These essential cleaning hacks, products, tricks, and techniques will get your home ready for spring.
Do harsh chemicals make you gag?
Buy natural cleaning products scented with pleasing essential oils (or make them yourself).
Cleaning Plodder
Do you constantly turn to clean whenever you have a spare moment?
Regular, light cleaning is beneficial in many ways.
It leads to a neat and healthy home and prevents you from facing colossal clean-ups that take all day.
But it can also lead to a feeling of “never being done.
“Keep a checklistof even these small tasks, and mark them off when you complete them.
This way, you’ll regularly benefit from that “got that done” feeling.
Angry Cleaner
Youchannel your rage into cleaning, which makes that elbow grease 10 times stronger.
Instead, break tasks down into short, highly productive chunks of time.
Using a cleaning checklist, assign yourself two or three 10-minute tasks a day.
Alternatively, you may want to do one 30-minute task a day.
Set your phone timer, start cleaning, and stop once it goes off.
You did what you said you’d do, and it wasn’t too bad.
Check off the chore on your list, and you could relax until tomorrow.
The only problem: How to wash all those smelly gym clothes?
Step 1: Rinse ASAP
Rinse out your gym clothes right away.
Step 2: Soak in Vinegar Solution
Still stinky?
Try soaking them in 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts cold water.
They will absorb spills and help mask odors.
Sprinkle With Baking Soda
Another option: Sprinkle baking soda inside the bin.
Baking soda doesn’t disguise odors; it absorbs them.
Make Shower Cleaning Second Nature
There are several low-effort ways tokeep a shower clean.
It literally takes seconds.
Wash as You Go
Cleanse the shower while you’re in there.
One reader, J.F.
Works like a charm!”
Spritz Daily
Spray the walls with a daily cleaning spray like Method Daily Shower Spray.
It dissolves on the walls and prevents soap scum.
Refresh Stained Coffee Mugs
Yes, it’s true.
Baking soda canclean almost anythingincluding cleaning stained teacups and coffee mugs.
For an average-sized coffee mug, that would be 1 cup of water and 12 cup of baking soda.
Giving it time can also neutralize odors.
Step 3: Wipe Off Stains
Rub with a sponge and rinse.
Baking soda has natural, gentle abrasive properties, but it’s also completely safe.
If you add water, it can make a gloppy mess.
Remove Stuck-On Dirt
Get rid of stubborn, stuck-on dirt or stains after you’ve dusted.
Mix equal parts ofcleaning vinegarand water.
Dampen a sock with the solution, put your hand inside, and run it over the blade.
Leave the blinds open to dry completely.
Perhaps that’s why people don’t take the time to learn how to do it right.
Then let it sit for at least 10-15 minutes.
Toilet bowl cleaners need this much time to disinfect surfaces.
Finally, scrub with a hard bristle brush.
You might also use a toilet wand.
Wipe it down with paper towels and then toss them in the trash.
We’re talking doorknobs, light switch plates, appliance handles, faucets, and TV remotes.
Dust Ceiling Fans
Look up.
Do you see a ceiling fan in your home?
It probably needs dusting!
Neglect this task and you might be flinging dust particles around the room when you turn the fan on.
And who wants a second chore after you’ve completed this one?
This way, you could just toss the sheet in the laundry when you’re done.
But the safest option is a sturdy, trustworthy ladder.
Considerinvesting in a good ladderif your ceiling fan is several feet high.
Then carefully remove the case with the open side held shut to keep the dust inside.
Carry it to a trash can and shake out the dust.
Move on to the next blade until you’ve cleaned them all.
Use another dry cloth to dry.
Speed Clean Your Fridge
A refrigerator can bedeep cleaned in 20 minutes.
Do you only have 10?
Check labels forexpiration dates, and throw out anything past its prime.
The USDA recommendstossing leftovers after three or four days.
Use a microfiber cloth dampened with distilled white vinegar or astainless steel cleanerif your fridge is stainless steel.
Wash Your Shower Curtain
You canclean a shower curtain and linerwithout a washing machine.
This should be its own load; wash your other laundry separately.
Step 2: Add Vinegar
During the rinse cycle, add 12 cup vinegar.
It’s a natural way to reduce mold and mildew.
Step 3: Air Dry
Hang the curtain and liner to dry.
