Today, I'm throwing a lot of spring cleaning content at you, from checklists that can help you remember every spot that needs sprucing up, to suggestions for products that can make it all easier, but I am just one person who, for better or worse, cleans my house in a specific way. To make this series on spring cleaning more comprehensive, I decided to ask some pros for their advice and share expert tips I've received.
Speed up drying time on your laundry
When you're reading through my spring cleaning checklists today, you'll notice that the step-by-step guide for each room starts by suggesting you put the linens, fabrics, and clothes associated with that room in the laundry. You want them washing and drying while you clean the rest of the space, so on a spring cleaning day, you'll be laundering a lot of textiles. That doesn't have to take all day, though: Michelle Piombino, Principal Scientist at Purex, says you can toss a clean, dry towel in the dryer with a wet load; take it out after 15 or 20 minutes, "once it absorbs most of the water." Let it air dry while the remaining garments finish up in the machine. The fresh towel will absorb excess water and humidity in the dryer, saving you time and energy costs.
Address stains first
Before you start your first load of laundry on a spring cleaning day, go through all of it and pull out anything with a stain. I'm guilty of just tossing everything into the wash and vaguely hoping stains magically come out, which has a mixed success rate, but on a day when you're focused entirely on cleaning, you should really give those garments attention. Separate anything with a stain, then pre-treat those items while other fabrics go in the machine. Jennifer Rivera, Henkel Research and Development Director and laundry expert at Persil, suggests looking for detergents that have enzymes formulated to break down stains and following their directions. (Naturally, she recommends Persil Original Everyday Clean.)
Tackle overlooked spots
Take a second to look around at your space and consider it from an outsider's perspective so you can find areas that need attention you wouldn't normally notice. I have two ways of doing this: I either take a photo of my space and examine it, which helps me compartmentalize my familiarity with the room and assess it objectively, or I call a friend over to help identify problem areas I've gone blind to. Spring cleaning is the best time to hit the spots you normally skip over.
For Rosa Picosa, a CleanTokker with nearly 900,000 followers and a cleaning expert with Fabuloso, for instance, that means tackling the baseboards: "Honestly, they can be easily overlooked and I don't think any guests in my home are inspecting my baseboards," she says. But even so, eventually, it must be done. It can be as easy as using the mop to run over them when you're mopping your floor (which is one of the final steps on all of my room-by-room cleaning checklists). Naturally, she suggests double-concentrated Fabuloso for this, but so do I. Read my review of it here (in which I actually use it to clean my baseboards).
Think prevention when you're cleaning
Handling existing messes is primarily what tidying up is all about, but the beauty of spring cleaning is that you're starting over, in a sense, and preparing for the future. This year, instead of just addressing the problem areas you already have, think about how you can prevent future ones. For instance, my building's exterminator Xavier Maldonado gave me a great tip the last time he was in my apartment for my monthly service: Mixing one part ammonia with 24 parts water and wiping it across areas like your baseboards and behind your shelves and appliances will easily repel pests. It's something simple you can do in the course of your spring cleaning that will preemptively stop any bug-related issues from arising as they come out for the summer season. Remember, though, to not ever mix chemicals, and make sure your ammonia is sufficiently diluted.
I also use this set of coatings from spotLESS. The set comes with spray-on coatings for for glass and mirrors, toilets, and sinks and fixtures. When you spray them on their respective surfaces, they prolong the time between cleanings by repelling dust and grime—plus they make it easier to wipe all that off when the surfaces do get dirty.
Don't forget your car
When you think "spring cleaning," you probably think of major household tasks like moving the fridge to clean underneath it or swapping all your heavy winter linens for lighter ones. But you should think outside the house, too. Amy Brooks, National Sales Executive at Chase Auto, reminds us that cleaning your vehicle can extend its longevity and keep it in top condition.
Start by vacuuming in and around your seats, as dirt and debris can scratch and damage the surfaces. To get rid of smells, she suggests sprinkling baking soda on the seats, letting it sit overnight, then vacuuming it up. Wipe down your seat surfaces using a leather or cloth cleaner and a microfiber cloth. (I don't have a car with leather seats, but I do have a lot of leather boots. I use the Chemical Guys' Quick Detailer wipes, $8.99, and recommend them for a fast and easy fix.) Wipe down all your surfaces, use a steam cleaner to get deep into the seats if you need to, and wipe down your windows with glass cleaner.
