10 Spring-Cleaning Tips From Madame Chasse-Taches
We'd like to get away from it all...but cleaning has to be done. So where do we start? First of all, we need to pick up everything that's lying around the house. Now's a good time to enlist the help of family members. Here are a few tips to make this "mandatory" task easier every spring.
1- Prepare a plan of attack and determine which rooms in the house need a thorough cleaning: don't do more than 3 rooms per change of season. Add window washing to your spring list. Winter leaves its marks on window panes, and indoor heating also leaves a film on the windows. So... there's no escaping it.
2- Limit your steps by keeping all products, rags, sponges and brushes in a basket to take with you from room to room. Use the right tools and products for cleaning. An old rag that leaves lint on mirrors, a soap that messes up cabinet doors, a supposedly "magic" product that doesn't give the expected results, all waste precious time.
3- The quickest way to clean chandeliers and ceiling fans is to slide your hands into two stockings moistened with very little warm soapy water. Then run one hand over the top of the blade and the other under the fan, and wipe the globes and fixtures thoroughly. Rinse and dry quickly.
4- Sprinkle baking soda on mattresses and carpets and leave this deodorizing product to work for a few hours before vacuuming. Don't forget to dust box springs and bed frames, which should also be thoroughly cleaned a few times a year.
5- In the kitchen, use Solem's Coral microfiber kitchen cloth to clean counters, cabinets and small appliances. Its cleaning and degreasing power will make the job easier. If necessary, add a handful of coarse de-icing or pickling salt to hot, soapy water to clean greasy cabinet shelves and hoods. The result will be spectacular, and the deep cleaning will be completed in no time.
6- When washing walls, start at the bottom, not the top. This will prevent the formation of hard-to-clean streaks. It's best to wash floors in cold water to avoid damaging wood or ceramic tiles.
7- Wash the dishes and glassware you'll be using on the patio over the next few months. The dishwasher will clean most of the dishes, but for all the more delicate dishes you wash by hand, don't forget your Solem microfiber dishcloth. It's unsurpassed in efficiency, leaving no lint or streaks on glasses and wine glasses. Your dishes are sure to sparkle.
8- In the bathroom, the products you have on hand will solve your problems:
Before you start, run the hot water in the shower to create steam on the walls and mirrors. It will then be easy to wipe all surfaces with a dry cloth for a quick clean.
An eco-friendly solution of white vinegar and baking soda will remove blackish stains from silicone seals and deep-clean faucets, while dark circles in the bathtub disappear with a damp cloth with an added squirt of baby oil.
Ceramic tiles can be easily cleaned with a mixture of 1 part water, 2 parts white vinegar and a few drops of dishwashing soap in a spray bottle. Spray on and leave for a few minutes before wiping tiles. Rinse with clean water.
9- To clean windows and mirrors use Solem's revolutionary microfiber window/mirror cloth. A few drops of water and this magical cleaning cloth will remove all traces from mirrors effortlessly. And best of all...you won't have to repeat the task, because it won't streak.
10- Window washing will go faster if you get help from family members. Choose a cloudy day so that the sun doesn't dry your windows too quickly. Use soapy water to clean outside windows, which are usually stained by winter weather. Finish the job by wiping your windows with Solem's dry microfiber window/mirror cloth.
Inside the house, use two microfiber window/mirror cloths: one damp but not soggy, and a second dry one. Run the damp cloth over the windows and wipe quickly with the dry one. A little water, two miracle cloths...it couldn't be quicker!
Find all Madame Chasse-Taches' tips here!