Spring Cleaning The
Forgotten Areas
BY JOYCE VENEZIA SUSS
Do it
Better :
Spring cleaning traditionally means ambitious projects
like washing windows inside and out, laundering
and swapping bed quilts and blankets, or cleaning
the garage. But there are places in every home that
sometimes get forgotten. Use the following list as a reference
to make sure these overlooked areas get cleaned.
Many of these projects can be done quickly, but
they don’t have to be done all at once. For the satisfaction
of tracking your progress, we’ve created a check list
you can nd on our website.
Vacuum with a
soft brush attachment or use a dust cloth. If they still feel
gritty, wipe with a damp cloth or disposable wipe.
To keep dust from falling to the oor, use
an old pillowcase to cover each blade (one at a time), then
gently rub with your hands to dislodge dust. Bring the
pillowcase outside, turn inside out, shake, then launder.
Start your spring cleaning by
washing mop heads, sponges, rags, dusters and other
reusable cleaning tools – or buy replacements.
Fill the water chamber with a 50/50
mix of white vinegar and water. Brew repeatedly until
half empty, then turn it off and wait 30 minutes. Repeat until the chamber is
empty, then rell with clean water. Brew repeatedly until the chamber is once
again empty.
If curtains are washable, use the delicate cycle; dry briey on low
heat and rehang while damp. If curtains are not washable, send them to the
dry cleaner, or vacuum top to bottom to remove dust and pollen.
Check for a lter, typically under the bottom spray arm, and
clean it thoroughly. Then, in an empty dishwasher, place a cup on the top rack
and ll it with white vinegar. Run it through a hot cycle to remove grease, food
particles and mineral deposits. Use a cloth or disinfecting wipes to clean the
handle, buttons and rubber gasket.
To clear soap scum, mix 1/3 cup of baking
soda and 1/3 cup of white vinegar, then pour the zzing mixture immediately
down the drain. Let it sit at least one hour or overnight. Then pour a pot of
boiling water down the drain to rinse.
You clean the lint tray after each load, but it’s important to periodically
check for lint buildup behind and under the dryer. Also, remove lint from
the exhaust vent outside your house.
Use disinfecting wipes to clean remotes, keyboards, computer
mouse, soundbars and the like. Use canned air to remove stubborn particles.
Use disinfecting
wipes to clean these often-touched surfaces. Squeeze out excess moisture
before scrubbing switch plates.
Fill a glass bowl or measuring cup halfway with water. Heat
on high for ve minutes; keep the door shut for two minutes more to hold in
the steam. Carefully remove the bowl using oven mitts, then wipe down the
interior with a damp sponge or paper towels.
Use a duster on all surfaces of each frame, but especially
the top. If the frames have glass, use glass cleaner to remove grime buildup.
Pull out the refrigerator to vacuum underneath and the rear
coils. Wipe the top and sides with warm soapy water. Before your next big
supermarket trip, wipe down inside shelves, and clean the crisper drawers.
Clean in the washing machine with towels,
using laundry detergent and a half cup of baking soda.
Dust and/or vacuum underneath the couch. Vacuum
cushions, then remove them and vacuum all crevices underneath. Spot
clean stains on upholstery. If throw pillows are machine washable, wash on
the delicate cycle. If not, spot clean.
Run a narrow duster under the range to remove dust. If
you have a self-cleaning oven, turn it on before the heat of summer. Give the
stovetop a deep cleaning with a product that removes grease.
Unplug it rst! Empty and clean the crumb
tray (typically on the bottom), or turn the toaster upside down and gently
shake it out over a trash can. Use a damp cloth to clean spills.
If it’s dishwasher safe, put it on the top rack. If not,
clean with warm soapy water, rinse with hot water, then dry.
This is ideally done outside. Remove trash bag, and scrub interior
and exterior with warm soapy water. Rinse with clean water, then dry
thoroughly before adding a new trash bag.
Run a large load without clothes, adding one quart
of vinegar and one cup of baking soda. Gently pull back the rubber basket and
clean with disinfecting wipes. Check your water supply hoses for leaks. Clean
buildup from detergent and fabric softener dispensers.
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