April is here so it’s officially spring-cleaning time! From cabinets to appliances, walls to windows, it’s a yearly ritual most of us adhere to. We figured we’d put together a list of tips to help you with your chores and make it all easier.
A DIY cleaner that helps
The majority of surfaces in your home can be cleaned with 1 product and making it yourself is easier than you think. Not only does it save you money, it also protects the environment by eliminating bleach and harsh chemicals while being effective. A lot of you may already have your own recipe but the basic one calls for a 1:1 mixture of white vinegar and water to produce a cleaning solution you can use a most surfaces. Add some lemon or lavender essential oils to your mixture for a fresh smell in your home.
Your kitchen, decluttered
This may be the most time-consuming chore of all but it’s also the most rewarding. Open every cabinet and empty it so you can properly clean every shelf and every rack. Before you put everything back in place, make sure to throw away anything you can’t remember using in the last year. Just like many cooks, we tend to hold on to stained items or pots and pans we use once every 3 years. While it’s always good to have it available when you need it, it also takes a lot of space in your cabinets and it can make reaching for what you use a lot harder than it has to be. Remember that most kitchen tools can be swapped for something else and the one thing you don’t use can make a perfect donation for people in need. Look through your plastic containers and make sure you have the matching lid and if you don’t, ask yourself if it’s worth keeping.
Use your dish-helper
You already use your dishwasher for the obvious, but did you know you can put a lot more than dishes in it? It’s a box that you can literally think outside of when doing your spring cleaning. Pet dishes, microwave platter, spice containers and you can even look at your refrigerator shelves as some are dishwasher safe and can be cleaned inside your dishwasher. Want to think even more outside the box? Plastic wastebaskets, garden tools, vacuum cleaner attachments, golf balls (put them in a basket) and other items that carry the dishwasher safe mention can be cleaned in your dishwasher. Always make sure they fit properly, you don’t force them and they can be secured to prevent any damage to your dishwasher.
Everything has an expiry date
We all throw away the milk when it’s past it’s expiration date but what about the canned and dry goods in our cupboards? Their expiration date is usually so far into the future that we push it aside and we forget about them, until sometimes 3 years later. Once everything has been taken out of the cupboards, look for expired items so you can dispose of them and free up the space in your pantry or cabinets. Make sure to keep a list of what you throw away so you can replace it on your next trip to the grocery store.
One thing at a time
It’s true that tackling all the spring-cleaning chores can look daunting so focus on one area at a time. Start with one room and don’t move on to another room before it’s done. You will get the satisfaction of having a room ready for the upcoming year and won’t feel overwhelmed by everything there is to be done.
Remember that Creative Appliance Gallery also sells product specific cleaners to help you in your tasks and make your appliances looking and running like new.