It’s officially spring, but it’s still not exactly outdoor weather. It’s the perfect time to start your spring cleaning. Deep clean all those areas that have been languishing in the winter dark – before the weather gets nice and you want to be anywhere but indoors. That being said, I didn’t want to write the same spring cleaning article everyone else is also writing, so I’ve focused on off-the-beaten-path spring cleaning projects.
The dishwasher
It makes sense that this one gets overlooked. If it cleans the dishes, shouldn’t it clean itself as well? Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. Food gets stuck in the dishwasher drain. This reduces the efficiency of the machine and causes it to develop odors. Remove the dish racks and clean the drain. Next run the dishwasher on its heated setting with a cup of vinegar to eliminate any lingering smells. Find more dishwasher care tips here.
Drawers and drawer organizers
Drawers collect all sorts of weird debris – crumbs, dirt, hair, and more. This is especially true of kitchen drawers. Cleaning out your drawers also forces you to reorganize chaotic spaces. Don’t just take everything out, wipe it down, and toss all the junk back in. Sort through it first, and get rid of any redundant, broken, or infrequently used items.
Pro-tip: after taking everything out of the drawers, use the vacuum hose to vacuum out debris before wiping the drawers down. This way you don’t spend ages coaxing crumbs up and out of each drawer.
The ice maker
Apparently, ice absorbs food odors. So that old ice sitting at the bottom of the bin? It’s a problem. Turn your ice maker off and dump any ice in the bin. Then wash the bin and ice maker out with warm water and vinegar, or mild dish soap. You should avoid aggressively scented soap, or you’ll end up with “tropical island breeze” flavored ice cubes. Dry both the ice maker and the bin thoroughly to remove moisture.
Your computer
Not only is it important to clean the hardware of your computer but you should take the time to clean up your files and hard drive as well, which can improve your computer’s speed and functionality. Of all the computer hardware, we actively touch the keyboard most often. Crumbs get stuck under the keys if you eat anywhere near the computer, and the keys themselves get grimy from regular use. To clean your keyboard, first turn your computer off, then use compressed air to dislodge debris from under the keys. Next, use a clean cloth, isopropyl alcohol and a few Q-tips the clean the keys themselves – wipe the keys with the alcohol (not too much!), then use the Q-tip to clean in between. Be careful not to use so much liquid that it pools on your keyboard. For more computer cleaning tips, especially advice on how to clean up the “interior” of your computer, check out this great article.
Your cell phone
I love this “modern spring cleaning” article, especially the tips for spring cleaning your phone. Delete unused apps and old contacts and go through your pictures and delete the ones you don’t want anymore. This frees up so much space on your phone and can help it run better as well. Finally, turn off all app notifications except the most crucial ones, so you only look at your phone when you need to.
What are some of the spring cleaning projects on your list? If you’d like help with any, contact us here.
“Buyer Beware” – Not All House cleaners Will Save You Money
While it’s true that having someone else take over your cleaning tasks will save you time and money overall, you’ll want to be sure the house cleaning company you hire is actually going to save you money and not end up costing you more. What does that mean?
Well, in today’s social media culture, anyone can make a post stating that they are a housecleaner and start taking clients. This person could be fantastic— a knowledgeable cleaner with good ethics who just happens to not have insurance or licensing— or they could be an opportunist looking for easy access to your trust and your valuables. They could be a careful and consistent cleaner, or they could be accident-prone and sloppy.
If you’ve hired a cleaner without proper licensing, training, or insurance, any mishaps resulting in an injured worker, broken belongings, or missing items will be your responsibility. You’ll be responsible for providing medical care, repairing, or replacing belongings by filing a claim under your own homeowners’ insurance policy, where you will pay your full deductible.
If accidents do occur, a properly licensed and insured cleaning company will assume all responsibility and cover any damages caused by their employees. They’ll also provide worker’s compensation for any injuries that an employee may suffer while on the job.
Hiring a trustworthy, licensed and insured house cleaning company with great reviews that performs background checks and provides training for all of their cleaning technicians may be slightly more expensive than hiring Regina Random from Facebook, but in the long run, it is a money-saving choice. Training, trustworthy technicians with clear background checks offer you something truly valuable: Peace of mind. An insured and bonded company doing work in your house while you are away can save you thousands upon thousands of dollars.
Start Saving Today
Ready to start spending more quality time with friends and family and less money on cleaning supplies? Request a quote from Clean and Simple for your regular, weekly cleaning needs (and beyond!)
