It’s Spring! One of the first things on our spring to-do list is usually to spring clean our home after everyone hunkering down for the winter around the house. Here are our best tips to get ready & spring clean room by room.

Get Ready…

Gather your arsenal. Save time and hassle by organizing the items you’ll need – rubber gloves, scrub brushes, multipurpose cleansers, etc. – into one bucket with a handle.

Cover the basics. Make sure to dust, disinfect and clean all surfaces, especially those areas that get the most use. Sanitize telephones, remote controls, door knobs and counter tops. Take down and launder curtains, and wipe down window blinds using a damp sponge.

Tackle the kitchen. Focus on the key areas. Using a solution of half water, half white distilled vinegar, wipe down the plastic and glass components of the refrigerator. Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge and clean counter tops, stainless steel sinks, the oven range, and the inside of your microwave. To remove soap buildup in your dishwasher, pour a cup of white vinegar in an empty machine and run through the cycle.

Clean early and often. If areas of your house are forgotten for weeks at a time, dirt, dust and allergens can build up quickly. Kids and pets add even more mess. By cleaning daily, you free up your weekends for quality time with your family. Juggling a busy schedule is a challenge, so use the moments between other tasks and activities to clean as you go.

Don’t forget to look high and low. Dirt and dust don’t only settle on the ground. To reach the tops of bookshelves and ceiling corners, use a high-powered vacuum, such as the Hoover WindTunnel Air Bagless Upright vacuum with a 12-foot premium stretch hose that allows for optimal cleaning reach. For hard-to-reach areas, such as behind the couch and refrigerator, and along baseboards, use the on-board vacuum attachments.

Check behind the lines. When cleaning carpets, flooring and baseboards, move furniture out of the way. If you’re looking to refresh a room, try placing key pieces of furniture in new spots. To get rid of the carpet indentations left behind by heavy furniture, place ice cubes an inch or so apart within the indentations and allow them to melt. The carpet fibers will absorb the moisture and begin to take form.

Fight allergies. Remove dust and pet hair easily with the Dirt Devil Multi-Surface vacuum cleaner with Pet Tool Kit.

The winter months create so much clutter and mess around the house. Spring is a time for a refresh, one room at a time. Here are some tips and tricks to make spring cleaning simple.

Living Room

Window blinds collect dust and dust mites all winter. To quickly & easily clean plastic blinds, add Greased Lightning to tub water. Remove blinds and let them soak in the tub. Clean them with a well-bristled brush. Let them dry completely before putting them back up. (Greased Lightning works great on BBQ grills, outdoor furniture & playsets, too.)
Remove fabric window coverings and clean as directed by the manufacturer. Use a feather duster around window frames to remove cobwebs and dust.
Freshen carpet by sprinkling baking soda on it, letting it sit for 30 minutes, and then vacuuming.
Use an adhesive lint roller to remove dust from fabric lampshades.
Try a new furniture arrangement to freshen up the room. Pro tip: When you need to move heavy pieces of furniture across uncarpeted floors, fold two clean towels and place one under each end of the furniture piece, then slide it across the floor.

Kitchen

Clean out the refrigerator and freezer, and toss all expired products and old leftovers. Remove shelving and drawers, wipe them down with mild soapy water.
Tackle your oven, inside and out. If your oven is self-cleaning, set it in the self-cleaning mode. Consult your owner’s manual for an estimated cleaning time. If your oven is not a self-cleaning appliance, use a cleaning solution to wipe away baked-on grease and grime. Remember to make sure the oven is cool before applying the solution.
Don’t forget to clean your dishwasher, too. Remove trapped food particles from the bottom and around any moving parts. Use Finish Deep Dishwasher Cleaner to remove smells, limescale, and grease to maintain performance. (We have an older dishwasher, so we use it once a month for best dishwasher performance.)

Bedrooms

Launder bed linens you normally don’t, such as dust ruffles, bedspreads, and pillow shams.
Move furniture around so you can vacuum everywhere and get rid of any dust bunnies that might have accumulated.
Empty out your closets to vacuum and dust inside. Then, before putting clothes back, sort through them and get rid of those items that no longer fit or that you don’t wear anymore.
Clean blinds, light fixtures, and ceiling fans. Wipe smudges off of light switch covers and door frames, too.

Bathroom

Wipe down and disinfect all fixtures, including lighting fixtures. Carefully remove glass fixtures and clean with warm, soapy water. Let them dry thoroughly before replacing them.
Sort through products and discard or recycle old bottles and containers. Get rid of excess clutter in your bathroom cabinets.
Use Greased Lightning to remove grease, grime, mildew stains and soap scum from your bathroom surfaces, including tubs, sinks, toilets, counters and baseboards.