We love spring! It’s a time to begin again, refresh ourselves and our homes, and breathe new life into our surroundings. Of course though, what is spring without spring cleaning? Spring cleaning is a tradition that allows us to freshen up our homes and get a head start on the often hectic seasons of spring and summer. While it can feel like a daunting task, it doesn’t have to be difficult. We’re here to give you some of our favorite spring cleaning tips to get your home ready for whatever lays ahead!
Kitchen
Get Rid of Kitchen Stink
Our kitchens go through a lot during the year.
It’s where we gather, where we cook, where we bring life into our homes, so it’s not surprising that they can get a little smelly! There are a few ways to combat kitchen stink, but one of the best is to clean out your sink. Try running a couple of lemon rind slivers through your garbage disposal and follow with cold water to get rid of any unwanted odors.
Clean out the Microwave
Another place that can be neglected in the kitchen is the microwave. It can build up odors as well as food particles, and can become pretty disgusting over time. To remove microwave odors, cut a lemon into halves, squeeze the juice into 1/2 cup of water and drop the rinds into the mixture. Microwave for three minutes and let it stand for five minutes without opening the door. The trapped steam will loosen the grime, so you can wipe the microwave clean with less elbow grease!
Give Your Countertops Some Love
Countertops are a part of the kitchen that are often overlooked, other than a quick wipe down, but one of the most utilized parts of a kitchen! Spring cleaning is a great time to get your countertops looking good. It might be time to consider resealing stone, calling a professional to buff out scratches, or even just give them some more attention with a deep clean. Dig out the granite polish, or dish soap for stones like marble, to restore shine and help repel stains on your kitchen surfaces. Be careful not to utilize anything with ammonia because it can cause streaking and will leave behind a film!
Bathroom
Use white vinegar to beat shower head buildup
Your shower head can build up mineral deposits over time, blocking the sprayers and making your showerhead less effective. There is a super easy, and eco friendly way to remedy this. Vinegar is a very effective tool to dissolve the mineral build up. Fill a plastic bag with white vinegar, secure it over the showerhead with a rubber band and leave it overnight to get rid of buildup.
Scrub the shower and tub
Head into Spring with a sparkling bathroom by giving your tub, shower, and sinks a good scrub down. For acrylic tubs, use a baking soda and vinegar solution rather than an abrasive cleaner. Scrub stains with the solution and a heavy duty brush, then let it sit for 20 minutes and rinse. Porcelain tubs however need a powder cleaner to remove stains. Scrub the tub with the powder and water (it should form a thick paste) and a scrub brush. Once you’ve covered the surface of the tub with the paste, let it sit for 30 minutes before rinsing. Tiles should get wiped down with a tile cleaning spray, and grout can be scrubbed with a toothbrush (just make sure it’s different than the one you use!). Finally if you have soap scum on your glass shower doors, you can utilize many different things to get your glass sparkling. Probably the easiest, is to invest in a glass or shower cleaning spray and let it sit before wiping it down.
Pro Tip: Use lemon oil on your glass every other week to keep soap scum from sticking to doors and building up!
Declutter the Bathroom Cabinets
Our final bathroom cleaning tip is to clean out your cabinets! Take stock of old products that you don’t use or are expired, things that are half full, and replace items that you are running low on or need. Start by removing everything from your cabinets and drawers and giving everything a good wipe down with your favorite cleaner, or check out our blog on making your own DIY cleaner. When putting items back into your cabinet or drawers think about necessity. If you reach for your toothpaste more than your exfoliant, put the toothpaste on a lower, more accessible shelf!
Home
Create a System of Organization
One of the best ways to get your home ready for Spring, is just to get organized and clear away unnecessary clutter. Start systematically by identifying problem areas that accumulate clutter (many times these areas are coffee tables, or entry tables), and determine why these areas accumulate clutter. Once you determine why, come up with a solution to help ensure that these problem areas don’t stay problem areas. Whether it is having a set spot for daily mail, or remembering to hang up your coat rather than putting it on a chair, small solutions can help in the grand scheme of things! As you start to clear out clutter, sort your belongings into four categories—trash, give away, store, or put away, to keep things organized and clear.
Move Furniture to Clean
As you’re organizing and decluttering, don’t forget to clean under and around furniture. Sometimes things get stuck behind or under big pieces of furniture like couches or media centers. By moving these large pieces of furniture, not only are you able to vacuum and dust around them, but you may rediscover a long lost item! Avoid scratching your wood floors, and make furniture easier to move, by placing towels under the legs. While the furniture is moved, don’t forget to clean the baseboards and any air vents that may have been covered!
Give Your Home A Refresh
Finally, one great way to breathe new life into your space, is to tackle that renovation you’ve been putting off! While this is probably the most dramatic Spring Cleaning tip we can give, it’s no less important. Doing renovations in the spring ensures you will have a summer full of enjoyment in your new space. Spring also offers a moment of downtime in the year that other seasons lack. Summer vacations, and Winter holidays make renovations difficult because of traveling and conflicting schedules, but in Spring there is a breath that can be taken to give your remodel your full attention!
