It’s officially spring, but it’s still not exactly outdoor weather. It's the perfect time to start your spring cleaning. Deep clean all those areas that have been languishing in the winter dark – before the weather gets nice and you want to be anywhere but indoors. That being said, I didn’t want to write the same spring cleaning article everyone else is also writing, so I’ve focused on off-the-beaten-path spring cleaning projects.
Focus on Often-Overlooked Areas
- Behind Appliances: Dust and grime love to accumulate behind your fridge, stove, and washing machine. Unplug them, move them out, and give those spaces a good clean.
- Light Fixtures: Dust and fingerprints can dull the brightness of your lights. Take them down, clean them gently, and replace bulbs if needed.
- Baseboards and Crown Molding: These areas often collect dust and grime. Use a damp cloth or microfiber duster to give them a good scrub.
The dishwasher
It makes sense that this one gets overlooked. If it cleans the dishes, shouldn’t it clean itself as well? Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. Food gets stuck in the dishwasher drain. This reduces the efficiency of the machine and causes it to develop odors. Remove the dish racks and clean the drain. Next run the dishwasher on its heated setting with a cup of vinegar to eliminate any lingering smells. Find more dishwasher care tips on how to clean Your dishwasher here.
Drawers and drawer organizers
Drawers collect all sorts of weird debris – crumbs, dirt, hair, and more. This is especially true of kitchen drawers. Cleaning out your drawers also forces you to reorganize chaotic spaces. Don’t just take everything out, wipe it down, and toss all the junk back in. Sort through it first, and get rid of any redundant, broken, or infrequently used items.
Pro-tip: after taking everything out of the drawers, use the vacuum hose to vacuum out debris before wiping the drawers down. This way you don’t spend ages coaxing crumbs up and out of each drawer.
The ice maker
Apparently, ice absorbs food odors. So that old ice sitting at the bottom of the bin? It’s a problem. Turn your ice maker off and dump any ice in the bin. Then wash the bin and ice maker out with warm water and vinegar, or mild dish soap. You should avoid aggressively scented soap, or you’ll end up with “tropical island breeze” flavored ice cubes. Dry both the ice maker and the bin thoroughly to remove moisture.
Your computer
Not only is it important to clean the hardware of your computer but you should take the time to clean up your files and hard drive as well, which can improve your computer’s speed and functionality. Of all the computer hardware, we actively touch the keyboard most often. Crumbs get stuck under the keys if you eat anywhere near the computer, and the keys themselves get grimy from regular use. To clean your keyboard, first turn your computer off, then use compressed air to dislodge debris from under the keys. Next, use a clean cloth, isopropyl alcohol and a few Q-tips the clean the keys themselves – wipe the keys with the alcohol (not too much!), then use the Q-tip to clean in between. Be careful not to use so much liquid that it pools on your keyboard. For more computer cleaning tips, especially advice on how to clean up the “interior” of your computer, check out this great how to clean your computer article.
Your cell phone
I love this “modern spring cleaning” article, especially the tips for spring cleaning your phone. Delete unused apps and old contacts and go through your pictures and delete the ones you don’t want anymore. This frees up so much space on your phone and can help it run better as well. Finally, turn off all app notifications except the most crucial ones, so you only look at your phone when you need to.
What are some of the spring cleaning projects on your list? If you'd like help with any, contact us here.
