Spring Cleaning Basics: tips to begin!

[Csara]

Tips
# Walk through the house and make a reasonable checklist. Better to finish a few chores than start a lot and give up.
# Turn on the stereo – music can get you motivated.
# Wear comfy cothes and include eye protection – cleaning products can be caustic.
# Use a caddy to tote your tools with you – no more running back and forth.
# Start dusting from the top and work your way down.
# Stick to four basic cleaning compounds: glass cleaner, heavy-duty degreasing cleaner, tile cleaner and a powdered abrasive cleanser.
# Work in teams, if possible. The work goes exponentially faster and the time flies by.
# Open up the windows, ventilate the rooms, use exhaust fans in bathrooms

Would anyone like to add anymore?

[Csara]

Room by room:

Kitchen
This is the time to pull appliances back from the walls and clean the floors and walls behind them. Use a dustcloth to clear dust and debris away from air compressors and air vents. Put the contents of your fridge into an ice chest and clean refrigerator walls, shelves and bins. Vinegar or baking soda added to water are great for reducing odors. Empty kitchen cupboards and toss foods and spices that are too old. Sponge down shelves and doors. If you're ambitious, this is a good time to reorganize the pots-and-pans drawer. Find something you haven't used in a while? Think about donating it to someone who might.

Bedrooms
Move the beds from their accustomed spaces and thoroughly sweep or vacuum. Flip and rotate mattresses. Clean under box springs, a favorite haunt for dust bunnies. Send winter bedding, like down comforters and wool blankets, to the cleaners. Wash and dry cottons that have been stored through the winter.

Bathrooms
Deep clean tiles, sinks and toilets. Rotate towels in the linen closet. This is a good time to go through the contents of your medicine chest and toss expired products. Inspired? Clean the shelves before you put everything back.

Rugs
Rugs and carpets last longer when they're clean. Wall-to-wall carpets can use a deep cleaning once a year. Beat the dust out of area rugs – it takes a long time 'til they come clean so be patient – or send them out for a professional cleaning.

Floors
Move furniture and mop and wax the areas that, through the dark and busy winter, haven't seen the light of day.
Click to enlarge.
Curtains collect dust and mites so wash or dry clean them.

Drapes
Dry clean or wash and iron curtains, depending on fabric care instructions. They collect surprising amounts of dust and mites and, when touched, can release their bounty and spark an allergic response.

Windows
It's a pain but it's worth it. Wash windows inside and out, and welcome in the clear, tender light of spring.

[Margarita]

We should do a lot of this since we haven't since we moved in (2 years in July). The windows might actually happen.

Any tips on how to clean out the track of a sliding door?

I suppose this would be a good time to clean the fireplace, too, or do we have to do "fall" cleaning? ;)

[ParagonEos]

We cleaned the tracks on one of my other houses sliding glass doors by first vacuuming all the crevices really well with a canister vacuum, the only way I could think of doing it was one section at a time with water and handbrush, dry with plenty of ugly or shop towels as you go and then I ran oil (like sewing machine oil?) back into the tracks and it worked well. If you (anyone) have a better idea I'd love to hear it.

Csara, thanks for your tips, I need some motivation so bad!! Any ideas for that?

[andrea]

Very good ideas, i need to print that! Most everything is pretty clean, just time to buy new stuff

[MandiDawn]

I actually just started spring cleaning last night. I am starting with my kitchen. I got all the upper cupboards cleaned out and rearranged. I also got my nasty microwave cleaned out. THen I wrote a list to BF telling him about little things I want done in the kitchen. I want the entire kitchen done by June 1st.

[Anniet222]

I found this on the internet

Clean the tracks with a stiff brush or sponge and some soap and water, then clean and lubricate the rollers located in the bottom of the door. (You shouldn't oil or otherwise lubricate the lower track of a sliding door. It's unnecessary, and the lubricant collects dirt.)

[Anniet222]

I motivate myself by scheduling a party. That gives me the extra motivation I need to get the place in shape. Motivation is also known as stress and panic:)