Dont say it, Dont say it…ohh to hell with it, “It feels like Spring!”.
I’m sure Mother Nature will spite me for saying that, and send thru multiple cold snaps to prove she’ll be the boss of that, but that sweet sweet feeling of springtime feels like it’s on our doorstep. The days are getting longer, the grass is growing faster and our legs are in desperate need of some Vitamin D!
As cliche as it sounds, the dawning of Spring is a fantastic time to refresh your home after what was for many of us, a cold and very damp winter. We obviously recommend getting a cleaner in to really start the new season off right, but thought we’d also share some of our favourite spring cleaning tips and hacks that literally anyone can do.
1. Invest in some good quality doormats
One of the most overlooked yet handy household items to have around your home are doormats. A good quality doormat can be an amazing gateway to trap dirt, so make sure you have two, one all weather one for outside and a good quality textured one for inside. This cleaning hack is especially helpful if you live near the beach to catch all the sand and salt from going inside your home.
A good tip we swear by is vacuuming indoor mats on both sides — going over the back pushes trapped dirt to the surface and makes it easier to vacuum.
2. Steam clean the microwave
Get rid of those pesky grease stains once and for all. Simply place a large microwave-safe bowl filled with 1 cup of water and a cut lemon, lime, or orange in the microwave. Set the microwave to high for several minutes, or until the solution boils and the window becomes steamy. Wait a few minutes before opening the door and then wipe down the inside. When removing the bowl from the microwave, use caution because it may be quite hot.
If you’re short on citrus options then use a couple of tablespoons of vinegar instead.
3. Wash those reusable shopping bags
We've all got a mountain of reusable supermarket bags bouncing around in our cars or piled high in a drawer, but have you ever washed them? Exactly, neither have we. These bags are obviously beneficial to the environment, but given that we now use them on a weekly basis to transport our food, it's no surprise that they're probably a little filthy.
If you have non-woven polypropylene ones, in NZ they're the ones with the store logos on them, we recommend washing them by hand in warm soapy water and drying them on a clothesline.
The most easily cleaned reusable grocery bags are cotton and canvas ones! Put them in the washing machine with detergent and hot water and you're done. They're even dryer friendly if you need them in a hurry for your next supey run.
4. Reorganise the junk drawer
This one is less of a hack but more an acknowledgment. A universal space every household has….the junk draw! You know that one draw in your house that is full of everything from screws and bolts, tools and trinkets and everything in between. For some, this organised chaos is bearable, even useful, but for many of us it’s the absolute bane of our existence. Spring is a great time to empty out that draw, remind yourself what colour the bottom of your draw is and toss out any of those items you swear you’d need but have never even thought about using. A good tip we’re keen to try is starting completely fresh by sorting out your ‘treasures’ into ‘use a lot’, ‘use a little’ and ‘never use’ categories.
With the ‘never use’ items either bin them or move them to where they actually belong (Dad!) and then with the remaining items place them into separate containers with the ‘use a lot’ group placed in the most accessible spot in the draw.
It probably won’t last like this for long but you can at least say you’ve done it.
5. Freshen up your drains
To keep drains moving easily and to freshen them up, use 1/2 cup baking soda with 1/4 cup table salt. After pouring the mixture down the drain, add one cup of hot vinegar. There will be foam and bubbles, you're kids will love it! Allow it to stand for about 15 minutes and then run a hot tap for at least 15 to 30 seconds to flush it out. This is especially useful for drains that are rarely used, such as those in guest bathrooms.
6. Cleaning air conditioner filters
Spring is the perfect time to clean or replace your heatpump/air conditioner filters before you start to use them regularly in the summer months. We recommend checking with your unit’s manufacturer for the best way to clean filters but for most a simple vacuum can do wonders for the performance of your unit. When it’s pushing 30 degrees in the middle of summer you’ll be glad you did this job now.
7. Clean yo mattress!
On average we spend over 2550 hours in bed each year. For some that is nowhere near enough, am I right?! Despite us using our beds literally every single day for hours on end, they're probably one of the most easily overlooked items in our homes that need cleaning.
To clean your mattress, press firmly with your vacuum's upholstery and crevice tools to clean the top and sides, and remember to put extra focus on the quilt lines of the mattress, as particles may accumulate here. After vacuuming any dust you can freshen up your mattress and deodorise it really effectively with some trusty baking soda. Lightly sprinkle it over the mattress, leave for an hour or so and then vacuum it up.
8. Degrease your range hood filter
Range hood filters accumulate a LOT of grease and dust over time, so taking them out and washing them on a regular basis is a good idea.
They can, however, get so greasy that they are impossible to clean entirely with normal soap. White vinegar is an excellent remedy. Simply combine two cups of white vinegar with a small amount of detergent and soak the filter for 30 minutes. Before drying, scrub away any remaining grease.
9. Remove pet hair with rubber gloves
If you've got fury friends in your house and your vacuum has had up to here with all the hair, there's a really easy solution. Simply grab a pair of standard rubber gloves and rub down any areas where the hair just wont budge. The friction between the glove and the fabric creates a static energy that causes stray debris, such as pet hair and small pieces of lint, to stick to the glove. Rinse the gloves under running water when you’re done and the hair will unstick. Way to go science!
10. Shake your tail feather
Cleaning doesn’t always have to laboursome and boring. It’s great exercise and a perfect excuse to kick the family out of the house for a couple of hours, spend some alone time scratching that ‘lets get s$#t done’ itch and singing outrageously dated 90’s hip hop with absolutely zero judgement. We’ve created a great playlist perfect for a good old fashioned clean spree.
Missy Elliot probably didn’t intend ‘Work it’ to be an anthem for cleaning but here we are.
And if time isn't on your side or the job seems insurmountable, don't sweat it...hire a cleaner.
Nothing beats the feeling of walking into a professionally cleaned home, especially when it's yours and you know how messy it can get! Getting a cleaner in is a great way to kick start spring, and chances are a cleaner is likely to do a way better job than most of us could do anyway. Say goodbye to point scoring with your partner over who does what and use that time to do something more enjoyable.
Our time is precious and the demands on families at the moment are pretty full-on, so treating yourself to a cleaner is a fantastic way of removing a little bit of life's stresses. For Spring cleaning, we recommend getting a Deep Clean. That way, that way you can be certain your home has a nice "clean slate" as we head into the crazy season.
We've got some fantastic cleaners listed on Kept, with more joining soon. Check out the app and find a cleaner to kickstart your spring the easy way!
