Spring Cleaning

This is just a copy and paste from Mardís's blog. I am finally motivated enough to start cleaning. Do some cleaning yourself and post a comment on my page bragging about how much cleaning you have gotten done.

Spring Cleaning Time!
Okay, don't hate me. Rather, join in my misery. Who's with me for some spring cleaning? When you're all done, reward yourself with a super-sized glass of Merlot, or enjoy the beauty of having a very very clean house. Here is the cleaning list I've made for my own spring cleaning separated by rooms. I only included the things that I would need, so if you have a garage, basement, attic, etc. you'll need to add that. These lists are combined from Martha Stewart, iVillage, the Queen of Clean, and about.com. Wherever it says "I", it's not talking about me, but the original author. Here goes:First up are some cleaning tips:Clean from top to bottom. This rule applies to every single thing that you clean in your home. It does not matter whether you are doing Deep Cleaning, Basic Cleaning or Spruce-Up Cleaning. Tackle every cleaning job from the top to the bottom. This works for cleaning the outside of the refrigerator, wiping the kitchen cabinets or washing the walls. You will always start at the top and work your way down in horizontal (not circular or vertical) motions. Why start at the top? The law of gravity is pretty simple: Dust and dirt fall to the floor as you clean. Many people ask me if you should vacuum first — and my answer is always no. You should always dust first, vacuum last. Vacuuming last captures dust and dirt, unless you have a vacuum that blows dust back into the air. Cleaning top to bottom also forces you to look at your ceilings, tops of the walls, door and window frames, and high corners. These areas are often overlooked because we tend to pay attention to things at eye level when we clean. Cleaning from top to bottom forces us to check out the entire room and do a more thorough job. Of course, the other reason why we clean from top to bottom is equally important — we are cleaning in a synchronized, organized way, which saves time!
Work the room in a circle and finish one room at a time. In the janitorial industry, every single step is important. If employees do not work an entire office in a circle, they could miss trash, cobwebs and spots on the walls and furniture. Remembering where you cleaned last is tough if you don't follow an organized approach. This is also true in a home. The phone rings, you let the dog out — and you forget where you stopped cleaning. Working the room in a circle reduces the chance of forgetting where you've cleaned or missing an area. By cleaning each area thoroughly as you work your way around the room, you are less likely to miss anything. And if you have your supply caddy with you at all times, you will avoid backtracking and missing spots.
Carry tools that will save you time and energy.- Use a whisk broom to save time when vacuuming along the edges of carpets and baseboards. A plastic whisk broom works best; you can find them at your local grocery store or discount store. I also use a whisk broom on the steps, between stair railings and on doorjambs, wall vents and pleated lampshades. A whisk broom also works great for removing the debris underneath your couch cushions.- Have a couple of damp cloths over your shoulder to save you the time you would spend running to the sink to saturate the cloths. Damp cloths can be used to clean 90 percent of the surfaces in your home. Typically only 10 percent of the surfaces need disinfectant cleaners. Brass, marble, leather, solid-surface countertops, fine furniture and wood surfaces can be dusted with a slightly damp cloth. When cleaning with a damp cloth, I prefer to use the microfiber type. They work well on all surfaces without leaving streaky smears behind.- Hang supplies from your belt or vacuum, or put them in your pockets to save time by keeping everything you need at your fingertips. This tip may sound odd to you, but it's one of the best. Think about the carpenter's belt. He keeps his hammer, nails and other tools right on his body when working. Just think if he had to go up and down a ladder every few minutes for nails while framing a home. Good grief, it would take him twice the time to do his job! Use an apron to hold toothbrushes, grout brushes, cleaning cloths, glass-cleaner bottles and more.- Keep glass cleaner near you all the time because you can use it to clean so many things.- Use extension dusters to save a lot of time when cleaning ceiling fans and high cobwebs.
Analyze the job and do two things at once- While a chemical is working on the bathroom tile, shine the glass mirror.- Carry two cloths; use one for dusting and the other to clean glass.- Hang one big trash bag on your belt or cleaning caddy to collect household trash instead of running back and forth to empty each wastebasket into the garbage (Ahahahaha :D If someone actually does this, you HAVE to post a picture!).
