Spring Cleaning Tips to Make Your House Shine
It's that time of year! Spring-cleaning time! Check out these spring housecleaning tips from Angie Hicks, founder of Angieslist.com. These are tips from the pros to get your home in shape for spring.
Vacuuming your rugs and carpets weekly is the key to not letting dirt accumulate. If you have pets, more often is better. Here's a three-step approach for use with wall-to-wall carpet to consider:
- Clean the perimeter with the edging tool.
- Begin at the far corner and move backward so you don't leave footprints.
- Vacuum slowly and steadily, rather than using numerous quick passes.
The pros prefer lightweight machines, which use HEPA filters, and come equipped with long hoses to reach under furniture and high ceiling corners. Also, check out this resource for Martha Stewart's suggestions on carpet maintenance.
Additional miscellaneous expert tips are
- To remove rust stains in shower areas make a paste of hot water and powdered oxygen cleaner. Apply the mixture to shower walls and glass and let sit for 30 minutes. Scrub with nylon scrubber, rinse and buff dry.
- To clean smudges from dark granite counters, wipe down with soapy water and buff dry.
- To freshen drains and clear clogs pour baking soda over the drain, then pour on vinegar. Use boiling water to rinse the bubbling mixture down the drain.
- Remove debris from tiny crevices with toothpicks.
Some kitchen supplies that the pros like are
- Baking soda can be sprinkled showers and sinks to deodorize them.
- Mix one part vinegar, one part water, and 5 to 10 drops of eucalyptus or lavender oils to be shaken or sprayed on carpets, sofas, or mattresses.
- Mix some antibacterial dish soap with white vinegar and hot water to sanitize doorknobs, doors, walls and other surfaces.
If you prefer to outsource the cleaning, line up possible candidates by checking Angies' List or another trusted online source for references. Also, get references from friends. Most cleaning companies will provide free estimates. An initial "deep" cleaning can average $300 to $400 with biweekly cleaning averaging $100 to $150. Of course, specific prices will depend on the size of your home, types of flooring, whether or not you have pets or kids, etc.
You can find more information from Angie Hicks' article and from Martha Stewart's guide to cleaning here.
Happy spring cleaning!
Information provided by Huntsville AL Realtor Mike Manosky.