15 Super-Quick Spring Cleaning Projects
Want a clean house but don’t want to spend your precious time off dusting and scrubbing? Each of these miniprojects can be completed in about the time it takes to brew a pot of coffee. Tackle one or two tasks each day and your home will soon be looking and feeling fresher — with nary a cleaning marathon in sight.
1. Tidy up coffee table. Recycle old catalogs and magazines, put away items that belong elsewhere and wipe down the surface. Pare accessories to a small stack of books and a pretty vase for flowers — or something similar that reflects your tastes and interests.
2. Sanitize remotes. Gather up all the remote controls in the house and use sanitizing wipes to clean each one, paying special attention to the areas around the buttons.
3. Clean one set of windows. Focus your energy on the windows you notice right away — for instance, the set that flanks the front door or those in your living room.
The Best Way to Get Your Windows Spotlessly Clean
The Best Way to Get Your Windows Spotlessly Clean
4. Dust bookshelves. Using an electrostatic dusting wand, swipe the spines of books, shelf fronts and any gaps on bookshelves. Remember to dust the tops of bookcases too.
Browse dusters
Browse dusters
5. Clean screens. Using disposable wipes designed for use on computer and TV screens, gently wipe away dust and grime from the surface of each screen in the house. Don’t forget tablets and smartphones.
6. Neaten and dust bedside table. Get rid of the old water glasses, stray hair ties and other unneeded stuff. Wipe the table surface and lamp base with a damp microfiber cloth and replace just the essentials.
7. Deep-clean kitchen sink. Start by sprinkling baking soda and lemon juice down the drain; let the mixture sit while you attend to the rest of the cleaning. Clean the sink and faucet using a sponge with mild dish soap and warm water, paying special attention to the area around the drain and the crevices around the faucet. Rinse the sink and drain with hot water and rub the faucet with a soft, dry towel to finish.
How to Keep Your Kitchen Sink Looking Great
How to Keep Your Kitchen Sink Looking Great
8. Clean microwave. Heat about a cup of water with half a lemon in a microwave-safe container on high for two to three minutes. Let it sit for about five minutes, then carefully remove the hot water and the turntable. Wipe down all surfaces with a soft cloth or sponge.
The Quick and Easy Way to Clean a Microwave
The Quick and Easy Way to Clean a Microwave
9. Shine stainless steel. Using a damp microfiber cloth, wipe away dust and grime from stainless steel surfaces in the kitchen. For stubborn spots, apply a drop of gentle dish soap with a damp cloth, then wipe clean with a fresh, damp microfiber cloth. Rub surfaces with a soft, dry cloth to finish.
How to Keep Your Kitchen’s Stainless Steel Spotless
How to Keep Your Kitchen’s Stainless Steel Spotless
10. Wipe down sticky bottles. Wipe down sticky, greasy bottles in the pantry using a microfiber cloth dampened with very warm water. For honey that has solidified on the outside of a bottle (or on the pantry shelf), lay a warm, damp rag across the area for a few minutes to soften, then wipe.
11. Soak shower head. Remove mineral deposits from the shower head with a vinegar soak: Fill a plastic bag with white vinegar and secure the bag over the shower head with a rubber band. Let the shower head soak, fully submerged in the vinegar, for about 30 minutes (or leave it on overnight). Remove the bag and turn on the shower to rinse.
Vinegar and Voilà: Clean Your House the Natural Way
Vinegar and Voilà: Clean Your House the Natural Way
12. Declutter medicine cabinet. Going shelf by shelf, toss expired and unloved products, wipe up any spills and put back the products that are left. If you have old medications to get rid of, check with a local pharmacist to find out how to dispose of these items safely.
13. Run cleaning cycle on washing machine. Without putting any laundry in the machine (the cleaning cycle requires that it be empty), select the “clean” cycle. If your washer doesn’t have a cleaning cycle, select the hottest wash cycle available. Also select an added rinse cycle if your machine offers that option. Add the cleaner of your choice to the bleach dispenser (check manufacturer’s recommendations if you’re unsure) and start the machine. If you couldn’t add an extra rinse cycle, run the rinse cycle again manually.
How to Keep Your Washing Machine Clean
How to Keep Your Washing Machine Clean
14. Sweep porch. Using a stiff broom reserved for outdoors, sweep up dust and leaves. Don’t forget to lift the doormat and get behind planters.
15. Remove porch cobwebs. Using a long-handled dusting tool, remove cobwebs and grime from the the porch ceiling and walls, around the windows and light fixtures and above the door frame.
15. Remove porch cobwebs. Using a long-handled dusting tool, remove cobwebs and grime from the the porch ceiling and walls, around the windows and light fixtures and above the door frame.