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Life@Home – August 2021
Seasonal cleaning is not only reserved for spring; Summer is a great time to give your home a deep clean to prevent heat, humidity, rain, and more from taking a major toll on your home maintenance. We’ve gathered a list of simple summer cleaning tips to keep your home fresh and tidy.
1. Eliminate Dust
With the beautiful sunshine, dust is far more noticeable floating in the air and accumulating on your pieces. Take the time to fully dust your home, concentrating on your blinds, curtains, and ceiling fans. No duster? No problem! Use an old sock to easily clean between blinds and a pillowcase to sweep dust from ceiling fans while catching falling debris. Plus, to keep your cold air flowing, clean the air conditioner filter with a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust and grime.
2. Get Spotless Windows
Summer is the perfect time to thoroughly wash your windows and screens. The sun displays the dirty grime well so you’ll be able to easily see your hard work pay off quickly. Depending on how dirty your windows and screens are, you may have to use a combination of cleaning products, vacuuming, scrubbing, and power washing to get them looking good as new. This cleaning tip will be well worth your effort when you get an unobstructed view on a beautiful sunny day.
3. Eliminate Odors
The warm weather can cause an increase in foul smells. Be sure to clean your garbage disposal, trash cans, and recycling bins to prevent unwanted pests, troublesome mold, and unpleasant odor. Clean your disposal by pouring baking soda and vinegar into your drain, letting it sit for 5 minutes then following with boiling water. Be sure to wash out your bins with bleach and water then sprinkle baking soda on the bottom to absorb any bad odors.
4. Organize Your Garage
With many large and bulky storage items outside for the summer, now is the perfect time to organize your garage and storage area. Start by decluttering and donating any unused items. Then organize your pieces by category (season, tools, etc.). Finally, decide on the best layout, keeping frequently used items in easy to reach areas. Containers, cabinets, and pegboards make great storage solutions and will help you stay organized.
5. Revamp Your Outdoor Living Area
With the patio, deck, or front porch being a go-to spot for outdoor social gatherings, you’ll want to make sure this area is ready for entertaining. Use an old broom to sweep up rubble, brush away spiderwebs, and dust off debris. Wipe down patio furniture and wash patio cushions (follow washing instructions on the tag). And pressure wash your driveway or concrete patio to ride any unwanted weed growth and make it look brand new. These will help boost your curb appeal and make outdoor entertaining a breeze.
6. Clean Your Grill
Along with outdoor entertaining comes outdoor cooking, make sure you are properly cleaning your grill to ensure a tasty meal every time. Some quick BBQ cleaning tips are to clean and scrape grates while they’re still warm and give it a quick clean after every use. This will make it easier to clean and save you time and hard work later on. Check out this DIY grill cleaner spray to make your cleaning easy, your food taste better and your BBQ last longer.
7. Wash Your Gardening Tools
After a full spring season of gardening, your tools have seen some wear and tear. Get your gear in tip-top shape so they last you many seasons to come. Remove any dirt or debris, and soak the tools in warm, soapy water, then rinse and dry. This quick and simple cleaning tip is the first step in building a flourishing garden.
8. Bonus Tip: Check for Leaks!
With outdoor faucets and hose being used now more than ever, it is very important to check for any leaks. Most leaks are easy fixes, but if gone unnoticed they can lead to high water bills!
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