April 2019

The flowers are budding and the animals are waking, which means spring has arrived. After a long winter our houses are stuffy, salt and dirt have tracked in for months, and the short days have made early bedtimes more appealing than chores. As the season turns, it is a perfect time to start spring cleaning. It is easy to run through the motions by cleaning out the closets and pantries, throwing out the junk, and running a mop over the floors. But as the world blooms outside, why not make your house bloom too with a deep cleaning? Here are 10 common items that people forget during spring cleaning:

1. The Fridge: You probably wipe down your fridge's interior shelving regularly, but don't forget about the rest. Pop out the door shelves and bins, and wash in warm, soapy water to get rid of food bacteria and spillage.
    
2. Kitchen Cabinets: Use a warm soapy cloth to wipe away dust or dampen a cloth with vinegar to scrub any sticky spots. Dust and grime build-up in your cabinets and will float and settle every time you open the door, so clean them a bit more regularly to keep your dishes spotless.
    
3. Underside of Your Mats: The mat slides around for months in the winter, across the salt and mud we are constantly tracking into the house. That means there is more dirt underneath the mat than you realize. Try vacuuming both sides of your mats for a more through clean.
    
4. Grout: Your kitchen and bathroom tiles are resistant, but grout is absorbent. It stains easily and bacteria can grow inside. To clean your grout simply mix ½ cup of baking soda, ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide, and 1 tsp of dish soap. Apply to the grout, wait 5-10 minutes, then scrub and rinse.
    
5. Furniture: A thorough clean of your furniture can make it feel like new. Vacuum your furniture all over, and use the crevice attachments in the hard-to-reach spots. Also  launder whatever you can. This will control dust, dirt and fend off bad smells from arising.
    
6. Kids Toys: Put plastic toys in the dishwasher and plush toys in the gentle cycle to keep them clean and germ-free.
    
7. Washing Machines: Washers house mold and bacteria which can smell bad and can even cause your clothing to smell. Eliminate any odours by adding two cups of vinegar to the drum and running your “clean cycle” to kill and clear out bacteria.
    
8. Baseboards and Walls: These areas get dirty and might even contribute to bad smells, but we rarely wipe them down. Use a cloth with warm water and soap to give your baseboards and walls a new shine.
    
9. Computers: Dust is constantly slipping into the keyboards and openings on our computers. Use compressed air to spray under the keys and into the casing bringing dust to the surface so that you can wipe it away.
    
10. Your Car: After a winter full of slush, you can’t clean the car fast enough. Scrub out salt to avoid staining and degrading your fabric and be sure to wipe down your seats and mats. Check out our previous blog “5 DIY Auto-Detailing Tips” for more info.

Would you like someone else to scrub those hard-to-reach or forgotten items? At Steamwise we offer many regularly scheduled and deep cleaning options to rid your home of dirt, allergens, and smells, and leave it “spring clean”. Contact us at 1-855-793-3131 to learn more or to book an appointment.