By Adrianna La Tortue
It’s that time of year again! Spring cleaning is the time to clean our homes with extra care. From dusting to organizing, I make sure my house is spotless. I love cleaning, but only if I pace myself. It is best if you do the same. It is too easy to become overwhelmed. I won’t review everything you can do around your home, but I will give you some tips and discuss a few areas.
Now, down to the nitty-gritty of things. The most important thing to remember is not to overwhelm yourself. It may look like a lot of work, but it is doable. The first rule of spring cleaning is to prioritize. Find out what needs the most attention and start from there. Get the big stuff out of the way first. Suppose you have to choose between the kitchen or the bedroom. Choose the kitchen. Why? Easy. You make your food there. You have to keep it clean.
Now, where do you start? Start with the fridge. The fridge is your best friend! It keeps all your leftovers and other foods preserved. However, cleaning it will be challenging because you must remove everything from the refrigerator.
Once you’ve removed everything, depending on the fridge, you must start wiping down the inner shelves, drawers, and door shelves. I prefer using Lysol wipes. They are great for killing any bacteria. Tip: it works best to sandwich it between two plies of paper towels. By doing this, you can wipe it down and dry it off simultaneously. Using Lysol wipes is a suggestion, so if you have another product you’d like to use, feel free. Another suggestion is Windex for the shelves, but make sure the kind you use is safe in the refrigerator. Some cleaning products will pose a danger if not properly used. When the fridge is dry and clean, you can return your items to where they belong.
Moving on, organize your fridge. If you have big juice containers, you can put them on the door shelves instead of the inner shelves. Doing so will give you extra space and ensure a permanent place for a non-perishable item.
The second rule is to multitask. Laundry is the one thing you can do while doing something else. Separate the whites from the colored clothes and begin the washer. Meanwhile, you can keep cleaning the kitchen. The counters and sink are the easiest part. The floor is a simple sweep and mop-up with Swiffer and Dyson or whatever you prefer. Wash the dishes and make them sparkly with some good old elbow grease or use the dishwasher.
Now comes the hard part; the stove. It all depends on the type of stove you have. If you have an old-fashioned gas stove like me, you know how much work it takes to clean it. You have to take off the racks and the burner tops. Then take a warm washcloth or sponge and use a soap like Dawn to clean the surface. All that’s left is for good old-fashioned elbow grease to do its thing. TIP: it’s also good to do this after making fried food on the stove to keep it clean.
Hooray! The kitchen is all clean! Pat yourself on the back. Don’t forget to move the wet clothes from the washer to the dryer, and then add another load if you have plenty of dirty clothes.
Now, it’s time to tackle the second most challenging place but, in my opinion, the easiest; the bathroom. I suggest going for the big one, like me if you have two. The shower and tub are going to take the longest. For this task, you must remove everything from the bathroom. I mean everything on the counter, around the sink, toilet paper, and in the tub. Once finished, you can either remove the shower curtain, if you’re going to replace it with a clean one, or twist it and through it over the shower rail. Don’t forget to take out any bathroom rugs! Alright, time to get cleaning.
MAKE SURE YOU WEAR GLOVES! I don’t know what you usually use, but I suggest using Scrubbing Bubbles. It breaks down all the dirt and grime. The best part is using it on all these surfaces; the toilet, sink counter, and tub. Afterward, spray the tub with some Lysol. Make sure you get all over the tub, especially if you have tile walls above it. I only use this combination for the tub. The reason is the tub has more dirt and grime than other areas. Just be careful not to overdo it. Keep the bathroom door open or even a window if the smell is too strong.
Let the Lysol and Scrubbing Bubbles sit for a minute, and then you can use a sponge and scrub it down. Use the sponge tip to clean the tile wall if you have tile. Then wash it down with your shower head. If your shower head doesn’t move, fill a disposable cup with water and splash it around.
As for the sink and toilet, you can use paper towels. All the dirt and grime will come off quickly. Some sections may require a little elbow grease. You will need a toilet bowl cleaner and a toilet brush.
Finally, sweep and mop the floor, change the shower curtain, and clean any rugs. Here’s an important tip: if your toilet isn’t flushing as well as it should be, pour some bleach in it, flush it, and then leave it alone for a few hours. I usually do this in the morning before I go to work, so it has plenty of time to work.
When finished, treat yourself to a shower. You want to wash away any cleaning chemicals that might have gotten on your skin. It is essential to shower after all your hard work. Your laundry should be ready to fold by the time you finish your shower! After folding your laundry, take a nice long nap.