When you clean things situated at a high level (think ceiling fans, light fixtures, the top of cabinets, or oven hoods), dirt is bound to fall. Leave the floor for last, so you don't have to clean it twice.
Start from the top and then work your way down. Otherwise, you'll be cleaning your floors twice, and that's just going to take up more of your time.
Smear a difficult stain on a white sink or tub with a layer of whitening toothpaste, and allow it to sit. Toothpaste can remove hard water spots from windows and other sleek surfaces.
You can also add baking soda on top of toothpaste to remove rust stains from your kitchen or bathroom vanity countertops.
Rather than harsh chemicals or high heat, a baking soda paste is an effective way to remove baked-on food residue. Allow it to sit overnight, and wipe with vinegar to cleanse.
You'll be surprised how well baking soda works as a cleaning agent and is extremely inexpensive. You can buy store-brand baking soda for around a dollar or less.
Spray a stain with one part white vinegar and three parts water. Cover with a clean towel, then place an iron on top of the towel for about 10 seconds while set to its highest setting.
By doing this, you are allowing the carpet stains to unset so that you can then blot the stain out just as you would for a fresh spill.
Unlike large trash bags, contractor bags can handle sharp edges, large items, and heavy weight without breaking or leaking.
Contractor bags will give you a quick means of disposing of broken glass, wires, and heavy objects, so you don't have to go back and forth to your outside trashcan or dumpster.
The tiny brushes and flexible core of pipe cleaners make them ideal for cleaning tight, hard-to-reach spaces. You can use pipe cleaners for small crevices on your gas stove or tile.
You can also use them for things in your kitchen like straws or teapots. One way or the other, it's always good to have something on hand that will help you take care of the details.
Mild cleaners are best to prevent damage on grout. Spray with a mixture of half vinegar and half water, then scrub using a stiff brush. Tile grout can be extremely difficult to keep clean.
The tough bristles on a toothbrush are your best bet for scrubbing that grout as clean as it can be. And because the brush is just the right size, you are targeting the grout directly.
If you have serious clutter, rent a large dumpster for a weekly or monthly fee. This will save time and keep your property neat while you remove unneeded items.
Without your own dumpster, you could be waiting weeks or even months for the garbage man to collect your garbage. And in the meantime, you'll be dealing with your clutter and collecting more clutter in the process.
Take your refrigerator completely apart and put it back together from the inside-out. Make sure to wipe down the seals on the doors as well to remove mold and muck.
It's almost impossible to prevent foods in your fridge from leaking, even if you are constantly rinsing airtight containers before putting them in the fridge. Foods break down, such as produce, and that alone can make your fridge a mess.
Remember to take everything out of the cabinets to wipe them down. Also, ensure to wipe off the doors and knobs, as they can get dusty and collect bacteria and germs.
Clean out your cabinets regularly because everything you store in there is attracting some kind of dirt. Naturally, dust will accumulate in your cabinets as well.
Don't forget to clean your curtains, an often forgotten item during cleaning sprees. Follow the printed tag instructions to dry clean, wash on a delicate setting, or hand wash using dish soap.
Renew sheer or lace curtains by soaking them in a sink full of water and 1 cup Epsom salt. Then, hang to dry. If your window curtains are fairly sturdy, you may be able to throw them in your washer but don't do so unless the manufacturer recommends it for cleaning.
Light fixtures are easy to remove and replace once they’re clean. You can use a regular soap and water solution to remove dust and debris and help your lights shine brighter.
You might not think anything can get in your pictures, but you'll be surprised how much dirt gets in there and probably a few dead bugs as well.
Many people forget or disregard their ceiling fans and the amount of dirt and dust they can spread around the house. Grab a stepladder and a dust cloth and wipe the ceiling fan off from the top to the blades.
Those spinning blades are just blowing dust around like crazy if you don't keep them clean.
Gather ice cubes, table salt, baking soda, white vinegar, a wooden spoon, a small stiff brush and a disposable brush.
Using the wooden spoon, push the ice and a cup of salt into the running disposal, then push a half cup of the baking soda into the running disposal and follow with a cup of white vinegar. Once the disposal is off, use the brushes to clean inside and the rubber stop at the top.
Over time, dust, hair, and grime collect under electronics, behind appliances, and under couch cushions. Moving everything off the surface you are cleaning (beyond simply the exposed usable area) will reveal hidden dirt.
