Spring Cleaning Advice
March 17, 2010
Spring is coming up fast and it is time to rid our homes of that old musty air and clean so our homes are just as fresh and clean as the Spring air that will drifting in the open windows.
When you are ready to clean, get organized, write a list of the chores or items that need cleaned. Some individuals clean their house top-to-bottom to ensure that the walls, ceiling, baseboards, and floor are sparkling clean. Pick a room. Let’s leave the kitchen and bathrooms, for last. Now, pick a room. Start by dusting. You should start at the top of the room and dust down. If you start with the tables or other items when you get to the pictures on the wall you will be letting the dust fall on the tables you have already dusted, then you will be doing double work.
Starting with walls get a small bucket and put in about ½ gallon of warm water. Add to the water ¼ cup of ammonia, 1/8 cup of vinegar, and 1/8 cup of baking soda. If you have textured walls, the best way to clean since a cloth or sponge will truly cause a mess and leave behind pieces of the material, you can cut up a pair of panty hose or nylon socks. This will not leave material behind. If you have wallpaper, all you have to do is use a dust mop, preferably or a rectangular mop that you can tie the dust cloth around. Start at the top near the ceiling and wipe downward.
To clean your mirrors the best solution is Dawn dish soap and warm water. This solution will not streak and will remove greasy fingerprints, hair spray, and even smoke. Glass shower doors should be cleaned in the same manner. For your handles, faucets, etc… Furniture polish does wonders to make it shine again, even the showerhead if it is metal. The best way to clean grime and stains from tubs and sinks is with a product known as The Works. In Oklahoma, you can find this miracle cleaner at the Dollar General Store. This product will even remove concrete from tubs in newly built homes. Just squirt some on and let is sit for a few minutes. You may need to use a razor knife to help remove the larger chunks, but The Works will truly make the job easier. You should wear gloves as this product can burn the skin, however, it is safer to use than lighter fluid, paint removal, and kerosene as some suggest. You can use the same products in the kitchen as you did in the bathroom.
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3 Comments to Spring Cleaning Advice
Comments
Presentation is everything. A few years ago we thought we did everything we could to clean, paint, fix and repair every corner of a house. When we were done, or so we thought, a smart real estate agent suggested one more step.
We baked fresh cookies during an open house and it just seemed to put all our prospective lookers in a buying mood. We got threecompeting offers.
Granted this was before the recent housing troubles, but it’s still a good move today.
Nothing makes you feel as good as a freshly cleaned home! I am going to the dollar store to look for The Works real soon!
Thanks for the info!
On nice days like we’re having today in Austin, nothing beats opening the windows to air the house out. I had a cleaning problem with my stove top and cleaning the white enamel around the burners. I have used everything under the sun and even contacted the manufacturer for advice. The best thing I found to clean my stove was also at the Dollar Stove – The Magic Eraser.
.-= Robyn Mosner´s last blog ..1719 Foxfire Dr, Round Rock, TX 78681 : $153,000 | Austin Real Estate MLS # 4536303 =-.
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