Springing into Cleaning!

Although I live in California where there’s hardly a noticeable change in seasons, I still use the the four times of the year to update my home.  Now that we’re into the spring season, it’s time to not only freshen up the decor, but many of us will take part in the traditional task of “spring cleaning.”  I’m always looking for ways to do things better, and this cleaning chore is no exception. 

I stumbled upon this great article by Learnvest contributor Emma Miller and thought I’d try this particular tip: cleaning the shower doors (water spots – grrrr!).   Take a look at my before and after photos and read on to learn more about this and other tips.  (And feel free to share your own!) 

Happy cleaning…!

BEFORE

AFTER

8 Clever DIY Spring-Cleaning Hacks That Will Save You Time—and Money

• DIY Kitchen Cleaning Hack: Freshen Your Garbage Disposal With Frozen Lemons

  

  What You’ll Need: Fresh lemons, vinegar and an ice cube tray.

  How It Works: Want to rid your kitchen of funky smells? Start by sanitizing the appliance that vanquishes everything from old fish bones to rotten vegetables—your garbage disposal.

  Simply place small lemon slices into each ice cube tray slot, pour vinegar over them, and freeze. When you’re ready to clean, toss a handful into the garbage disposal and run it until the cubes are gone for a citrus-scented kitchen.

  To learn more, head to: One Good Thing

  Image credit: One Good Thing

• DIY Kitchen Cleaning Hack: Deep-Clean Your Electric Oven With a Bowl of Water

  

  What You’ll Need: 1 to 2 cups of ammonia, 2 cups of boiling water, 2 oven-safe baking dishes and a sponge.

  How It Works: Given that a new oven can cost a few thousand dollars, it pays to keep it in tip-top shape—like giving it a good scrub down from time to time.

  The problem is, the process usually involves a whole lot of elbow grease—but with some extra-strength ammonia, you should be able to get that grime out with a swipe of a sponge.

  Start by bringing 2 cups of water to a boil. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 200 degrees and then turn it off. Pour the boiling water in one baking dish and the 1 to 2 cups of ammonia into the other dish. Put each dish in the oven, placing the ammonia dish on the top rack. Leave overnight (about 8 to 12 hours) to let the ammonia tackle the caked-on grease.

  In the morning, remove the bowls and wipe the oven clean with a warm, wet sponge.

  Note: This method is not recommended for gas ovens.

  To learn more, head to: Fabulously Frugal

• DIY Bathroom Cleaning Hack: Concoct Your Own Grout Cleaner

  

  What You’ll Need: ¾ cup baking soda, ¼ cup bleach, and a scrub brush or old toothbrush.

  How It Works: Did too many warm winter showers leave your tile looking worse for wear? The good news is that giving it some spring sparkle will take only about 15 minutes and cost less than $10—thanks to this hack.

  Mix the baking soda and bleach until they form a thick paste, and apply the cleanser to the dirty grout lines in your shower. Wait 5 to 10 minutes. Then scrub the mixture into the grout. After waiting another 5 to 10 minutes, wipe the tile clean with a damp rag.

  To learn more, head to: Practically Functional

• DIY Bathroom Cleaning Hack: Wipe Away Water Stains With Softener Sheets

  

  What You’ll Need: Used dryer sheets.

  How It Works: Ready for one of the simplest cleaning tips ever? Remove those stubborn streaks on your shower door by repurposing the fabric softener sheet you were about to toss.

  Just lightly dampen each sheet with water and wipe away.

  To learn more, head to: Practice What You Pinterest

  Image credit: Practice What You Pintrest

• DIY Bathroom Cleaning Hack: Descale Your Showerhead With a Plastic Bag

  

  What You’ll Need: Vinegar, a small plastic bag; a zip tie, rubber band or binder clip.

  How It Works: If the buildup on your showerhead is starting to resemble week-old pizza crust, it might be time to give this tip a try.

  Simply fill a plastic sandwich bag with vinegar, and fit the bag over the spout so that it’s completely submerged. You can secure the bag in place with a zip tie, rubber band or binder clip. Then leave it on overnight—by the A.M., your showerhead will look sparkling new. (Be sure to run the water for a minute before taking a shower.)

  To learn more, head to: Bob Vila

  Image Credit: Showerhead Divas

• DIY Living-Room Cleaning Hack: Dust Your Ceiling Fan With a Pillowcase

  

  What You’ll Need: An old pillowcase and dusting spray.

  How it Works: Normally, cleaning that thick layer of dust that’s accumulated on your ceiling fan involves kicking up seemingly more dust than you started with. But this simple hack will save you from battling those fly-away particles.

  Just spritz each fan blade with dusting spray, and place a pillowcase over each blade, one at a time. Press your hands down the length of the blade as you work to slip the pillowcase off. You’ll collect all or most of the dust in one fell swoop!

  To learn more, head to: The Thrifty Couple

  Photo credit: The Thrifty Couple

• DIY Living-Room Cleaning Hack: Suck Pet Hair From Carpets With a Squeegee

  

  What You’ll Need: A window squeegee.

  How It Works: Special brand food, veterinary costs, grooming—having a pet can really add up. But what accumulates more quickly than these costs are the piles of pet hair.

  Ew.

  Well, believe it or not, simply combing a squeegee over carpets and fabric furniture can rid the surfaces of pet fluff. Best of all, you can snag a squeegee for as little as a buck at the dollar store.

  To learn more, head to: Modern Mrs.

• DIY Living-Room Cleaning Hack: Lift Water Rings Off Wood With a Hair Dryer

  

  What You’ll Need: A hairdryer.

  How It Works: Despite your best efforts to get everyone to use a coaster, it doesn’t always happen.

  But water rings are surprisingly simple to remove. For this hack, just use a hairdryer to heat the stain for about 20 minutes—and watch it fade away.

  To learn more, head to: Homemade Mamas

  Image credit: Homemade Mamas