Bedroom:
Start with the 15 Minute Bedroom Cleanup. This will help get the room into a workable place for you to begin.- Grab all dirty clothing and put it in a hamper. Since you're in a hurry, don't worry about unrolling socks, and pulling shirts right side out. These tasks are easier to do while sorting the laundry. Just grab all of the dirty clothes and place them in the hamper.- Grab all clean clothes and refold or re-hang. If you have a significant amount of clean clothing lying around waiting to be folded and hung, skip this step and place the clean clothing semi-neatly on your bed after you complete Step 5. You can hold your bed hostage and remind yourself to take a few minutes to put away the clothing before bed.- Grab all trash and put in the trashcan. This is not the time to determine if you're ready to trash old copies of magazines, or that pair of shoes you've needed repaired for two years. We're throwing away obvious trash, not sorting through boxes and closets. Save the major trash sweep for when you have more time.- Make the bed. Yes, I know there is a major debate about whether or not to make the bed. You are just going to get back into it in a few hours. But if we used that argument for other areas of our home, we would never have clean floors, dishes, or laundry. Why wash something when it's just going to get used again? Making the bed changes the look of a room. It makes a room more inviting and uncluttered looking.- Pickup all the misplaced items on the floor, bed, desk, etc. Put them in a basket, box, or bag. These are items that belong in another room in the house. Don't try to take them back one at a time. Just put them all in one location for now and move on.- Straighten surfaces. If it has been a long time since you have cleaned in here, you may have large accumulations of your stuff that belongs in your room but is not in its proper place. Take a brief survey of this "stuff". If in a minute or less you can put it all away, do so. If not place it all in a container so that you can go through it and organize it later.Dust down the ceiling and corners.Consider if the walls in your home need to be washed. Don’t forget closets, air vents, doorknobs, and switch plates. Dust and clean all wall art.Clean the ceiling fan.Dust the fan and fan blades. You may need to use a gentle cleanser like Murphy’s Oil soap mixed with water and a cleaning cloth. Take down light fixtures and gently wash and dry them before replacing.Take down draperies and curtains to wash or have cleaned according to the directions. Dust down any blinds and other window treatments. Dust down and wash window sills and corners. Wash the inside and outsides of windows. Take down and rinse off screens, before replacing.Wash all bedding, comforters, mattress pads, pillows, etc.Vacuum and flip your mattress over to provide even wear. Clean out from under your bed. Replace bed with clean bedding.Dust down and clean all accent lamps and knickknacks. Use a vacuum attachment or duster to clean the lamp shade, lamps, and any extra decorative items.Dust down all dressers, chests, and nightstands. Clean any mirrors. Use furniture polish on wooden furniture.Clean flooring. Dust and mop for hard floors. Professionally clean carpet, or vacuum and spot treat for mildly soiled floors. Wipe down baseboards.Use the 4 container method to go through your closets (Keep, throw away, donate, store). Put the keep items back into the closet.Organize jewelry.Wipe and disinfect doorknobs, handles, switchplates.
