Dishwashers aren’t just capable of cleaning cutlery, crockery and glassware – they can be used to clean glass light fixture globes, plastic toys, toothbrush holders, and much more. Put yours on a gentle cycle and skip the heated dry.
Day 2: Wait for a cloudy day to wash your windows
Direct sun might dry your window cleaner before you have a chance to wipe it off, leaving streaks. Use vertical strokes on one side of a window and horizontal ones on the other. Doing so will allow you to determine which side of the window a streak is on when you spot it.
Day 3: Double up on doormats
Put doormats on either side of your front door to trap most dirt coming into your house. Make sure they’re hosed off and air-dried, and vacuum your indoor one on both sides.
Day 4: Dust all forgotten places
Lamp shades and drapes often get forgotten about when cleaning. Put drapes, curtains and even pillows into your dryer for 15 minutes on an “air-only” cycle, then rehang them immediately to prevent them from wrinkling. Use a lint roller on any lampshades.
Pet hair seems to get everywhere, but all you need to get rid of it is a pair of rubber gloves. Dampen them slightly and use them to collect the problem fuzz.
Day 6: Breathe new life into your mattress
Take any sheets off your mattress and use your vacuum’s upholstery and crevice tools to clean the sides. Use upholstery cleaner to spot-clean stains. Allow to dry after spraying, and then sanitize the mattress with a disinfectant spray.
Day 7: De-grease kitchen cabinets
Kitchen grime is a mixture of dust and grease that can’t be seen until it builds up. Use “cabinet cream” to de-gunk your cabinets, because it cuts through dirt and leaves wood moisturized. Pay specific attention to the areas around door and drawer pulls and other places where grime can collect.
Day 8: Remove the stink from your dishwasher
Sometimes, food doesn’t make it out of your dishwasher and remains stuck in the machine, causing it to smell. Remove any food that has collected around the filter, then pop it out and rinse it thoroughly under hot water. Run a cycle with a machine cleaner about once a month to keep your dishwasher fresh.
Day 9: Shine up your stainless steel
Make stainless steel surfaces sparkle again by mixing a solution of 1 teaspoon dish detergent and 1 quart hot tap water. Use a microfiber cloth to rub the detergent solution onto the marks in small sections, going with the grain. Rinse with hot water and dry immediately with a clean cloth.
A blast of steam from your iron can help to disguise any imprints in your carpet. Hold the iron above the dented area, and use the steam burst button several times. Fluff out the dented area to remove. You can also try putting ice cubes in each indentation, allowing the cubes to melt slowly. Once they’re melted, lift the carpet fibers back up with a spool.
Day 11: Tune up your vacuum
Replace your vacuum’s bag, clean the dust cap, and replace or wash the filters. For future efficient carpet cleaning, set your vacuum’s nozzle to its lowest setting so you can push it in comfortably. Use the bare-floor brush attachment for bare floors.
Day 12: Deep clean drawers
There’s an old rule with old clothes – get rid of them or donate them if you haven’t worn them for a year or more. Your kitchen drawers can be taken care of by sucking up dust and debris using your vacuum’s nozzle.
Day 13: Clean your broom
Your broom can get covered in dust bunnies when you’re cleaning hard. To get rid of them, swish the broom head around in warm, soapy water or vacuum it with a handheld attachment.
Day 14: De-lint your dryer
You should remove the dirt from your dryer’s filter after every load you put on. For deeper bits of lint, pull out the crevice tool on your vacuum and suck up the debris once a year, or as soon as you notice that your clothes aren’t drying well.
Getting rid of dirt on the grouting in between the tiles in your home is as easy as mixing a ¾ cup of household chlorine bleach with a gallon of water. Make sure you wear rubber gloves and eye protection to do this. Use a stiff brush to apply the mixture to one small area at a time. Don’t let the mixture splatter onto surrounding surfaces. Allow it to sit for several minutes, scrub and rinse.
Day 16: Look after your laundry machine!
Disinfect your laundry machine with distilled white vinegar and baking soda. Run the machine on a hot wash, add the cleaning agents (if it’s a top-loading machine, add 3-4 cups of vinegar to ½ cup of baking soda; if it’s a front-loading machine, add ¼ cup of vinegar to 4 tablespoons of baking soda), then let sit for 30-60 minutes after running. Restart the machine, let the water drain, wipe down and air dry.
Day 17: Get stains out of cutting boards
This one is as simple as running a sliced lemon over them to remove any food stains and smells. For an added cleaning effect, try sprinkling your cutting boards with salt or baking soda before using the sliced lemon.
Day 18: Keep hold of sturdy grocery bags
Cloth grocery bags are always the best to keep hold of because of their environmental credentials. Simply remember to wash them from time to time in order to remove any lingering bacteria. Turn them inside out first!
Day 19: Wash your entire bed
This includes things like pillows and comforters. You only need to do this two or three times per year, so they should be a top priority during spring cleaning. Make sure to check the manufacturer’s label on all items before washing.
Place a 4-cup-large microwave-safe bowl with 1 cup of water and a chopped up lemon, lime or orange. Turn the appliance up to its highest setting for several minutes, or until the solution boils and the window steams up. Leave to cool for 15 minutes before opening the door. You’ll find that the gunk on the inside will just wipe straight off.
Day 21: Get the gunk out of the knife block
Try using the crevice tool on your vacuum cleaner to get any gunk out of the holes in your knife block. You can also use a hair dryer to blow it out. Another idea is to use a 12-inch pipe cleaner and work gently to insert it into each slot. Swirl it around to collect dust and grime.
Day 22: Freshen up drains
Mix ½ cup of baking soda with ¼ cup of table salt. Pour the mixture down the drain, followed by 1 cup of heated vinegar. You will see it foaming and bubbling. Allow to stand for 15 minutes or more. Run hot water over the drain for 15 to 30 seconds.
Day 23: Shine up copper
The solution for this one is rather unbelievable, but it works – it’s ketchup! The acid it contains is perfect for dissolving tarnish on copper pots and other copper accessories. Massage the red sauce into the surface and add a pinch of salt if you find exceptionally stubborn spots.
Day 24: Throw away anything that’s unnecessary
Get rid of magazines and catalogs, makeup you never use, coffee mugs that are simply there to collect dust, and unused clothes hangers. Take a trip to the recycling bin or the second-hand store to get rid of such items.
