Spring is in the air, which means it’s time to get to work on some Spring Cleaning. Although cleaning might not be on everyone’s to do list it’s a great way to start the season out fresh while also helping your household save a bit of money. For many though, spring cleaning means spending money on cleaning supplies, filters and maybe even tools to get some of the harder tasks finished up. You don’t have to turn this seasonal activity into something costly though. There’s lot of ways your spring cleaning can even end up putting money back in your pocket, rather than taking away from it. So, put on those rubber gloves and get to scrubbing because this season is going to be filled with squeaky clean savings.
1. Dusting
Dusting is probably one of the most disliked cleaning activities. It causes you to sneeze, can get pretty boring and the dust seems to always make a comeback no matter how hard you clean. You can make dusting go by a lot faster though which means you can move on to a more important task. To begin with, grab your favorite fuzzy socks and put them on. The fuzzier the sock the better! Now, as you walk around cleaning the rest of the house your socks will actually pick up the dust off your hard surfaces without you having to do anything extra. Fun, right? All you have to do is toss the socks in the wash and you’re ready to go. You can also use the socks to clean up high places you can’t really see, like the top of your doors or cabinets. If you have dusty lamp shades or other items that are made of fabric, then pull out the lint roller. This will take on the challenge in less than a minute! There’s more to dust than meets the eye though. Try to move around your big appliances to check out how much dust they’ve managed to collect. You can easily clear this out with a vacuum cleaner, so you won’t have to spend hours dusting away. This task alone will save the household a lot of money, especially when it comes to the refrigerator.
2. Reconsider Gadgets
Every home has the collection of gadgets that once seemed to be the coolest thing in the culinary field. From the snow cone maker to the electric wok, your kitchen may be pretty bogged down by items you stopped using after the first week of buying them. Instead of letting these gadgets sit around and collect dust while taking up your valuable kitchen space, you may want to reconsider if they belong in your kitchen. If you bought the juicer thinking you were going to go organic and make juice every morning, but haven’t touched it since week 3 then it may be time it leaves the kitchen. Gather up all of the devices you don’t use and try to sell them off. Ebay is a great option for this, but you can also try hosting a yard sale. If you’re not interested in selling them items then try donating them to charity for a tax dedication later on. The same can be said with electronics. There’s no need to have five different generations of a cell phone lying around the house. However, when it comes to items like phones and tablets you can easily trade them in to buy something newer.
3. Toys
Your kids’ toys can really begin to clutter up the house as the months go by. This is especially true if you pack up old toys and leave them in the basement, attic or other storage areas. Before you start your cleaning spree go through these areas to see if there’s toy you don’t want in the home anymore. If so, try donating them or putting them in a yard sale. You should also have the kids go through their toys to see if there’s anything in their rooms that are just taking up space (or preventing them from getting new toys). With all of the extras out of the picture you should be able to clean more thoroughly. Most kids’ toys are covered in germs so a good scrubbing is always a great idea. If you have toddler toys or action figures then put them in the dishwasher. Many other toys can be thrown in the washer or wiped down with antibacterial cloths. Before you put the toys back in the rooms make sure to sanitize the storage bins to help further the cleaning process.
4. Upcycle Organization
A lot of people spend a small fortune on organizational items when they’re cleaning up their home. However, many people don’t often consider the items that are just hanging out in their recycling bin. Rather than discard the items you may want to transform them into fun ways to keep your home in order. For instance, oatmeal containers and jars can be used for a variety of storage needs. Place paper clips, rubberbands, thumbtacks and other small office items into a jar and place the lid on it. This will help prevent spills and you can decorate each jar to suit your tastes. You can also use the jars for paintbrushes, pens and pencils. Oatmeal containers are also great for these items, but can be used for large items like yarn and crocheting tools too. If you have glass bottles lying around then use a glass cutting method to transform them into utensil holders, candles or a cute way to keep your bracelets organized. Even cereal boxes can be used to help keep papers organized, which could save you a lot of time!
