House cleaning is a daunting task that must be done. Even if you have better things to do with your time, cleaning should be an important part of your routine. Because if you don’t want your home to turn into a disaster, you shouldn’t put off housework.

Good thing you can make cleaning tasks easier by following these tips.

1 – Appliances

You use your appliances every single day but often neglect to clean them. They should undergo thorough cleaning once in a while to remove spills, grime and any residue. But before you attempt to clean any of your appliances, make sure to unplug it first.

Microwave

The easiest way to clean this appliance is to microwave a safe container that has water. Wait until it boils then let it rest for a few minutes. After the steam loosens the filth, wipe with clean cloth. Add a slice of lemon in the water for extra effect and a fresh aroma.

Refrigerator

The space at the back of your fridge gathers gunk, dust and other dirt particles. To facilitate proper cleaning, take note of the following.

Pull out the refrigerator and vacuum any dirt you find under or beneath it. Make sure to also mop the floor to remove stains that have been there for a long time.
Replace loose gaskets and check your refrigerator manual for replacement parts. With a tighter seal, you can save energy and enjoy a cooler fridge.
Wipe the refrigerator gaskets with warm and soapy water. Rinse then dry.
Use soapy water or vinegar solutions to clean the internal and external parts of your fridge. Whenever there are spills, make sure to wipe them down before they become harder to clean.
Stovetop

If you love cooking, your stovetop may be an area with quite a bit of filth. Here’s how you can clean it up to make it look brand new.

Vacuum crumbs or dirt between the counter and stove top.
Fill your sink with hot and soapy water. Soak the knobs, burners and hood vents for a few hours then scrub. Repeat the process if there are still filth left.
Replace metal drip plates with stains if they’re beyond the aid of steel wool.
Toaster

Pull and wash the crumb catcher of your toaster. Shake the machine gently over the sink to remove any food residue.

Make sure that you dry your toaster thoroughly before plugging it back.

2 – Walls

Your walls need cleaning too. But since your house consists mostly of walls, this can be quite a strenuous task. Here’s a simple way to clean your walls to avoid putting it off any longer.

Prepare a good microfiber duster or mop and an all-purpose cleaning spray.
Pull furniture and items away from the wall you’ll be cleaning. Spray the entire wall with an all-purpose cleaner and then wipe it clean using a microfiber mop. Start from the top then work your way down.

3 – Air Vents and Ducts

When cleaning air vents and flexible ducting, it’s more efficient to do them at the same time.

Remove vent covers and soak them in hot water in your bathtub. Add a squirt of grease-cutting detergent. Leave them for a few hours while you move to cleaning the ducts.
Use an attachment on your vacuum to clean the dirt and dust from the air ducts.
Take out the vent covers from the tub and lay them out to dry. If any covers still have grime, wipe them off using a microfiber cloth.
As a final step, spray your air vents and ducts with a dusting spray to prevent dust and dirt build-up.

4 – Blinds

Most people hate cleaning the blinds because it’s such a time-consuming task. Depending on how dirty your blinds are, a good dusting spray is great for removing dust from the surface layer.

Also, make use of a good dusting tool (tall enough to clean the top and bottom) to cut your cleaning time in half.

What you’ll usually find on blinds is dust build-up. Dust and water can create quite a mess. It’s best to start dry when cleaning your blinds.

Open the blinds and run your dusting tool along them from the top to bottom. Make sure that you start from the top so that you can remove dust falls as you work your way to the bottom.
After dusting all the way down, use a vacuum cleaner attachment to clean dust falls.

5 – Carpets

A half-hearted vacuuming of your carpet isn’t impactful. It may make your carpet look spic and span temporarily but it won’t completely remove the dirt.

Here’s how you can make use of baking soda to ease the cleaning process your carpet.

Sprinkle baking soda generously over your carpet.
Leave the baking soda powder overnight or at least 30 minutes. This allows the powder to work by consuming carpet odors and softening stains.
Once done, use a vacuum to remove the baking soda.

Cleaning is an important chore that you shouldn’t take lightly. The health and safety of your family rely on how you keep your house clean and tidy. If you don’t have the time to do deep cleaning yourself, you can always let a cleaning service to do the work for you.

Remember, any daunting cleaning task can become easy with the right cleaning tools and enough patience.

January 13, 2018 by Incredible Planet Staff

Time for a spring clean – what you should and shouldn’t be throwing out

Homes

Regardless of what season it is, having a clean home to come back to after a hard day of work is absolute bliss. No one can deny that cleaning up can be a long and tedious process with much confusion regarding what you should keep and what has to be thrown out.

Sorting things out may take up a lot of time and effort, so here’s a guide to determine what needs to go out and what you should hold onto.

What you should be throwing out

There are some things that need to be thrown out to make room for new stuff, or simply to just make room generally, like:

Candles

If there are candles that don’t burn anymore, put them on top of the list of things to be thrown away. Nobody is going to pay for them and it’s best to throw them away to make room for some new candles. When the smell is gone it’s better to buy new ones because you can get good scented candles at great prices.

Everything with missing pieces

Have a board game from ten years ago that’s missing few pieces? Lost one of a pair of earrings two years back and still waiting for it to turn up? You will not find it and it’s time to move on.

Throw out things that are of no use, like a right shoe that’s missing its left. Make room for something new by throwing out anything you can’t use. It’s also a good idea to throw out shoes that give you blisters and are uncomfortable.

Expired items

Throw out tablets, ointments and beauty products that are crowding your cupboard. It’s surprising to discover all the space left after clearing up the expired products from your bathroom. They don’t serve any purpose and it’s better to get rid of them. Quick tip: Mascara has only a three month life span after it’s opened.

Toothbrushes

You should be changing your toothbrush every three months. This can cause old brushes to stack up if you don’t clear them out.

Towels

It’s always better to change towels once every two years because they start to wear out and become gross. While in the bathroom make sure to empty your bin as well – just a friendly reminder.

What you shouldn’t be throwing away

There are some items that can be donated or used differently, such as:

Clothes

If there are 27 dresses in a small wardrobe that can’t be used anymore, consider donating them. Somebody could benefit from them. You can also donate that new pair of jeans that doesn’t fit right after you lost some weight, as there might be someone out there who is still the same size and doesn’t have enough money to buy the new pants they need.

Before donating, check that the clothes are intact so that they are still usable.

Plastic containers

The plastic containers from ordering takeout food can be used as storage for things like beads or craft supplies. Pinterest also has some great ideas for using plastic containers to make something innovative and useful, or just to make spaces look better and add a certain style.

Old Electronics

Still thinking of what to do with that old TV? Is it still in good working condition? Try and sell it. Don’t throw it away just because you have found a new one. Consider selling electronics on Gumtree or Facebook – it’s a good way to get rid of them and can also fetch you a few bucks.

Books

Books that have been read that have hard backs or paper backs can be given to a library or tossed into a yard sale. Put magazines and bundles of papers in the recycling. It’s also a good idea to cancel catalogue subscriptions to give you more room and avoid receiving unnecessary mail.

Old eyeglasses

When buying a new pair of glasses, consider donating your old ones to charity so that you can help someone who can’t afford a new prescription. Somebody else could benefit from prescription sunglasses as well, so you might as well donate those too.

Cleaning up is necessary and if it hasn’t been done in years there are going to be a lot of discoveries made and a lot of new spaces found. Consider cleaning up regularly and if you do not have time you can enlist the assistance of rubbish removal Sydney. It’s the best way to stay organised and use storage more efficiently.

Tag: spring cleaning

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