If you’re a normal person, or anything like one, you’ve probably used the excuse, “I’ll just save it for spring cleaning,” to put something off. That was fine several months ago, but guess what time it is now?
Spring is here, and you probably need to stop putting that big cleaning project off and get to work. The Plant City Times & Observer is here to give you that kick of motivation you need to get it done, and to do it the quick and easy way. Read on to see how you should tackle some common spring cleaning projects, and some you may not have thought of until now.
If something in your house stinks, the solution is just about always going to be baking soda. If the fridge stinks, just pop an open box of baking soda right in there and give it some time. If the furniture, mattress or carpet’s getting a little smelly, sprinkle some baking soda on it and, after about 15 minutes, vacuum it up.
Sponges are crucial to cleaning many things around the house, but they also trap dirt and bacteria more effectively than people realize. The best way to make sure your sponge isn’t going to spread germs all over your home and dishes is to soak it in a gallon of water (cut with 3/4 cup bleach) for five minutes.
Using the same water-to-bleach mixture can also get rid of any problems with the grout in your bathroom. Just bring a stiff brush (and protection for your hands and eyes) and apply to the areas in question. Scrub it away after sitting for a few minutes. If you have the time, running a squeegee along the walls of your shower after use will prevent mildew from happening in the future – or, you can take some of the RainX for your car and use it on the shower walls and doors to repel water.
Properly cleaning stainless steel can be tricky, but essential. The best way to clean these appliances is to use a sponge and some powdered stainless steel cleaner, which will buff out scratches. You can then apply a little bit of mineral oil with a cloth to keep the dirt away.
If you don’t empty your vacuum cleaner’s bag (or fancy collection receptacle) often, it’ll lose its power over a shorter amount of time. The best time to empty is when it’s about three-quarters full, and the best time to change your vacuum’s HEPA filter is roughly every six months. But one of the biggest things that many people forget to do is to clean the brush roll: if left alone, it won’t be able to move and, therefore, clean anything. Getting gunk out of there can be annoying and time-consuming, but it pays off.
Believe it or not, one of the most versatile tools in your cleaning arsenal isn’t one that you’ll find in the cleaning aisles of your local grocery stores. The dryer sheet is a little Swiss Army knife that can be used all over the house, depending on what you do with it. Dry sheets are great at picking up dust, spilled powder and any kind of loose hair. Damp sheets, whether new or used, can polish chrome, remove tricky stains in pots, pans and other such things, and also clean your car. You can conquer the impending Florida lovebug season without breaking the bank on detailing costs if you have dryer sheets in your home.
You know what you probably haven’t thought of? Your technology, which might be really gross if you haven’t cleaned it in a while. Your cell phone might be covered in just as much bacteria as your toilet, so make a solution of half distilled water and half white vinegar, dampen the edge of a soft cloth (preferably microfiber) and gently wipe those germs off of your phone. Use the dry parts to remove any excess mixture. For those dusty little nooks and crannies, a Q-tip will be able to help clean the hard-to-reach spots.
You can also take the time to clean your computer inside and out. A Q-tip will also help clean between your keyboard buttons, and that mixture can also clean your screen. It’s also a good time to delete your old emails, get those unused files off of your desktop (where they slow things down) and uninstall any programs you haven’t used in a while. On your phone, getting rid of unused apps will help with both performance and battery life.
If you’d rather hire someone to do all of the dirty work for you, that’s totally fine. But, before you go to pay him or her, consider giving your credit and debit cards a quick cleaning – those things have more germs on them than you know of, since you and other people handle them so often, so a quick go-over with an alcohol wipe is probably a good idea for the long run.
NEED A HAND?
If you can’t tackle your home by yourself, or just don’t have the time or energy to do so, consider hiring a cleaning service. Apart from the numerous signs you’ll see placed along the roads, there are several professional home and office cleaning services based here in Plant City.
Coop’s Cleaning Service – commercial
Address: 19 S. Merrin St.
Phone: (813) 754-9577
Web: www.coopscleaningservice.com
Dirtmaster House Cleaning Plant City – residential
Address: 2302 S. Maki Rd. #26
Phone: (813) 667-3478
Web: www.dirtmastertpa.net
Linda’s Cleaning Services – commercial
Address: 710 E. Reynolds St. #B
Phone: (813) 757-6299
Little Red Wagon Cleaning Services – residential
Phone: (863) 398-6509
Web: www.littleredwagoncleaningservice.com