Living Room:
Begin with a 15 Minute Living Room Cleanup. This will clear out the clutter and give you room to do the actual spring clean up. Don't worry about cleaning the floors in the 15 minute clean up. We will do this later.- Put all items that do not belong in the living room in a container. Do not try to pick up each item and place it where it belongs. Even if you don't get distracted you will waste time running to all ends of the house multiple times.- Tackle the couch. Brush off the cushions. Retrieve any missing items from the depths of the couch. Brush off the dirt from the interior of the couch onto the floor. Replace and fluff the pillows.- Dust down the coffee table and arrange its contents properly. The goal here is to quickly brush off the table and neatly stack its contents. We're not shining the furniture meticulously, or alphabetizing coffee table books.- Neatly arrange the magazines and books. Don't try to weed out magazines and books that you've been thinking about storing or tossing. Just arrange them neatly and move on.Replace air filter.Dust down the ceiling and corners of walls. Determine if the walls need washed in dirty spots. Spot wash, remembering air vents, doorknobs, doors, and switch plates.Dust and clean all art and photographs along the wall. Be careful when cleaning framed art and photographs. Never spray cleanser or water onto the frame. The liquid can seep behind the glass and damage the pictures. Instead lightly wet a clean cloth to wipe the frame and glass.Dust and clean the ceiling fan. There is nothing more embarrassing than turning on a ceiling fan and having large chunks of dust fall down on your guest's head. Use this spring cleaning time to dust down the fan and fan blades. You may need to use a gentle cleanser like Murphy's Oil Soap.Take down any light fixtures and gently wash and dry them before replacing.Take down draperies, curtains, and blinds to wash or have cleaned according to the manufacturer's directions.Vacuum and clean windowsills and corners. Wash the insides and outsides of the windows. Take down and rinse off screens, before replacing.Dust and clean out the couches and chairs.Use a vacuum cleaner with attachment to clean out couch crevices. Check to make sure none of your missing items have found their way into the abyss of the couch. Clean slipcovers, accent pillows, etc. Use an upholstery attachment on a rug shampoo machine to clean soiled couches and chair surfaces if needed. If a light cleaning is needed use upholstery spot cleaner. Test in a hidden area first. Flip sofa and chair cushions.Dust down and clean all accent lamps and knickknacks.Use a vacuum attachment or duster to clean the lampshades, lamps, and any extra decorative items.Remove books from bookshelves. Dust down the books and the shelves.Dust down accent tables and the entertainment center. Unplug and dust down all the electronics. Check cords for fraying and wear. Dust down the television screen. Use furniture polish when needed.Wash down the dining table, chairs, and any other furniture thoroughly. If you have wood furniture that needs to be oiled or waxed, do this now. If your chairs have an upholstered seat, spot clean the seats.Organize closet and clean the water heater closet.Get a box/container for Coco's toysClean the carpets and rugs.If your carpets and rugs are heavily soiled it may be time to call a professional. You can also rent cleaning machines to use. Be sure to ask for one with an upholstery attachment. If your carpets are only lightly soiled vacuuming and spot treating may be all that is necessary.Take the time to clean the doormats inside and outside your doorways.Wipe them down. Dust them off. Whatever needs to happen so that shoes don't transfer the dirt of your mat to your home.Wipe and disinfect switchplates, doorknobs, and doorjambs
Kitchen:
Begin with a 15 Minute Kitchen Cleanup. This will clear out the clutter and dirty dishes, and give you room to do the actual spring clean up.
- Run a sink of hot, soapy water. If you have a double sink with a garbage disposal on one side, make sure to use the disposal-free side. Keeping the disposal side free will allow you to scrape leftovers down the drain quickly while you work.- Scrape off all the dishes into the trash or garbage disposal. If step 2 has blocked your disposal, scrape the dishes off onto a dirty plate.- Place dishes that need to soak into the water. Try to choose the dishes that are going to give you or your dishwasher the most trouble to get clean. Put the heavily soiled dishes on the bottom. Large dishes like pans and bowls can be filled with hot soapy water and set on the counter to soak.- While the dishes are soaking, go through the kitchen clearing out trash from your floor, countertops, cupboards, etc. Don't worry about things that are out of place, or don't belong in the kitchen. Worry only about trash.