Spring Cleaning is Upon Us! And Here are Some Places You Probably Missed.

Spring is in full swing and the annual urge to clean the nest is upon us. When you think of the deep cleaning and organizing, there are probably several areas of the home that get left undone. We have compiled a list of things you probably didn’t get around to. Think of it as the sequel – Spring Clean 2!

They say that people never look up. If you haven’t cleaned the vent hood over your gas or electric cooktop or range in a while (or ever), you may not want to. You should regularly be wiping down the outside and under the hood with hot, soapy water to prevent the buildup of grease and keep it shiny. You should regularly clean the filters on the vent hood as well. How often will depend on your usage and what kind of food you like to cook, but once a month is a good baseline. Just reach up there and remove the filters and soak them in hot water and dishwashing liquid before gently scrubbing the accumulated grime away. If you are lucky, you have a model that allows the filters to be tossed into the dishwasher. If you haven’t cleaned them in a while, best to soak first, even before you toss them in the dishwasher.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a French Door, Bottom-Freezer, Side-by-Side or Top-Freezer Refrigerator, they are all going to run up against the same wall of dust. Over time, dust will buildup around your refrigerator coils (you can find them at the bottom of the refrigerator). Over time the coils will become less efficient at releasing heat from the unit. This will increase your energy costs and can even cause your refrigerator to shut down! Dust those coils and save some money. Do it at least twice a year either by vacuuming with your crevice attachment or by using a specialized refrigerator coil brush, sold at hardware stores. And lastly, make sure you unplug the refrigerator before you do this!

You would think an appliance dedicated to cleaning would take care of itself in that department. Since the reason it exists is to clean, that only makes sense, yeah? But no. Over time, your dishwasher will collect leftover food, grease, and soap scum. This will add a stink to your dishwasher that also means your dishes won’t be as clean or as sanitary as you would hope.
There are many ways to clean a dishwasher, some of them unconventional. You should click here (http://dishwashers.reviewed.com/features/how-to-clean-your-filthy-dishwasher) for all the details on these 5 methods.

1. 1. The Vinegar & Baking Soda Method
2. 2. The Borax Method
3. 3. The Bleach Method
4. 4. The Tang/Kool-Aid Method (yes, you read that right)
5. 5. The Baking Soda Bomb (think bath bomb for your dishwasher)

How often do you clean your toaster or your coffee machine? You rinse out the carafe once in a while? Shake out the crumb tray on your toaster when there is a small fire? Did you know there was a crumb tray? Both of these are frequently used and often neglected. Maintenance and cleaning is easy and you will taste the difference. For a coffee machine, simply fill the carafe with equal parts water and white vinegar. Pour that mixture into the reservoir and turn the machine on. When the carafe is full, turn the machine off and let it sit for about an hour. Then turn it back on and flush it out with a few cycles of water. For a toaster, it’s even easier. Just pull down the crumb tray knob or slide it out from the bottom or turn the toaster upside down and shake those crumbs out.

Seriously, when was the last time you washed your pillows? You rest your head on these every night (and some afternoons). You probably don’t want to dwell on it too long – think mold, bacteria and odors. Just do this one now. And then do it every 3 to 6 months. Do NOT wait until next spring. Most pillows are machine washable and it’s not enough to wash the cases, you should also throw the pillows themselves into the laundry (most are machine washable) once every three to six months to remove mold, bacteria, and odors. And the same goes for your pillowtop mattress. If you have a removable top and a King Size washer and dryer, you can clean it at home. Put that on the same schedule. You will sleep much better.