room for ease and efficiency.
By Raven Halle 1. Kitchen Let’s begin in the kitchen. Using your products of choice and/or any self-cleaning features on your appliances, clean your countertops, stovetop, microwave, dishwasher, and any other smaller appliances like toasters or air fryers. Next, you can deep clean your fridge and cabinets. A good place to start is by throwing out food that has gone bad and considering donating any non-perishables that you no longer need. Next, you can remove the shelves from your fridge and give them as well as the fridge’s interior a good wiping down. To finish, wash all of your dish rags and sponges, shake out dirt from any floor mats, and then sweep, mop, and/or vacuum. 2. Dining Area and Living Room Start by dusting any light
fixtures, shelves, bookcases, blinds, ceiling fans, electronics, and windowsills. If you have any silverware that needs polishing, polish it! Next, spot clean or vacuum any chair or couch cushions, and wash any slipcovers. Declutter the common areas by throwing out trash, packing up anything you no longer use for donating, and rearranging any items or furniture. Sanitize any electronics, remote controls, or toys (if there are children in the apartment). Finish up by sweeping, mopping, and/or vacuuming hard floors and carpeted areas. 3. Bathroom Begin cleaning your bathroom by getting rid of any old or expired products, or products you no longer use. Dust and windex your mirror(s) along with wiping down the countertop. Next, use your choice of cleaning products to clean the sink, toilet, and shower/bathtub. Check your shower curtain
liner and replace it if necessary. Finish by washing any bathmats and sweeping and mopping the floor. 4. Laundry Area Perhaps one of the most overlooked areas of cleaning is the washing machine, but there are many ways to clean it—the simplest of which is running an empty cycle on hot with two cups of white vinegar instead of detergent. After, you can then scrub both the inside and outside of the machine. Next, clean the lint trap in the dryer and organize any laundry supplies. Finish by sweeping or vacuuming the area. 5. Bedroom(s) Begin by dusting any furniture, curtain rods, and windowsills. Next, throw your pillowcases, blankets, and any other washable bed items into the wash. If you store your clothes by season, start packing up some of your winter things
to make room for the items you wear in warmer weather. Going through your wardrobe is also a great opportunity to take inventory of what you need, what you have, and what you no longer use. If there are any things you no longer want or need, pack them up and consider donating them. Finish up by shampooing carpets (if applicable) and vacuuming all areas. 6. Miscellaneous There are a couple of other things you can do around the entire apartment, such as testing and replacing the batteries for your smoke alarm, cleaning air vents and replacing air filters, replacing any light bulbs, and sanitizing door handles and light switches. For more information on The Flats Apartment Living in Downtown Avalon Park, call 407-273-4337 or email Info@TheFlatsAtAvalonPark.com.
OUC’s Clean Energy Efforts Recognized in New Report Sierra Club Highlights Orlando Utilities Commission Path Forward
OUC—The Reliable One has been recognized in the Sierra Club’s new Clean Energy report card for OUC’s commitment to reaching 100% Net Zero emissions by 2050, with interim goals in the decades between. OUC is the only utility in the Southeast included in the report to earn a “B” rating, ranking in the top eight of 79 utilities which were surveyed nationally. Only three of the 79 utilities received an “A.” “We must always balance sustainability with reliability, resiliency and affordability,” said Clint Bullock, OUC’s General Manager & CEO. “We are one of only a small number of utilities that have a plan to get to Net Zero, and this report
confirms we are heading in the right direction. It also indicates the transportation sector has moved ahead of the electric generation industry in terms of carbon dioxide output, and we have a plan for addressing that, too.” OUC has committed to investing $45 million to expanding the infrastructure needed to support an additional 40,000 electric vehicles (EVs) on Central Florida roads by the end of the decade. In December 2020, OUC Commissioners approved a 30-year clean energy roadmap through an Electric Integrated Resource Plan (EIRP). The EIRP calls for converting OUC’s existing two coal generating units to natural gas within the
next six years for immediate carbon dioxide reductions. The move accelerates the utility’s clean energy plans years ahead of the planned useful life of the power plants using coal. Additionally, OUC stands committed to extensive investments in solar, energy storage and other renewables as technology improves and evolves. “I would like to say a huge thank you on behalf of our organization for the hard work you did under some of the most challenging circumstances last year. It is not lost on us that Orlando has surged ahead to lead the state in making the vision of 100% renewable energy a reality,” said Sierra Club’s Susannah Randolph at
OUC’s January Commission Meeting. “We are in a very, very elite group at the top of this report and I think we should feel very good about that. We have a long way to go, there’s more we can do,” said Britta Gross, OUC Board president. “I thank the Sierra Club for this and I hope we can continue to work together to be partners as we move forward to address our challenges together.”