- Move on to gathering all the items that do not belong in the kitchen. Put all these items into a basket (see supplies). If you have a helper (willing or unwilling) send them off to put away these items. Do not stop working on the kitchen to take these misplaced items to their homes.Put away all of the items that belong in the kitchen but are not in their proper places. Don't allow yourself to get distracted by rearranging cabinets, drawers, etc. Simply place the items that are out back where they belong.- Load the dishwasher or wash by hand. If you do not have a dishwasher or don't like to use one, this process of cleaning the dishes may take more time. If possible grab a couple of other people and form a wash, rinse, dry and put away assembly line. This is a great way to catch up with family members. Empty the dirty water and scrape the plate of food off into the disposal if it was previously blocked. Add the plate to the dishwasher.- Wash down your countertops, appliances, and sink. Rinse out sponges and rags. If needed put them in the dirty clothes. We're not heavy duty cleaning here. I literally mean wash down the visible surfaces. Don't open the microwave and scrub it out. We're not cleaning the crumbs out of the toaster. Quickly wipe it down.- Take out the trash. If the trash is full, or tomorrow is trash day, take the trash outside and reline the trash container so that it is ready for tomorrow's trash.Dust down the ceiling and corners of walls.Determine if the walls need washed in dirty spots. Spot wash, remembering air vents, doorknobs, doors, switch plates. Walls will likely need to be washed more often in this room than in others. You may not have noticed that the hand mixer or blender sloshed goop all over the wall. Take your spring cleaning time now to clean the grease, grime, and spilled food from your walls.Dust and clean all art and photographs along the wall.Clean light fixtures.Clean behind stove.Unplug the stove and move it away. Sweep and mop underneath and behind it. This is where food and grease often accumulate leading to ant problems. Clean the stove hood filter.Apply oven cleaner to the oven.Leave the windows in the kitchen open to avoid the overpowering smell.Clean the outside of the refrigerator.Unplug fridge. Vacuum coils, vent cover, and clean drip pan. Move the fridge and sweep and mop underneath it. If you can't move the fridge, clean under it with a yardstick covered with an odd sock or a bathmat slipped underneath, then laundered. Wipe down the top of the fridge, the front, and sides.Clean the oven. While the oven cleaner works, begin sorting through the freezer and refrigerator.Throw out any expired food, mostly empty containers, and items that you bought and never used. Put the stuff to keep on the counter. Take out the refrigerator shelves and drawers. Wash them down, being careful with glass shelves. Wipe down the entire inside of the refrigerator and freezer before replacing shelves and food. Line the crisper drawers with shelf liners (the thick rubber ones with holes/squares throughout) or put a dry sponge at the bottom to absorb moisture. Wipe down and clean out the oven according to the directions on the oven cleaner.Take the knobs, burners, burner covers, and spill catchers off of the stove. Follow your stove/oven owner’s manual for information on proper cleaning methods for your model. Some stovetops lift up to allow easy access to spills and crumbs. Wipe down the entire stove.Wipe down and clean the toaster, blender, and other small appliances.Clean the coffeemaker. Fill the coffeemaker with plain white vinegar and run it through a cycle. Follow with three cycles using just plain water.Clean the microwave. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to 2 cups of water and microwave the solution on high power for 10 minutes. Leave the lemon water in the microwave for another 10 minutes, and then wipe down the microwave walls with a clean sponge. Repeat if necessary.Clean out kitchen cabinets. Reline if needed. Remove mismatched lids and bowls. Take out anything that isn't being used on a regular basis. Reorganize and wash down the insides and outsides of cabinets with soapy water. If they were dusty, vacuum first. Put down new liners. If you have wooden kitchen cabinets, they probably could use an application of Murphy’s Oil Soap, which will strip them of old polish, wax and accumulated dirt. Then use a polish spray or rub on wax.Run the dishwasher empty. If your dishwasher has a food trap in the bottom, clean it out. Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom and pour vinegar into the soap dispenser. Run a full cycle. Wash down the outside of the dishwasher.Wash dishrack.Wipe down the inside of the garbage can.Scrub tile grout. Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide into a paste consistency and apply it with an old toothbrush. Brush a little and the grout stains come right out.Wash down the countertops in your kitchen. Don't forget backsplashes.Polish all silverware and utensils with BarKeeper's Friend. (Kostar undir 2 dollara og er geðveikt gott til að ná rið og svona af).Clean cutting board. Cover the boards with a paste of baking soda and water and let it set for 15-30 minutes. Remove the paste with hot soapy water and rub the entire board with lemon juice.Wipe down and clean out any drawers. Organize your flatware. This is a great time to install drawer dividers to better organize your kitchen drawers.Wash down the sink. If you have a garbage disposal now is the time to pour baking soda with warm water and/or a lemon peel down the disposal to freshen the drain. Put ice cubes through the disposal to sharpen the blades. Clean drain (baking soda, vinger, cover, sit, then add boiling water to wash it down) or with Draino.- Fill sink with very hot water and a cup of bleach. After one hour, use gloves or tongs to pull the plug. Rinse.- Use some cleanser (Comet, Ajax, or Baking Soda) and scrub your sink. Ensure you rinse ALL of the cleanser from the sink.- Take a sharp edge and clean around the rim of the sink, just like you would clean dirt out from under your fingernails.- Clean around the faucets too. You may need an old toothbrush or dental floss.- Use windex for a good shine. Try car wax if it needs more shine.Organize the pantry, fill any empty containers, throw out expired goods. Group like items together for easier dinner ideas.Organize under the sink. Take out everything, toss out old cleansers and group the leftovers together in a caddy or bucket. Before you replace the products, clean the area with soap and water, then lay down a liner to protect the surface. The most inexpensive and versatile solution I've found is a piece of vinyl flooring. It comes in a variety of colors and patterns, is very durable, can be cut to size with scissors, and is very easy to clean.Sweep and mop the floors. Don't forget baseboards. Scrub floor of dirt and wax. If you have linoleum floors, you have to use a lot of elbow grease in order to get out the dirt that is stuck in the crevices. Then apply laminate wax so it won´t get as dirty next time and can just be wiped down instead of scrubbed.
Bathrooms:
Follow the 15 Minute Bathroom Cleanup. This will get rid of trash and laundry, enabling you to deeply clean the room.
- Grab all dirty clothing and put it in a hamper.- Grab all trash and put in the trash can.- Pickup all the items belonging in another room. Put them in a basket, box, or bag.- Return items that belong in the bathroom to their proper places. Don't take time to reorganize the medicine or linen cabinets. Just place the items back where they belong. Leave organizing for when you have more time.Dust down the ceiling and corners. Consider if the walls in your home need to be washed. Dust and clean all wall art. Be careful when cleaning framed art and photographs. Never spray cleaner or water onto the frame. The liquid can seep behind the glass and damage the pictures. Instead light wet a clean cloth to wipe the frame and glass.Dust the vents and fans. Dust the outside of vents and fans. You may need to use a gentle cleanser mixed with water and a cleaning cloth. Take down light fixtures and gently wash and dry them before replacing.Take down draperies, curtains, blinds, etc, to wash or have cleaned according to the directions.Dust down any blinds and other window treatments. Dust down and wash windowsills and corners. Wash the inside and outsides of windows. Take down and rinse off screens, before replacing.Toss out any bath/makeup products that are empty or expired.Wash makeup brushes. Wet brushes with warm water. Rub shampoo into the hairs, then rinse until water runs clear. Repeat if necessary. Allow to air dry.Scrub the shower and tub. Don't forget fixtures. Clean shower doors. Dissolve soap scum buildup with commercial cleaner or natural cleaners. Do not use lemons and vinegar or other acidic cleansers on tile grout. The cleansers will eat away the grout.- Treat the shower stall so it’ll have a Teflon-like resistance to soap scum. Use Bon-Ami or Barkeeper’s Friend (both gentle abrasives) followed by rubbing alcohol, which will strip the tile of any residue. Then spray it with the cheapest furniture polish you can find (the cheaper brands usually have more silicone) or baby or mineral oil. Then buff.- If hard water’s your problem and you have a lot of streaking or a white film, you may need a lime-removing product such as Limeaway. Then apply Rainex to the glass shower enclosure, on tile, Formica (TM), sinks, faucets and even windows where hard water from sprinkler hits it -- any non-wood, non-painted surface. One application lasts for months.