Alright, nobody loves spending a day deep cleaning their home. But if you’ve been putting off spring cleaning out of dread, we’ve got you covered with ten clever spring cleaning hacks that will get you motivated.
Here are our top 10 spring cleaning hacks.
1. The thing your fridge has been missing
Even if you have a newer larger refrigerator, you’ve probably had the experience of just…not being able to find the mustard. And wait, you were certain there was some leftover tomato…and where did this six month old sour cream come from?
Your refrigerator is not a perfect storage situation. There are ways to combat this with good organization, but the best way to not spend thirty minutes looking for a bottle of thousand island is to put in a few lazy susans–you’ll always be able to see what’s in the back without knocking the milk on the floor. Just spin, and find your food!
Lazy susans can be found online between 5 and 10 dollars, so while you’re already scrubbing out your fridge, you might as well reward yourself and everyone in your household with better organization. You may even prevent some spills that will keep cleaning to a minimum the next time you have to deep clean!
2. Dishwashers can wash things that aren’t dishes
Maybe this is obvious. But when is the last time you put your hairbrush in the dishwasher?
In general, if it’s made of plastic or ceramic, it can be put in the dishwasher. Check out this list of common household items that can be washed in a dishwasher, according to MentalFloss.com:
- contact lens cases
- hair brushes
- makeup brushes
- pet dishes
- plastic kids toys
- refrigerator shelves
- soap dishes
- tweezers
- various knobs and pulls, and even
- Removable showerheads
To get rid of grime, bacteria and fungus, these items do need to be occasionally deep cleaned, and the dishwasher is the easiest and fastest way to accomplish this. Be sure to put plastic items on the top to be on the safe side, and if you’re hesitant to use dishwashing liquid, you can put a cup of vinegar on the top shelf of the washer instead (dishwashing liquid contains bleach). But brainstorm all the things in your home that could be safely and thoroughly cleaned in a dishwasher– you might be surprised!
3. Dryer sheets make great dusting cloths
Here’s a great spring cleaning hack that’s useful any time of year…did you know dryer sheets can be used for dusting furniture? Dust clings to the dryer sheets, making them more effective than a regular dry rag, and they coat your furniture with a residue that repels dust and lint, which means you won’t have to worry about dusting for a little longer than you would if you’d used a regular dry or damp rag.
Dryer sheets can also keep mice away, get rid of soap scum, or deodorize a room. And they don’t necessarily have to be unused. Find more uses for dryer sheets here: https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/20-household-uses-for-used-yes-46912
4. Erase those water rings
This spring cleaning hack is perfect: it uses a tool in an unexpected way, and it’s simple to do. Got water rings on your coffee table or desk? Use a hairdryer to remove them by simply holding the hairdryer close to them ( a few inches away) until the strain disappears. Then, you can rub a little olive oil on the spot. Good as new! Now, get some coasters.
5. Perfect bathroom spring cleaning hack…
Have you ever gotten so disgusted and fed up with the guck on a plastic shower curtain that you just gave up and threw it away?
Well, if so, you’ll never have to do that again, because there is hope now. And that hope has nothing to do with you scrubbing it, hosing it down in the driveway, or dousing it with chemicals.
Simply put your shower curtain in the washing machine with a couple of bath towels and…wash it. Add vinegar if the curtain is extra grimy. The bath towels will help the curtain get an even wash and keep it from getting tangled up.
6. Remember, lemons clean everything
Cut a lemon in half and get scrubbing! Lemons are especially useful in the kitchen. You can rub them on faucets to remove hard water deposits, or slice them up and put them in the garbage disposal with some ice and run it for citrusy refresh.
You can also use lemon and salt to clean your cutting board. Sprinkle salt on your cutting board (coarse salt is best) then cut a lemon in half and rub the fruit flesh all over the cutting board, squeezing the lemon slightly as you go to release the juices.
7. Un-yuck the ceiling fan with ease
It’s easy to forget about the ceiling fan–until you look up and realize it’s growing fur. And by that point, you’re not even sure where to start. Should you approach it like you’re cleaning a fan blade, or shaving a small monster?
If you go at the blades with a duster or a rag, that will work, but you’ll probably end up cleaning up twice. You’ll dust the grime off the blade, and onto the floor. If you’d like to reduce the mess on the floor, use a long pillow case. Grab a step stool and slip the fan blade into the pillowcase over the fan blade, all the way to the base of the blade, then pull back, wiping the blade with the top of the pillow case so that the dust that’s removed falls into the pillow case.
8. Clean blinds with salad tongs
Even if you’re a neat person, unless you’re a professional cleaner, you probably don’t own a tool that is specifically created to clean blinds. Fortunately, you can create your own with a pair of tongs, two cleaning cloths, and two rubber bands or hair ties. Squeeze the blind blades between the tongs and glide the tongs along the blade to remove the dust. This goes relatively fast once you get going, and as long as you don’t wait until times are desperate (like you did with your ceiling fan) the dust should stick mostly to the rags. If you’re worried about keeping the mess contained, anti-static cloths work even better for getting the dust to cling.
9. The ultimate spring cleaning hack for pet owners
If you have pets, then odds are you have to make an extra effort with carpets and rugs occasionally. Vacuuming helps, but pet hair sinks into the fibers of rugs and it requires a little extra cleaning effort to remove. One way to do this is to run a shower squeegee over your carpet. This works out the pet hair, and balls it up into clumps that you can then pick up easily and toss.
If you happen to have a mopping vacuum, you can also use the mop setting on the carpet. The bristles will spin up the hair into balls in a similar fashion, allowing you to remove them, and also give your rug a bit of a shampoo. But a bit of a caution; if you have handwoven rugs, you probably already know that you need to have them professionally cleaned. Also, over time, using the mop setting on your mopping vacuum might wear it out faster. You probably want to keep this in your pocket for deep cleans in the spring and fall, and use the squeegee method for weekly cleaning.
10. Roll your shades
Dusting lampshades seems like the right thing to do in theory, but in practice, it tends to work a little like moving the food on your plate around to make it look like you ate more. The material many lampshades are made of just doesn’t want to give up the dust once it’s settled. The hack? Use a lint roller. It’ll pull the dust right off.
Find more spring cleaning hacks here:
Let’s get started!
Trying a new approach can be motivating, and hopefully these hacks have you excited and curious about getting started on your spring cleaning. Let us know how they worked for you! And if you are still having trouble getting motivated, well, it might be time for the last spring cleaning your current home gets from you. Sometimes the sign that it’s time to move to a different home comes in the form of losing desire to care for the one you’re in. If that’s the case for you and you’re ready for a BIG refresh this spring, contact us today!