It's not a deep cleaning unless you are cleaning everything and all that hidden dirt is going to reveal itself before you know it.
Lots of people don’t realize how much dirt and lint can get stuck in the dryer vent that leads outdoors. When deep cleaning your laundry room, don’t forget to remove it and vacuum it out.
It's not like you need to do it every time you clean your laundry room, but you should do it a few times per year. Neglecting to clean it can result in trapped moisture, making the drying process take even longer.
Using gloves to clean the toilet will keep harsh chemicals off your hands, but don't use the same gloves to clean the kitchen later.
You should always have a separate pair of gloves for both spaces because the bathroom is obviously carrying a lot of bacteria that you don't want to spread into your kitchen.
Remove all wall art from your walls when wiping them down. Wall art can leave a rectangle on the walls that is cleaner than the rest of the walls, so ensure that the rest of the wall matches those clean spaces left by wall art.
Wiping your wall art or family photos as they are hanging on the wall can also be damaging as you could end up scratching your walls.
These often get missed during deep cleanings. These areas are usually riddled with dirt and dust, and hair can also be a problem if you have pets. Keeping dust and dander in your vents is a good way to make you and your family sick, because all of that is getting blown in the air every time your AC turns on.
Take a vacuum brush to the outside and inside of the air vent cover to remove the dirt and dust that gathers there. You'll probably need your vacuum hose extender to reach higher-up vents in your home.
When deep cleaning, you will want to move the stove out completely to clean off stuck-on food that can get stuck between the sides of the stove and the counters it sits next to.
The side of the stove is an area that people often neglect to clean and you certainly shouldn't leave a dirty, disgusting mess in what should be one of the cleanest areas of your home. Also, leaving food on your stove is a good way to attract unwanted pests.
Still cleaning from the top-down, brush off your lampshades first with a duster or rag. Then you can use a damp rag to wipe down the lamp from lightbulb to base to remove all excess dust.
Lamp shades are a place you may often forget to dust but they are just as important as anywhere else. Guests might not notice a dusty shade, right away, but if they get close enough, it can be quite unsightly. Dust can also be a real problem for people with allergies.
These are an area that also gets missed a lot. Those backsplashes behind your bathroom and kitchen sink need attention as well. Don’t forget to wipe those down to remove dust and stains.
Your counter baseboards are accumulating plenty of grease, dirt and food splatter, which is why baseboards are also known as backsplashes. Don't neglect to keep them clean!
To deep clean your fireplace, once all soot and debris has been removed from the floor and the walls, you can mix a solution of one cup of bleach, a half-gallon of water, and six tablespoons of Trisodium Phosphate to deep clean the area.
Make sure to use gloves and a nylon brush for best results. Otherwise, you'll just be transferring all that mess onto yourself. Some spots will be more difficult to scrub than others. You won't be able to just spray and wipe.
To effectively clean your windowsills, open your windows to allow you access to the inside of the sill as well as the exterior. Use a damp rag to clean the easiest parts to reach and pipe cleaners to fit into the spaces where your fingers won’t reach.
Windowsills can be cleaned with a microfiber cloth and really any kind of wood-friendly cleaner. You can also consider using a magic eraser if there are some tough stains on your windowsill.
If you have children and/or pets, your doors can get pretty icky. Make sure to take a Mr. Clean Eraser to both sides of your doors to remove handprints and stains.
Magic Erasers work wonders for tough stains and any markings on surfaces. Crayon scribbles from your kids are gone in an instant and they can even remove marker.
You also want to make sure that as you clean each room, you bend down and wipe the dirt and dust off the floorboards where the floor meets the walls.
Your floorboards can accumulate a lot of dirt and grime if you neglect to wipe the floorboards when you sweep or mop. So, always be sure you wipe them clean, or you'll have a bigger mess to clean later on.
While you're cleaning one room, use another to hold the furniture and decor from the one you're cleaning. Disinfect each item before moving it back into the cleaned room.
You don't need to throw everything outside to clean your home and you definitely don't want to attract dirt from outside into your home either.
Before your get started deep cleaning, you should carve out a good portion of your day and devote yourself to it. Schedule it into your planner, put your phone on silent, and put it away so you won't get distracted, and get started.
Deep cleaning takes a while, so make sure you've allotted yourself enough time before diving in. It will definitely be worth it though. Keeping a clean home isn't just pleasing to the eye; it also has psychological benefits. A clean home is a happy home, after all.
