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13 Spring Cleaning Tips That Will Save You Time (And Keep Your Sanity Intact) All Year Long
The weather is finally warming up, which means it's time to tackle the dreaded task that is spring cleaning. As much as you may want to head outside and walk in the green grass, you can't truly enjoy the new season until you clear out any remnants of the old one. And after the winter we experienced, there is bound to be plenty of dust, dirt, and debris lurking in your house.
Even if you're obsessed with spring cleaning (and yes, some people are), there's no way anyone wants to spend a gorgeous weekend inside. As a trade, many people will wait till the first rainy weekend. Others, in an effort to quickly cross off chores, will give their to-do list a half-assed treatment. Some may choose the messier road and skip spring cleaning altogether. But there's a solution — or rather, several — that is better than any of these. Just implement a few spring cleaning hacks.
Whether you are trying to shave a few seconds off your chores or several hours, there are spring cleaning tricks that save you time without sacrificing the quality of your clean. There are even a few that can improve your cleaning schedule all year long. By implementing these 13 spring cleaning tricks, you'll be able to get the job done before the sun goes down — we guarantee.
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Make Your Mattress Clean And Comfy
Swapping your sheets every few weeks isn’t enough to guarantee a good (or clean) night’s sleep. Combine a box of baking soda with 10 to 20 drops of essential oils (we’ll leave the scent up to you). Spread the cleaner onto the mattress and let it sit for an hour. Finally, vacuum the mattress to remove the mixture and any additional debris.
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Dust With A Dryer Sheet
When it comes to dusting, the whole spray, wipe, and repeat process can become a bit arduous. To cut down the time, trade your rag and spray for dryer sheets, which are just as effective when it comes to clearing away the dust.
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Blend Vinegar And Baking Soda To Clean The Dishwasher
Yes — even your dishwasher needs to be, well, washed. Place a dishwasher safe cup of vinegar on the top shelf, and run the machine on the hottest cycle available. Afterwards, sprinkle some baking soda onto the bottom rack, and run the dishwasher again. The shiny, germ-free glow will leave you speechless.
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Give Your Garbage Disposal A Lemon-Fresh Scent
Before you stick your hand down the garbage disposal (which we wouldn’t recommend), try this trick. Run a couple of lemon wedges, some salt, and a few ice cubes through the disposal. This will clear away any built-up residue and unpleasant odors.
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Get A Lift From Your Broom
Death-defying stunts aren’t required to clean the ceiling. All you need to do is attach a towel to the end of a broom and sweep away.
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Wax Off Stove Top Stains
Keep your stove clean all year long with this trick. Apply a thick layer of car wax to the stove top, then wipe it off with a clean, soft rag. This not only removes set-in stains, but makes wiping away future messes a breeze.
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Steam Away A Microwave Mess
Why spend hours scrubbing away at dry sauce, when the microwave can pretty much clean itself? Fill a microwave-safe bowl with 2 cups of water, 2 tbsp. white vinegar, and a few drops of essential oil. Place the bowl in the microwave, and run for five minutes. The combination of the mixture and steam should loosen any set-in stains, so you can simply wipe them away with a damp towel.
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Use A Blow Dryer On Water Rings
If guests’ glasses have left unwanted water rings on your wooden table, put a blow dryer on high and hold it close to the stain until it disappears (which takes 20 minutes, at most). After, rub a little olive oil over the former stain to restore the wood to its original state.
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Vacuum Your Wall Clean
Unless a child attacked your walls with magic markers, a deep scrub isn’t required. Instead, run a vacuum up and down the walls to remove dirt and dust.
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Wash Away Water Stains With A Lemon
Can’t seem to scrub away those water stains? Try rubbing half of a lemon over any chrome fixtures. The acid cuts through the hard water stains, while the citrus scent leaves the room smelling wonderful.
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Shine Your Shower Head
Those daily soaks aren’t enough to keep your shower head clean. Before going to bed, fill a sandwich bag with vinegar and, using a rubber band, carefully secure it to the shower head. Remove the bag when you wake up in the morning, and you’ll have a fresh, germ-free spout.
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Beautify Your Window Blinds
Some people throw their blinds into the dishwasher, but taking the blinds down and putting them back up can be a hassle. Instead, dip an old sock into a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar. Then slip the sock onto your hand and run it over the blinds.
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Time Your Tasks
Although this won’t cut any time off your current cleaning list, it will help speed things up in the future. By seeing how long it takes you to complete a task, you will be less tempted to put things off, since you know exactly how much time you need to set aside to get everything done.
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