How-to: Spring Cleaning
Spring cleaning is a cliche term but it is essential in my home. With the first sunny days of the season come fresh ambitions, not to mention the way natural light manages to illuminate every speck of dust in my apartment.
After a five hour marathon cleaning session this week, I’ve gathered cleaning tips that are not only effective, but eco and budget friendly as well.
- Tackle the room you are dreading first. This could be the grossest or most overwhelming mess. For me, it’s always the kitchen or bathroom. Once the largest problem is gone, everything else feels easier.
- For kitchens and bathrooms, stock up on microfiber cloths. I bought a few this week at the Dollar Store. They really help cut down on paper towel usage and you can rinse and air dry or toss them in with the laundry or in the dishwasher when they get really dirty. I found a large cloth with a scratchy side that I used to clean my entire grimy shower using only vinegar. My favorite use is wiping down cabinets and counter tops.
- Use your dishwasher. A full and properly loaded dishwasher actually uses less water than hand washing.
- Vinegar does everything. The smell dissipates quickly (much more so than chemical cleaners) and it’s great for counters, windows (use newspaper for a streak-free shine or just use paper towels but use a lot of friction), and can even be added to your laundry as fabric softener. If you only buy one cleaning product aside from vinegar (I do love Mrs. Meyers and Seventh Generation products), I recommend Method Daily Shower Spray
- Work top to bottom. Dust, wipe down cabinets and shelves, followed by counter tops, then any clutter on the ground. Do floors very last.
- I am obsessed with purchasing a steam mop, especially after a friend bought the Shark Steam Mop
- Open doors and windows when you can. Keeping windows open for part of the day every day dramatically improves air quality in your home, and cleaning stirs up extra dust and possibly chemicals hidden in (especially new) furniture and carpeting.
- Run lime and lemon peels through your garbage disposal. The scent will stay in the air and it helps disinfect the disposal’s blades. (Ice cubes are also great to help clean and sharpen your garbage disposal blades.)
- Tag team. My husband and I recently figured out that we work most efficiently when we tackle messes together rather than taking turns or each cleaning a different room.
- As always, reward yourself! With those windows wide open, burn some scented candles or Nag Champa
Great tips! I never really had to clean my house because my mom does most of the bigger cleaning… ahh my sheltered life. I need to take note of these when I move out though although I don’t plan to for a while. =P
I do love microfibre dust cloths though. My room gets hella dusty year round because I like to keep my window open and most of my furniture is black. They work wonders!
Wonderful post! A couple of weeks ago, Ray and I had a field day in our apartment…we cleaned all the nooks and crannies. These tips will prove very helpful, especially the microfiber cloths (I’ve been trying to figure out what towell-type-tool would work best); the lemon/lime shredding freshener idea; and, VINEGAR (I HAD NO IDEA–so man great uses!). Also, almost daily (usually late afternoon/evening), Ray and I do what we call Power Cleans…where we turn on some music and just focus on cleaning/straightening up for 1/2 hour-45 mins. These make us feel so much better when we wake up the next morning, and it reinforces how we’re committed to taking care of things together.
You’re lucky you have a partner who is committed to a clean home! There truly is nothing better than waking up to a pristine space. Chaos in your surroundings really does = chaos in the mind!
On the flip side, I do recall living with a roommate (Bridget) and commenting to one another that the messier our apartment was the more fun our lives seemed to be. She and I used to do marathon cleaning sessions as well though, usually culminated with some redecorating courtesy of Dollar Tree. (I really can’t stress dollar stores enough for cute rags & scrubbers to boost morale, and sometimes you can score on nice candles and decorative dishes. You cannot beat carrying out bags of items and only spending $20-30.)
Maybe the couple that cleans together stays together…
Great blog! I found your link from The Bump, on the Oregon board. I LOVE the Shark steam clean mop. It cleans up all kinds of nastiness without harsh chemicals.