To ring in the New Year I wanted to share some ways to make your house *extra* clean!
I keep up with everyday cleaning pretty easily. I wipe down counters, dust (or use Windex) and vacuum daily. I also make sure our bathrooms are cleaned a few times a week. But there are some extra tasks I try to throw in once a month to keep my house clean and everything functioning well. Add one or two to your list every month to keep your house in tip top shape!
Photo by Heather Ford on Unsplash
Clean the Dishwasher
Wipe down the sides of the machine and then the cabinet around it – it can get grimey! I also take out the filters at the bottom and rinse those out. (If you’re not sure how to do that there are tons of YouTube videos or guides for different models of dishwashers) Then I run a cycle with a cup of White Vinegar in the top rack – the hottest cycle possible. If you’ve never cleaned your dishwasher and you didn’t install it new recently —- get prepared to be grossed out haha.
Clean the Washing Machine
If you’ve never cleaned your Washing Machine – do this first!!!! Look up your model online to figure out the cleaning instructions. Most recommend running a cycle with bleach – I do that and then a SUPER hot cycle after for good measure. I also scrub down the inside with bleach and a bristled brush. One place we lived had so much mold in the detergent compartment and inner seal 🙁 🙁 🙁
Dust or Vacuum Baseboards
This is an annoying task because it’s so physical! You probably have to get down on the ground to really make those baseboards get clean. But trust me – wiping down your baseboards with a cloth or vacuuming with a strong vacuum makes SUCH a difference. It truly makes the whole room so clean. I try to do this every month!
Clean Junk Areas – you know what I mean!
For me I’m going to be going through the areas where we just dump things – like our kitchen junk drawer or our office supplies area. Things have gotten a little crazy with everything Christmas so I need to reign in the chaos in our closets.
Replace These Things…
- Furnace Filters! When was the last time you replaced yours??? We buy ours at Costco!
- Vacuum Filters: Mine works SO much better when I replace the filters every few months. Here are the ones I purchase, and this is my vacuum which we love.
- Shower Curtain Liners: There’s just no good way to clean them, so I buy cheaper liners and replace them yearly. Here is an easy option from Target.
I hope these things help jumpstart your cleaning for the year and you start 2023 in a clean and organized way. Happy cleaning!
