Spring cleaning should mean more than running a vacuum cleaner around your house. We’ve come up with some cleanups that are more challenging, but should enhance the value of your home and may help prevent serious problems.
Have you gotten so used to living with the dirty grout on the kitchen floor that you don’t see it anymore? In today’s world, tearing out the tile or all the grout and replacing it may seem too pricey. If you have porcelain or ceramic tile, there are other solutions. If you have natural stone floors — travertine, marble, flagstone — flooring companies can repair the grout, clean and polish to remove stains, and apply sealers. Stone floors usually need resealing every couple of years, but you can do just one or two floors that really need help, such as the kitchen or bath. Some stores also sell a stone polish kit for do-it-yourselfers.
Give your refrigerator a break and remove dust and dirt that can make it work harder in hot weather. First, unplug the refrigerator, then take the grille off the bottom and use a vacuum cleaner hose and nozzle to gently draw out all dust on the coils underneath. You can also buy a condenser coil brush at the hardware store to knock off more dust. You won’t hurt the condenser drip pan by doing this; it’s sealed and attached to the machine. Then, take all the food out and clean the inside walls and shelves. Before you put the food back, pull the refrigerator out from the wall and vacuum the back of the unit. That way, you’ll get a chance to clean the floor under the fridge.
You’ve probably heard about cleaning the lint trap in your dryer, but your washing machine needs this kind of help, too. Otherwise, you may start to smell lint, dirt and mold. Sometimes it’s hard to find the lint trap; so consult your washing-machine manual for location and cleaning tips. Then, fill your machine with hot water and add a few cups of white vinegar and half a cup of baking soda. You can also run a little vinegar through the softener and bleach dispensers. Let the mixture sit in the tub for an hour and then complete the wash cycle. Use a damp, soapy cloth to wipe clean inside surfaces of the top of the wash basin to get rid of dirt and lint buildup as well.
Desert dwellers are always at war with dust. One possible way to cut back dustiness and the resulting wear and tear on your air-conditioner is to have a serious cleaning of your ductwork. Superficial duct cleaning done by many companies can be a waste. Select someone who will clean the supply and return air ducts, check them for leaks or disconnected joints, and clean your evaporator coils, air-handler cabinet and supply registers. Workers should use an 8-inch diameter vacuum hose and a duct-scrubbing device. A semi-rigid air hose that uses about 200 psi pressure and a multidirectional pressure tip is a good scrubber. The high-pressure air dislodges the dirt from the inside walls of your ductwork; the dirt is extracted with a large vacuum unit that is usually mounted on a truck. