What better to wipe away your winter blues and prepare for Spring than with a little spring cleaning? Giving your home a thorough clean is a great way to welcome a new season, but often there are items and spaces completely forgotten by most. Below you will find four often overlooked items, and instructions on how to clean them to get them looking (and smelling) as good as new!
Shower Curtains
You probably remember to clean your shower but cleaning your shower curtains is often overlooked. It’s important to give those curtains a nice cleaning about once a month, including cleaning or replacing the liner. The easiest way to clean these items? Simply toss them in the washing machine with some detergent and baking soda and wash them on warm. Once the rinse cycle begins, you can also add in about a half-cup of white vinegar to get rid of any remaining dirt and grime. Also while you’re up there, don’t forget to give your shower curtain rod a thorough wipe down.
Be sure to check out our blog on cleaning your shower with a dishwasher tablet while you’re here!
Garbage Cans
Yep, even your garbage can needs to be cleaned! Think about it- this is the place that holds all the icky, nasty things you’ve tossed. They get smelly, stained, and trap all kinds of bacteria. But don’t worry, a good wash will have your trash can looking good as new in no time.
To clean this item, we recommend thoroughly rinsing it out outside with a hose. Next up, spray it down with a disinfectant and gift it a good scrub. We recommend using some gloves for this. Once you’re done scrubbing, give your trash can another thorough rinse. If there are any lingering smells, you can do another rinse with white vinegar- don’t worry, the vinegar smell will disappear once it’s dried. When letting your trash can dry, leave it upright with the lid open in a sunny spot for the water to evaporate. If this isn’t an option for you, you can also turn it upside down in your bathtub for any excess water to drain.
Throw Pillows
Are your throw pillows looking, and maybe smelling, a little worse for wear? They’re more than likely due for a good wash. According to livingspaces.com, the best way to clean these decorative pillows is to remove any covers and wash them separately from the cushion. Pretreat any stains, and then machine wash on warm on a delicate cycle. Hang them up to dry. Once they’re dried, if you’ve found the actual cushion itself has gone a little flat, simply toss them in the dryer on cool for a few minutes to fluff them up again.
Mattresses
There’s no denying that with Spring comes allergies, and one of the worst places for allergens to hide is your mattress! Dust, dirt, and dander all get easily trapped in your mattress, and these can lead to exasperated seasonal allergies. To get ahead of these seasonal sniffles, we recommend cleaning your mattress. According to sleepfoundation.org, the best way to clean your mattress is to begin by vacuuming it with the upholstery attachment, making sure to get all the sides and seams. Following vacuuming, spot clean wherever needed by gently dabbing spots with cold water and a mild cleaning solution. Once those spots are dry, sprinkle baking soda across the entire surface and let it sit for a few hours. After a while, vacuum up the baking soda. Finally, flip your mattress (if possible) and repeat!
Final Thoughts
Though Spring hasn’t officially sprung, it’s never too early to get started on some Spring cleaning. It’s also never too early to contact us here at Fairway of the Carolinas with any of your mortgage questions, wants, or needs! Whether you’re looking to buy, refinance, or just have some questions, we’re always here to help!