5. Eliminate Grime
One of the main reasons homes look dirty is because of hard to clean grime. No one wants to spend hours scrubbing away at items that seem to not want to be clean. There’s some quick tricks to get just about anything clean though. For instance, if you have a lot of soap scum in your shower, or your toilet takes hours to clean then use vinegar and/or baking soda to get the job done. Leaving these natural items to do the work for you allows you to simply wipe the grime away and then admire your fresh bathroom. Placing vinegar in a Ziploc bag and placing it on your shower head with a rubber band will help clear out any hard water build up while giving it a sparkling clean look. This cleaning trick alone can save you a bundle on water too! If your stove burners never look presentable then place them in a Ziploc with ammonia overnight and then rinse them off. Finally, if you can’t get some of your pots, pans or casserole dishes clean then soak them in hot water over night with a biodegradable dryer sheet!
6. Forgotten Items
There’s a lot of items around the house we often overlook when it comes to cleaning. Unfortunately, not cleaning them could end up in a product that doesn’t work as it should or doesn’t last the average shelf life. One such item is the coffee maker. If you’re not careful these items can actually grow mold inside of them which could make you sick. Luckily, cleaning them is as easy as brewing one part water and one part vinegar. The vacuum is another item that must occasionally be cleaned. Try to remove hair from the coils and clean out dust particles from inside of the machine. You should also make sure to check that there is no dust or other grime on your appliances, such as the washer and dryer. These items should also be cleaned of hair and lent to avoid future mechanical issues. You may also want to run a special cleaner in your dishwasher to help keep things sanitized. You should also check filters in the home. This is a great time to swap out air filters as allergy season is right on track. Water filters in the refrigerator and other water dispensers should be checked and changed too!
7. Prevent Allergies
Speaking of allergy season! Spring cleaning is a great time to help your family avoid the trauma that is allergy season. One of the best ways to start on this process is to take any rugs in the home outside to beat them. Getting the dust off of your rugs the old fashioned way will help keep the dust count in your home down, big time. While your rugs are outside take the time to deep clean your carpets. Then, when you bring them back in vacuum or deep clean the rugs. The home will automatically smell better and you may notice a change in your family’s breathing. Another good idea is to take all of the linens off of the bed and give them a good wash. With everything off of the bed give it a good vacuum. This won’t just cut down on dust mites, but will also help keep your mattress fresh for much longer. Apart from linens, make sure to wash your pillows and larger blankets too as this should be done once a season anyway!
8. Clothing
Clothes can clutter up a closet which means you may end up paying more for heating and cooling costs, not to mention you won’t have room for anything new. Try to go through all of your clothes before you get too in-depth into the cleaning process. If the items don’t fit or you don’t like them then pass them down to someone, sell them or simply donate them. Clothes that are ruined or ripped can be turned into shorts or cleaning rags. If you have a lot of denim that isn’t appropriate to wear any longer then use it to sharpen your razors after shaving! You should also properly clean all of your winter gear and store it air bag or containers that won’t allow moths or other harmful bugs in.
9. Clean Electronics
There’s more germs than you think on your keyboard and phones, so don’t let them turn into a nasty cold. Cleaning electronics is pretty important and can not only help keep you healthier but may improve their life span. For instance, many desktop computers will collect dust which could make the system over heat a lot faster than it would normally. Also, allowing food and grime to sit on a keyboard could prevent the keys from working. There’s a lot of easy and cheap ways to clean your electronics so make sure to browse around before you spend a lot of money on expensive cleaning products.
10. Make Your Own Soaps
If you’re tired of spending a fortune for cleaning supplies at your local department store then spring cleaning is a great way to start making your own soaps. You can find a recipe for just about anything online which will help you save on everything from personal hygiene soaps to cleaning products. The best thing is, you can find most of the ingredients already in your home. If not, many of the products use similar ingredients so you shouldn’t have to buy a lot of extra items to create different batches of soap! With your newly found skill you should cut down on spending for these items to next to nothing and your home will look absolutely incredible!
Spring cleaning is a great time to make your home feel refreshing for the new season. With the cold weather moving out and the warm weather quickly taking its place you’ll be glad you took the time to try out these cleaning tricks. You may even find that some of them have helped cut down on spending, so you can put more towards that family vacation!
