My Financial Broker is a credit broker and not a lender. Warning: Late repayments can cause you serious money problems. For help, go to https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/
Spring cleaning is rarely at the top of anyone’s list, when it comes to fun weekend activities! But there can be something very therapeutic about cleaning, and once you start, you may find yourself enjoying the activity! Not to mention the fact that, once your home is so clean it’s basically sparking, you’ll feel satisfied with your efforts every time you walk through the door.
Starting is usually the hardest part with spring cleaning. It can be a rather overwhelming prospect. That’s why it can be sensible to make a list of all the things you need to do, and tackle one at a time. To help you get started, we’ve explored 20 cleaning tips which should ensure you cover all the spots that often go unnoticed!
When it comes to cleaning your windows, it’s best to wait for an overcast day, so that you can see where the dirt is hiding! Not to mention the fact that direct sunlight can lead to streaking. A microfibre cloth is recommended, along with a cleaning agent that is specifically designed for glass.
While vacuuming your carpets is fine for everyday cleaning, sometimes you need to give them a deeper clean. You can hire deep cleaners for carpets, which include a rotating brush to get fully into the fibre of the carpet. And if you’re looking to get rid of pet odours, you can either buy deodorisers, or work baking soda into your carpet with a soft brush. Then wait for about half an hour before vacuuming up the baking soda.
Wiping down the shelves of your fridge on a regular basis is great, but you should also give the whole thing a proper clean on occasion. Take out any drawers at the bottom or in the door of the fridge, remove the shelves, and wash everything in warm soapy water. And while everything is out of the fridge, perhaps take the opportunity to throw away any sauces that have gone out of date!
We don’t always think to clean our walls, other than perhaps dusting the corners on occasion. But your walls can get marks and stains, from things like greasy fingerprints as we walk past. Thankfully, it’s not hard to clean your walls, as long as you have a stepladder to reach the tops. You simply need a microfibre cloth! And don’t forget to clean the baseboards and door frames while you’re at it!
This can be a daunting task. Especially if you have neglected cleaning your oven for longer than you should have done! Most modern ovens have self cleaning functions now though, which can help remove any stubborn grime. If your oven doesn’t have this though, you can place a hot wet cloth over any baked-in grime, and then use baking powder and the rough side of your sponge to scrub this off.
Do you know what’s lurking in the back of your kitchen cupboards? There could well be at least a few packets or tins that have gone out of date, if you haven’t cleaned the cupboards out in a while! Make sure you go through all these goods, and while they are out of the cupboards, give these a good clean.
Just about every house has a drawer full of odds and ends, from spare fuses to superglue. The question is, how often do you clear out this drawer? Just like your kitchen cupboards, empty the whole thing out, and give it a good clean. Then rather than just throwing everything back in, see if there’s anything that can be relocated or gotten rid of. And it’s not a bad idea to organise the drawer, using dividers or small containers.
Many of us spend a lot of time sitting on the sofa or in an armchair! So it’s essential to not only clean these items of furniture regularly, but to occasionally get into all the nooks and crevices with a vacuum. If you’re able to take the covers off things like your sofa, and put them through the washing machine, that’s also a sensible idea.
With stainless steel, the name implies that it won’t get too dirty. But we know this isn’t the case! Thankfully, it’s usually pretty easy to clean stainless steel, as the marks aren’t permanent. You can buy specialist cleaning products, but a mixture of hot water and washing up liquid should also do the trick!
Unfortunately white grouting doesn’t stay white for long. It picks up just about everything! So to get it looking its best, you’ll need to clean your grouting regularly. There are lots of cleaners on the market – generally it’s best to opt for the one with the highest reviews. Apply the grout cleaner, let it sit for about five minutes, then scrub it off with a stiff brush.
Something that we probably don’t do often enough is clean our curtains. It’s a lot of hassle to wash larger sets of curtains – they probably won’t fit in your washing machine! But it’s nonetheless sensible to wash them as part of your spring cleaning, along with things like cushion covers.
Just like cleaning the oven, we often put off cleaning the microwave, despite any lingering stains. But it’s not that complicated – you only need half a bowl of water, mixed with some chopped up lemon and a few tablespoons of white vinegar. Put the bowl in the microwave, and turn it on until the front window steams up. After the microwave has cooled, you can simply wipe everything down with a sponge to remove marks and stains.
Give your bookshelves a new lease of life, by reorganising them. Whether it’s alphabetising, sorting by size, or colour coordinating your books, moving them around can make the whole bookshelf look different. And it goes without saying that you should dust off the shelves before returning the books and any other nicknacks!
Though we wash our sheets regularly, things like duvets and pillows probably won’t get cleaned too often. These bedding items should be washed at least a couple of times a year, so when spring cleaning, you might as well add them to your list! Just make sure you check the washing guidelines before tossing them into your machine.
Considering what we put into our bins, they may not get cleaned as much as is advisable! When spring cleaning, make sure you thoroughly wash the inside of your bin, just using warm water and washing up liquid. A microfibre cloth can then be used to dry the inside. When it comes to the outside of the bin, antibacterial wipes or spray should be used to keep the bin clean.
Are you the sort of person who buys loads of shampoos and body wash, and then opens half of them at the same time? If so, go through all of these toiletries, and try to use up what you have before opening another! It’s also sensible to look through any medications you have, getting rid of anything that’s out of date, and ensuring you’re properly stocked up on the essentials, such as plasters and painkillers.
Things like your kettle and toaster are probably due for a clean by the time spring rolls around! Make sure you wipe down every part of them, including the plugs and cords, as well as any accessories that come with these appliances.
After all the work it’s been doing, don’t forget to clean your vacuum! Empty out all the dust and dirt, and replace or wash the filters. If any bits have gotten caught in the main brush of the vacuum, you can cut them out with a pair of scissors. All this should improve the performance of the vacuum when you next use it.
Part of spring cleaning should involve tossing out things you no longer need. For many people, this will mainly mean getting rid of clothes! Anything that you no longer wear – perhaps because it’s worn out, or is damaged in some way – can be donated to charity or thrown away. And if it’s in good condition, you could always sell things online via sites like Vinted or eBay, and make a bit of money.
After you’ve put all that work into cleaning your home, you don’t want to be tracking in mud each time you step through the door. So make sure you thoroughly clean any doormats you have, both those indoors and outdoors. It’s important to vacuum indoor mats on both sides, as dirt can literally get swept under the mat!