We all know the basics of cleaning house. Sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, dusting and washing. But there are a few things that often slip our minds; that with a few minutes of attention can make a difference in the health of your home. With the beginning of the new year, it's a great time to tackle these 5 little things that will help your home feel better and breathe a little easier. Click through to find out what they are!
Clean your washing machine and dryer: It always sounds silly to say, "Clean the washing machine," but it's a proven fact that our laundry appliances see more dirt and dust than many other places in our home (usually ones we clean more frequently even). A quick wipe down on the outside of the body, the inside of the lid and a duster run down behind are all great places to start. 5 minutes here will make it an inviting space to come get your laundry done in. Even if you share appliances in your building it's a great service to do!
Dust Lighting Fixtures: Be it a pendant lamp, shade or chandeliers, our light sources collect a crazy amount of dust. A little time spent here will make your illumination dust free, regular upkeep can keep your treasures lasting longer!
Baseboards: Dum dum dum. Even if you sweep them regularly with your normal house cleaning routines, baseboards are killer collectors of... well... everything. The simplest way to tackle them is the one usually thought of as "the hard way." A bucket, some warm soapy water and a towel to dry them as you go will take care of things nicely. If you are keeping up on dusting them regularly it won't take very long, take an old toothbrush along in case you run into anything needing a bit of effort (mud, spills and so forth). Make sure to dry as you go, you'd hate for your good intentions to turn south by collecting more dust as they dry!
Change The Basics: Air filters, furnace filters, smoke alarm batteries, flashlight batteries. Depending on your own personal emergency kits or plans, there might be more to this, but these few things are always good to do each year, just in case. Just like a boyscout, better safe than sorry (and uh, breathing clean air along the way).
Run A Kettle: Down your drains of course! Many who are regular kettle users pour their daily kettle remains down their kitchen sink, but what about bathrooms? Workrooms? Basements? 1-2 kettles (or stockpots... done with extreme caution) down each drain in your home can help keep things running smoothly. Add a little baking soda and vinegar beforehand and you have yourself a great cleanse on things that never get truly clean unless there is a problem with the drain/sink.
Have another suggestion? Leave us a comment below and let us know!
Photo from The Worden's MC Inspired Modern Build, House Tour.
this is something i try and do regularly anyways, but over the weekend i just rearranged my computer room. sometimes changing a room up makes it feel new again. and forces you to reorganize too!
view serrakat's profile
Get your ductwork cleaned. In my area I can get 10 vents and 2 intakes for $90. This minimizes dust, too. You'll notice a big difference in the winter when doors and windows are shut tight.
view kimg924's profile
clean the washing machine by running a load with white vinegar -- no clothes, just a cup or so of vinegar to clean out the hoses and soap buildup.
view guido's profile
I was house-sitting last week at a friend's and their laundry area was caked under what looked like a year of dust mixed with things like liquid detergent or downy. Heinous. And yes, a few minutes effort made all the difference.
BTW.... I love those pendant lamps in the pic, they remind me of the Capitol Records Building, lol.... any idea on where they can be found? ;^)
view btoddster's profile
Oh god. Baseboards.
But hey, just boil what water you need for hot drinks... saves electricity. If you want to pour something down the drain, just go all out and give it the whole kettle.
view whytephoenix's profile
Clean your doorknobs ... do you know how disgusting most people's are?!
One in seven contains traces of something that can get your pregnant, and up to one in ten contains traces of what your body didn't use.
Or, replace them with brass or copper ones let the metal do the cleaning for you: http://www.architecturalclassics.com/blog/old-news-is-pitched-anew/
view lucitecturalclassics's profile
Boiling water down the drain? Yes, if your u-pipe under the sink is metal. But if it's plastic then this is a huge no-no. I learned the hard way!
view Miriam's profile
ew don't forget about cobwebs! my pet peeve in other people's houses!
view Erin Lang Norris/Yellow Canoe's profile
I love the dining room in the picture; specifically the way they've augmented the bare cement block walls with panels of plasterboard. I never would have thought to do that, and it looks amazing!
As for the topic at hand, other things that are surprisingly satisfying to clean:
light switches - they can look like new again once you get a few months of dirty finger marks off them.
telephones - you don't realise how dirty/dusty they are until you clean them.
keyboards - ditto
houseplants - they get dowdy from dust and/or bug attack. Take 'em outside and blast them (as forcefully as delicate foliage will allow) with the hose. It perks them right up.
view Blandwagon's profile
Excellent tip, Guido. Doing that tonight!
view Seaside's profile
Too, too funny! I "detailed" my washing machine for the first time ever Saturday. It was very theraputic, not to mention necessary, and I caught myself going in to admire my work several times over the weekend!
view scootergirl's profile
Taking guido's recommendation further, about once a month I run the dishwasher through the wash cycle when it's empty of dishes with a cup of white vinegar. I also clean off my wooden kitchen cupboard doors and drawer fronts with a cup of ammonia in a gallon of warm water, then I use a bit of lemon oil on a clean cotton rag so they are all shiny and clean. I can use the same ammonia in warm water to clean off the fingerprints and grime from the front of the dishwasher, range and refrigerator, drying them with a rag afterward. It only take a few minutes to do each of these tasks and it makes my kitchen sparkle.
view Motherbear's profile
Good tips... and yes, Motherbear, the fridge! Both the inside and the outside get surprisingly dirty... mine is stainless, and the side/handle area of the door gets yukky fast. I run the shelves/bins inside through the dishwasher every so often, then spray down/wipe the inside surfaces. Also, above the fridge (below the microwave in my kitchen) gets pretty dusty/grimy, too...
view TheGoodBiGirl's profile
A little time spent here will make your illumination dust free, plug regular upkeep can keep your treasures lasting longer!
Plug? lol
view Mrs.Mack's profile
Mrs Mack, I can always count on your proof-reading skills. Apparently I changed my trail of thought. Thanks, it's been edited.
-Sarahrae
view sarahrae's profile
Bless your heart, Sarahrae, and the sunny little trail down which your train of thought went with your "plus"!
view justjude's profile
Sorry if I offended you Sarahrae. I just found it amusing. :)
view Mrs.Mack's profile
And don't forget the banisters! What looks like cream may actually be white paint!
view ncdebe's profile