Spring Cleaning 101

CLEANING 101 Spring

By: Amanda Kuhn

Throw open those windows, tear off the sheets and mattress coverings, roll up your rugs and get ready, because spring is in the air and you know what that means - it’s time to clean.

After being cooped up all winter nothing feels better than a clean home with a cool breeze running through it. Whether your spring cleaning involves sterilizing every inch of your home with a toothbrush or simply washing your floors for the first time in 6 months, the tradition of spring cleaning is sure to help you shake that winter funk.

Here are a few tips and tricks for spring cleaning your home and a few homemade, eco-friendly cleaning products for you to try.

1. Clean the windows & then open them!

For a streak-free shine, wash your windows with a combination of two gallons of water and one teaspoon of dish washing soap. Using a sponge and scrubber, wash each of your windows. We’re not just talking about the panes either; be sure to open the windows and clean your window frames as well. If you want to get really crazy, take out your screens and hose them down too.

2. Wash curtains or window coverings.

Remove your curtains or drapes and throw them in the washing machine. If you have blinds, there’s no need to take them down. Clean them using the brush attachment on your vacuum and wipe them down with a damp cloth.

3. Move the furniture.

Dressers, beds, couches, and anything you normally clean around, need to be moved. After you move a piece of furniture, break out the crevice tool on your vacuum and clean all the hard to reach places you normally avoid. 4. Wipe down walls, baseboards, lighting fixtures, ceiling fans, etc.

Start by getting those cobwebs in the corners of the room using the crevice tool on your vacuum. Then, using the same combination of water and dish soap, take a cloth and quickly run it over the walls and baseboards to remove any dust. If you have ceiling fans, grab a stool and thoroughly clean the lighting fixtures and each of the fan blades.

5. Show your floors some love.

If you have hardwood or laminate floors, be sure to vacuum or sweep them first and then use an appropriate floor cleaner with minimal water. If you have rugs or carpets, vacuum both sides, as dust and dirt can also accumulate underneath rugs, then shampoo.

6. Clean your appliances, inside & out.

Time to throw out all those half empty bottles of salad dressing that have been sitting in your refrigerator for the last two years. Using water and dish soap, scrub the inside of your microwave, refrigerator, dishwasher, etc.

Your spring cleaning doesn’t need to end there. You can tackle all those junk drawers you have around the house, reorganize your bathroom cabinets, recycle your collection of old magazines and then, once you’ve conquered the inside of your home, move outdoors and get started on those flower beds! While the task of spring cleaning may seem overwhelming, the satisfaction of having a clean home will help you enjoy the warm weather even more.

Visit BrightNest.com for a few DIY household cleaner recipes, an online resource for all your home maintenance needs. BrightNest provides expert tutorials on everything from cleaning your countertops to cleaning your drinking water. 