Spring Cleaning
TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-170 -- More Projects »
Cleaning expert Brenda Williams shares tips on cleaning the home for spring.
- Springtime is when the items in the refrigerator change from winter foods to summer foods, so this provides a perfect opportunity to clean the refrigerator. The best cleaner is a combination of salt and soda water (figure A). The bubbling action of the soda water combined with the abrasive texture of the salt works great as a cleaner.
- Another area in the kitchen that could use a seasonal cleaning is the faucet. There may be a buildup of lime around the fixture. The best way to get rid of it is to lay paper towels over the fixture and soak it with vinegar, letting it set for one hour. The deposits will soften and become easier to remove.
To clean screens, use a scrap of carpeting (figure B). This makes a powerful brush that removes all the dirt.Clean windows with a rag and soapy water, then dry them with another rag. Another quick-cleaning option involves going to an auto-parts store and purchasing a windshield squeegee. They're available for less than $5, and they clean very well.If drapes are looking a little drab, take them out of the window, remove the hooks and run them through the air-fluff cycle in the dryer, along with a wet towel (to attract the dust) for 15 minutes. Hang them back in the windows immediately.
It is often difficult to clean the blades of a ceiling fan. Make future cleaning easier by covering them with a coat of furniture polish (figure C). Wipe off the excess and lightly buff.Sometimes comforters, blankets and pillows don't need to be cleaned, but they need to be aired out after a long, closed-up winter. Take them outside and hang them on a clothesline for a day to release the stale air.
Guests Brenda Williams
Professional Cleaner and Organizer / President, Home Management Services
9752 Dorset Lane
Eden Prairie, MN 55347
Phone: 952-944-1817
Also in this Episode
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