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I recently shared my spring cleaning hacks on TV, so I wanted to put all my best spring cleaning tips and tricks in one spot for you!
Spring Cleaning Hacks: Before You Start
You can find a list of what to clean anywhere on the internet. But allow me to introduce you to some of my favorite spring cleaning hacks you need to think about before you start on the standard items.
Clean the Things You Use to Clean
Think about it, if your cleaning tools are dirty and dusty, you’re just going to keep spreading that dirt and dust around.
Vacuums
Take a day to clean your cleaning tools, like your vacuum and dustbuster. At a minimum, empty out the canisters and rinse any filters in water. Then allow them to completely air dry (ideally in the sun) before replacing them.
Washing Machine
And don’t forget your bigger appliances, like your washer and dryer. If you have a front-loading washer, make sure to clean the gaskets and leave the door open to allow it to air dry in between washes.
Dryer
This is perhaps my most important tip. It’s not enough to just clean your lint trap after each load (you are doing that, right?). Every 1-3 months, pull the lint filter out and use a dryer vent cleaning attachment to clean deep into the lint trap. This can prevent home fires, in addition to helping your dryer work more effectively.
If you buy one thing after reading this, head to Amazon and grab this dryer vent cleaner kit (it also works great for getting out that gunk in your window sills before you throw open your windows in the spring!)
CNN’s complete guide to cleaning home appliances
Clean the Things You Spend Time On
Next, clean the things you spend a lot of time on. I’m talking about big items like your mattress, pillows, and couch.
I know, these aren’t things you can just wipe down or throw in the wash. Grab your baking soda and try these tricks…
How to Clean a Mattress
We spend a quarter to a third of our day sleeping, so why wouldn’t we think we need to clean more than just our sheets?
A lot of hair and dead skin cells accumulate and sink into our mattresses, so it’s important to vacuum them every 3-6 months. But before you do, sprinkle a mixture of baking soda with a few drops of essential oil onto the mattress. Let that sit for a few hours to absorb stains and smells before vacuuming.
Vacuum Your Couch
Apply the same principles I just explained for your mattress to your couch. Sprinkle baking soda and vacuum.
Wash Your Pillows
You actually can throw many pillows right into the washing machine! Just remember these tips:
- Don’t put more than two pillows in the machine at a time
- Use detergent sparingly
- Throw in a tennis ball to help pillows maintain their shape
If you have a memory foam pillow, stick to washing the cover and spot-cleaning any stains.
Get Creative with Cleaning Products
Don’t just reach for a spray and cloth. I have some creative cleaning products to get out those stubborn stains and work on unusually shaped items.
Tennis Balls
Tennis balls are great to buff out scuffs on floors and even some tables. They also work as dryer balls (add a few drops of essential oils directly onto them first). Or, as mentioned above, toss into the washing machine with pillows to help keep their shape.
Lint Brush
Use a lint brush as a duster for odd-shaped objects. This is my go-to for dusting lamp shades and the top of my headboard.
DIY Homemade Cleaners
Before heading to the grocery store or superstore for cleaning products, look in your pantry. Chances are, you already have everything in your home you need to make DIY homemade cleaners.
Before I share some easy homemade cleaner recipes, gather the following ingredients:
- Baking Soda
- White Vinegar
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Borax
- Pure bar soap (like Fels-Naptha or Ivory)
- Cornstarch
- Lemons
- Essential oils
You’ll also want to pick up some glass spray bottles and even grab a funnel to make things easier.
How to Make Homemade Natural Cleaners
My absolute favorite base to my homemade natural cleaners is the lemon vinegar I’m always creating under my kitchen sink with some basic cleaning vinegar and the peels from my morning lemon water. But that’s just the start!
Check out ALL my DIY natural cleaning recipes for solutions that will clean up all the messes around your home.
7 Things You Should be Cleaning (but probably aren’t!)
Spring typically calls us to clean things like blinds and floorboards, but have you thought about cleaning these 7 things?
Spring Cleaning Checklists
I told you I wouldn’t give you yet another list you could Google. But that’s because I gathered some of the best spring cleaning checklists I could find on the internet and gathered them here for you:
- Merry Maids spring cleaning checklist
- Ultimate Room-by-Room checklist
- and of course, I had to include Martha Stewart’s Ultimate spring cleaning checklist
If you want to spread your cleaning out, try this 30-day spring-cleaning checklist from The Spruce.
Car Cleaning Hacks
Remember, cleaning needs to happen in more than just your home. Don’t forget to give your car a once over as well with my car-cleaning hacks.