Some curtains can go in the dryer, but liners should always be air-dried.
Start by throwing out items that are old or that you don’t use anymore.
Don’t just discard the old stuff, since somebeauty products can be recycled.
If you ran over onto the tile, don’t worry.
Just use a cotton ball or swab to wipe the tile.
Step 3: Dry
Allow at least 10 minutes for it to dry.
De-Stink Your Sneakers
Smelly sneakerswhether your own or someone in your household’sare a fact of life.
The good news is: Lots of sneakers are machine washable.
Run them through a regular cycle with a small amount of detergent and a cup of white vinegar.
Then let them air dry.
Cleaning white leather sneakersis trickier.
One option is to rub off dirt and grime with a dampenedMagic Eraser.
This works on the soles as well.
Then dry the shoes thoroughly with a towel.
Clean Your Mattress
Laundering your sheets about once a weekis a no-brainer.
Butcleaning your mattressis a less obvious task.
Still, you should be doing it twice a year.
Baking soda deodorizes and neutralizes bacteria.
Disinfect Your Smart Phone
Yes, your smartphone is a breeding ground for germs.
“So, what do you say we learn how to clean that phone?
Gently wipe all sides of the phone (including the screen) with a disinfecting wipe.
Alternatively, spray 70 percent isopropyl alcohol onto a microfiber cloth and wipe your phone.
Don’t get the charging port wet.
Rinse the case and dry it with a towel.
confirm it’s completely dry before you replace it on your phone.
Crush Crumbs
Clean the kitchen quicker by eliminating spots you have to clean!
This will make it easier for you to untangle your hair when you brush it again.
Rinse all of the shampoo out completely.
The next day, a great hair day awaits!
Take an empty spray bottle and fill it with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and warm water.
Lemony Fresh Sinks
If your kitchen sink has a…stink, don’t fret.
You’ve probably already got the solution sitting in your fridge.
Grab a lemon, peel the rinds off, then simply stuff them into your sink’s garbage disposal.
Turn it on for 15-30 seconds and then flush any remains bits out with cold water.
Your sink should be smelling lemony fresh in under a minute.
Now’s the time.
Most canvas tote bags are actually machine washable!
Then spot-treat any tough stains and wash as normal!
Cycle Your Recyclable Bags
If your reusable grocery bags are machine washable, great!
A lot of them are, which makes this an easy fix.
Simply toss them in to get rid of any debris that’s collected in the bottom of the bag.
We know your pain.
For tough stains, sprinkle a little salt or baking soda on the stain first.
Turns out ketchup is one of the best ways to help dissolve tarnish on copper pots and cooking accessories.
Squirt some on there, massage it in, and add a pinch of salt for stubborn spots.
For those hard-to-reach spots near the ceiling, we recommend a microfiber mop.
Steam Clean Your Microwave
All kinds of gunk can get stuck on the walls of your microwave.
Make the cleaning process a little easier and save yourself some scrubbing by steam cleaning it.
The steam will soften any dried-on food bits and the acid from lemons will help break them down.
Butcleaning your makeup brushesand sponges is crucial not only to your makeup app but also to your skin!
A dirty brush that hasn’t been cleaned in ages can cause breakouts or skin irritation.
Tie it around your showerhead, making sure that the showerhead is completely submerged.
If needed, use a coarse brush or sponge to scrub the showerhead till it’s sparkling.
Dry the Dust off Your Curtains
Keep your heavy drapes or curtains clean can be tricky.
it’s possible for you to throw them into the dryer though!
Add a dryer sheet for extra freshness and just like that, all that dust is gone.
Not only will it improve the performance of your machine, but you’ll breathe easier too!
Wash Your Washing Machine
Does your washing have a bit of…a smell?
(Pro tip, always leave the door open after doing a load of laundry to avoid this!)
We’ve got the answer.
First yank out any hair, dust bunnies, etc.
Pat dry with a clean cloth and leave it to fully dry overnight.
Pressure Wash Your Driveway
Or anything you want!
But be careful, pressure washing is addictive!
still needs to be cleaned regularly to keep the flavor of your favorite beverages fresh.
Dust Your Houseplants
Caring for your houseplants means more than just keeping them alive.
Those bold green leaves need a little love.
