Spring Cleaning Hacks for Your Albemarle Plantation Home

04/01/2020

Spring Cleaning Hacks for Your Albemarle Plantation Home

Spring cleaning feels great … once it’s finished. But getting there isn’t always so fun. To help you get to the enjoyable side of spring cleaning, we’ve rounded up some tips and tricks to streamline the process and leave you with more time to enjoy your fresh and tidy home.
We are all super conscious about germs and cross contamination right now; so don’t let your sponge undermine all your hard work! If you’ve got a big job to do and only one sponge to do it with (the horror!), freshen things up halfway through by squeezing it out and microwaving it on high for a minute to kill any offending bacteria.

If you’re lucky enough to have a garbage disposal, don’t neglect it during spring cleaning. Drop in a cut-up lemon, some salt, and a few ice cubes to clear away any unwanted odors or built-up residue.

Just because most of us have some extra time on our hands right now, doesn’t mean we are using it efficiently! If you find yourself putting off your spring cleaning because of how long it takes, try timing yourself. Not only will you be more likely to stay focused and get your tasks done efficiently with a timer ticking, seeing how long chores actually take makes them more manageable. If you know it only takes 10 minutes to scrub the bathroom, maybe you won’t wait till next spring to do it again.

Stove top stressing you out?! After you’ve scrubbed the grime off your stovetop, apply a thin layer of car wax and then buff it off with a clean towel. Not only will this make it look shiny and new, it will make wiping off future spills a breeze.

Who would have thought that we would live in a world where toilet paper and Clorox wipes are the new currency? If you find yourself running low on cleaning supplies, use what Mother Nature provided! Lemons are great for cleaning stainless steel and without any harsh chemicals! Just cut the lemon in half and start rubbing to remove hard water stains and rust from any stainless steel in the bathroom or kitchen. Plus, this leaves behind a fresh, natural, citrusy scent instead of harsh chemical fumes.

Need another natural alternative to store bought cleaners? To remove old food stains from the inside of the microwave, steam them before you scrub. Fill a microwave-safe bowl with 1 to 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil and zap the mixture for five minutes.

No Windex? No problem! For a quick made-at-home-window-washing solution, mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water or add one teaspoon of mild dishwashing liquid to several gallons of water. But time your cleaning wisely: Sunshine will cause your windows to dry too quickly, leaving streaks so save this chore for a cloudy day!

We all appreciate our dishwashers, but have we been using them to their potential? I dare say we have not! There are tons of things that you can clean in the dishwasher that don’t have anything to do with place settings. Once every few months, toss some of the following into the dishwasher for a deep clean: contact lens cases, hair brushes, makeup brushes, pet dishes, plastic kids toys, refrigerator shelves, soap dishes, tweezers, various knobs and pulls, and even your shower head!

Since it does so much for you, why not show that dishwasher some love?! After you remove any visible grime, place a cup of vinegar on the top shelf and run the hottest cycle your dishwasher has. After that, sprinkle a cupful of baking soda around the bottom and run it through a short but complete cycle using the hottest water. Another chemical free cleaning tip for the win!