7 Things We Forget to Spring Clean But Shouldn’t

Advertorial Feature

We like to imagine that our annual spring cleaning checklists cover everything in our house, but you’d be surprised how many things slip past our watch. Every room in the house has hidden areas that can easily get overlooked. Let’s discuss seven things we forget to spring clean but shouldn’t, plus the recommended cleaning procedure for each area.

Deep Clean the Cabinets and Drawers

Kitchen cabinets and drawers can pick up crumbs, hair, dead skin and a thick layer of dust in the hard-to-reach areas. You don’t want that stuff to contaminate your eating/cooking utensils, so take a few minutes to follow this easy cleaning procedure.

Empty the cabinets first, then wash the inner surface with dish soap and a light towel. If you encounter any sticky spots that won’t go away, apply a touch of baking soda and put a warm, wet paper towel over the area. Let the baking soda sit for a few minutes, remove the paper towel and wipe everything away. Make sure you dry the cabinets with a new towel, not the same washing towel. When everything is clean, you can reorganize the cabinet’s contents more to your liking. If you’re in the Las Vegas area, check out Modern Maids, a house cleaning Las Vegas company, and get the professionals to deep clean your home whilst you’re at work or away on holiday. The professionals won’t leave a drawer unturned and will make sure it’s spotless. 

Don’t forget the Small Appliances

Your everyday kitchen appliances like the microwave, coffee maker and toaster could probably use a good cleaning. The coffee maker is easy to clean. Just fill the water chamber with white vinegar and water and let it brew. Rinse when the brewing is complete and repeat the procedure with only water to remove the smell. The microwave has thicker food residue, so it needs a more hands-on approach. Wipe down the inner surface with a damp paper towel, then scrub well with a strong melamine-based sponge. Wipe away the foam when you’re done and dry the inside thoroughly with a dish towel.

Cleaning the outside of a toaster requires simple dish soap and water, but the inside is a little more complicated. Take your toaster outside, remove the tray, flip it upside down and shake it to eliminate the larger food particles. Then, fill your sink with hot water and add a few drops of dishwasher detergent to the mix. Put the tray underwater and let it soak. Meanwhile, brush out the remaining crumbs with a long, thin brush. A clean paintbrush or pastry brush will do. Start from the top and work your way down. Once you’re satisfied with the inside, give it another good shake. Remove the tray from the water and scrub away the loose debris. Let the parts air dry, and you’re good to go!

Empty and clean the Dishwasher

The dishwasher unfortunately isn’t a self-cleaning device. Although it washes our dishes well enough, it still gathers grease, oil, food particles and other nasty debris. Start by wiping the door and control panel with a multi-surface disinfectant spray and paper towels. Get rid of all the smudges and fingerprints. Cleaning the inside is easy. Place a special dishwasher cleaner in the detergent compartment and run an empty cycle. The cleaner will give the interior a fresh smell and remove any debris that your dishes left behind.

Clean the Air Vents

The air vents in your HVAC system could probably use a cleaning this spring. They significantly impact your home’s air quality and play a key role in providing sufficient heating and cooling throughout the year. The cleaning process is more detailed than the other things on this list. It’s not complicated, but it requires specific tools and steps that you need to follow carefully.

Shake the Curtains

Don’t forget about the various curtains around the house. Dust the curtains in your living spaces, give them a good shake and spray them with a fabric freshener. Shower curtains pose a more difficult challenge, as they can gather mold in just a few days if you’re not careful. Just throw the curtain and liner into your washing machine and run a cycle with cold water. Let the liner airdry and follow your curtain’s tag instructions for drying.

Don’t forget the Drains

 Our shower and sink grains gather a lot of hair and soap scum. You can wash that gunk away with a few easy steps. Pour a pot of boiling water down the drain, followed by at least four cups of vinegar. Let the vinegar soak for about 10 minutes, then pour another draught of boiling water. Repeat this process as many times as necessary, then rinse out the drains with cold water. You can also use a drain cleaner if you think the vinegar isn’t strong enough.

Closets

We don’t necessarily forget to clean closets. Rather, we ignore them and hope the clutter inside sorts itself out. Stop avoiding your unorganized closets and give them the proper attention. Remove the contents and separate them into three piles: keepers, donations and trash. This strategy will simplify the task and make reorganizing the closet more manageable. Dust or vacuum the closet if necessary and put the keepers back where they belong.

It’s All About the Details

The spring cleaning tradition allows us to address the glaring dirty areas around the house, but we often neglect the small details. These seven devices/locations play a crucial role in our daily lives, yet they often don’t receive proper maintenance. Spring cleaning is all about the details. Remember these areas this time around to give your home massive improvements!