Forget spring cleaning: If you’ve been neglecting cleaning house since you moved into your place five months ago, it’s time to break out the dusters and vacuums.
Besides the normal housekeeping duties like washing dishes and sweeping the floors, there are also some cleaning responsibilities that often get brushed under the rug and forgotten. With months of neglect leaving common household areas and appliances grimy and apt for getting you sick just in time for the new semester, it’s better to take care of cleaning them sooner than later. Here are some simple housekeeping tips I’ve picked up from working with an Orlando apartment finder that are key to priming your space for a clean and healthy spring semester.
Change your air filters.
No one wants to breathe in recirculated dust, pollen and other contaminants. Switching out your air filter for a new one, or at least vacuuming it to make it last a little bit longer, can drastically improve the quality of air you’re breathing in your space. A dirty filter can also cause you money by slowing down airflow and making your system work harder to keep you warm or cool. You want to change the air filter for your place about every four months to keep your system running at peak condition.
Run a cup-full of vinegar through a dishwashing cycle.
After months of washing cycles, bits of leftover food, grease and soap scum can build up in the corners and crevices of your dishwasher. To avoid a build-up of bacteria that can leave your appliance more like a Petri dish than a washing machine, place a dishwasher-safe cup filled with white vinegar in the top rack and run through a cycle. The vinegar will loosen any grime within the washing bin as well as help get rid of any musty odors. Also make sure to check around the drain for large chunks of built-up grime that can get caught and cause damage to the pump.
Don’t be afraid to go high and low.
Don’t forget to look up when you are doing your next round of dusting. Light fixtures, fan blades and the tops of shelves and furniture often get forgotten during normal dusting sprees, leaving them covered in layers of dust that can wreak havoc on your allergies. A thorough cleaning also means going down low, sweeping debris out from underneath rugs and furniture.
Clean the inside of your microwave and refrigerator.
To remove hardened, splattered food from the walls of your microwave, simply heat a bowl of water for three minutes to create a mist of steam and then wipe off grime immediately after. For smelly fridges, take everything out of the shelves and drawers (this is a great time to toss anything past its expiration date) and wipe down the interior with a mixture of 2 tablespoons baking soda and one quart of hot water. While you’re focused on the refrigerator, check the condenser cords located behind it to clear any dust or debris that has built up.
Rotate your mattress.
Having trouble getting a good night’s rest and can’t figure out why? If you haven’t rotated your mattress all year, it may be that your side has become flat and uncomfortable to sleep on. An easy fix is to either rotate or flip the mattress so that you are sleeping on a new, fresh spot that isn’t molded to your body.
Have any other cleaning tips? Share them in the comments section below.