My Top 5 Spring Cleaning Hacks
Put a little spring in each cleaning step
Here are five time and energy saving tips.
In less than a week, the spring season will be officially here! We all seem to agree that this new season is the ideal time for a fresh start. It's like a second chance at all those New Year's resolutions you may or may not have kept (no judgment!). Or, at least, a fresh start for your house or apartment. Love it or hate it, it's time for spring cleaning.
I don't think this giant chore has to feel like, well, a giant chore. To help you breeze through your spring clean, I've put together this list of tips and tricks.
Learn to roll your duvet into its cover. If I can only teach you one thing, I hope it's this. Even my husband, who never seems to be as awed by household hacks as I am, thinks this tip is a winner. I read some articles highlighting this method, but didn't nail it until I saw this video. The tricky part starts at :45 seconds. Don't be afraid to really shove the end of your roll in and through the duvet cover's opening. And just that easily, one of cleaning's most onerous chores gets fast and fun! (Okay, maybe not fun. But at least not horrible.)
Enlist help. When tackling a big project like spring cleaning, more hands lighten the load. Even if you're the only one in your household willing to put in the elbow grease, you're not alone. Enlist a robotic army; use your washing machine and dishwasher. You can throw toys, toothbrushes, glass lighting fixtures, and more in the dishwasher. Toss your shower curtain liner, rugs, backpacks, and more in the washer. With the push of a couple buttons, you've already cleaned a bunch of stuff!
Work top to bottom. This is one I wish I'd learned early on. When you're cleaning a room, start at the top and work your way down. Dust ceiling fans and molding first. Then wipe walls. Then clean counters, desk, bookshelves, etc. Essentially, make sure that you're not knocking dust down onto any freshly cleaned surfaces.
Make this DIY power tub cleaner. Even if you don't typically make your own household cleaners, I highly recommend giving this one a try. In a spray bottle, mix equal parts vinegar and blue Dawn dish soap. (I don't know why it has to be blue Dawn, but other blogs say it's the best and I swear by it.) Spray liberally on your tub and let it sit for 15 minutes. Come back and scrub with a sponge. Your tub will be left sparkling, your hard water will be removed, and you didn't even have to spend time in a tiny room filled with bleach!
Set a timer. Still feeling daunted by spring cleaning, even with these tips? I get it! To get yourself started with a manageable chunk of work, pick a room and set a timer for one hour. Challenge yourself to see how much you can knock out in that time. You might be surprised! Keep working in hour segments and spread out the time so it feels manageable. Maybe you only do one hour a weekend and it takes you two months to finish your spring cleaning. So what! You'll still get a whole lot further than if you'd given up because it felt too daunting eight weeks ago.
Good luck out there, spring cleaners!