- When the showerhead is clogged, you have to remove mineral deposits. A metal showerhead can be boiled in l/2 cup vinegar and l quart water. A plastic one should be soaked in vinegar and very hot water. But if you can’t remove the showerhead, just pour the solution in a plastic bag, secure the bag over the shower head with a rubber band, and leave it in place for a few hours. The filter at the faucet may need a similar treatment.Clean the tile grout. Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide into a paste consistency and apply it with an old toothbrush. Brush a little and the grout stains come right out. OR make a paste of Oxi-Clean or automatic dishwasher detergent and apply it to the grout with a brush. When dry, rub it off with a terry washcloth or brush.Wash shower curtain liners (yes, the plastic ones). I throw my plastic liner in with our towels. I add the normal amount of soap and put half the towels in then the shower curtain and then the rest of the towels. Adding the towels seems to help "scrub" the shower curtain. I add about 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle. When it's done, I hang it back up to dry. It's usually pretty wrinkled when I take it out but it's fine after a couple days. The vinegar smell goes away once it's dry.Clean drains using kitchen method or Draino.Scrub down the toilet.Don't forget the handle, crevices on the outside, and underneath.Organize and clean cabinet under sink (inside and outside).Organize and clean linen closet (inside and outside).Empty, weed, and clean out medicine cabinet (inside and outside).Wash down the sink and fixtures.Wash mirrors. To prevent fogging, wipe a little dishwashing liquid on your bathroom mirror to stop it misting OR spray a handful of shaving foam onto the mirror and rub it in with your hands til it starts to disappear. Wipe the excess after most of it has disappeared off with a lint free cloth.Shake out bathroom rugs. Launder them and hang to dry.Sweep and mop the floor. If you have linoleum , follow the instructions for the kitchen floor.Empty and wash out the trash can. Lining the trash can will save time when it needs to be emptied, and help keep it cleaner longer. You can buy small commercial trash sacks, or use leftover grocery sacks and help recycle.
Office: Since instructions for these have been explained, here's just the list.
Dust and wipe down computers and electronicsWash windows and window sillsFurniture polishDustingClean walls/ceilingsCeiling fansBaseboardsVacuum floorsOrganize closetSpot treat carpetsClean airductsWash light fixtures and bulbsDoorknobs/handlesLaundry room:Laundry- Separate and wash all the laundry.- Soak yellow stains on whites in vinegar for 30 minutes then wash on cool.- Separate items that need to be mended.Dryer- Clean lint catcher with soap and water (dryer sheets can cause a waxy film to build up on the lint catcher).- Vacuum below lint trap and in hose.Washer- Run two empty loads back-to-back. Use hot water and super load setting and add only detergent and Borax. Then as soon as that load was done take a paper towel and wipe out all the gunk from the washer. Start the second load right away. Again, on empty with hot water and the super load setting but added only vinegar no detergent. Follow with one rinse cycle.
PorchWash windowsWash walls and ceilingsPaint touch upVacuumClean furnitureWash light fixture and bulbsClean grill
And last, wash and detail the car.
When you're all done, here are some ideas to make your house smell mmm-mmm-good:
Add to a pot of water any combination of allspice, cloves, orange peel, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract and fresh ginger, and simmer the mixture slowly on the stove.
"faking baking": Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar in a tin pie pan and burn it slowly on the stove top over very low temperature or very low flame.
Vinegar is an inexpensive, effective deodorizer. To get rid of unpleasant odors (like cigarette smoke), pour 1/2 cup of vinegar in each of several containers and place them around the room.
To eliminate the scent of cabbage or other disagreeable odors wafting through the kitchen, simmer cinnamon sticks or cloves in a pot of water. Or boil 3 tablespoons of vinegar in 1 cup of water.
Oven cleaners tend to leave behind a strong chemical scent. To freshen the air (and your oven), place orange peels in the oven and bake them for l5 minutes at 300 degrees. Or do the same with a whole unpeeled lemon. After baking, leave the oven door slightly ajar, and take care not to touch the fruit until it has completely cooled.
Blast garbage disposal odor with simple ice cubes! Mix 1 cup of vinegar with 1 cup water (or enough water to fill an ice tray). Pour the mixture into your tray and freeze. Pop the ice cubes in the disposal and grind.
For simple fridge fresheners, cotton balls soaked in vanilla, or an open container of coffee grounds (even used coffee grounds!), do the trick.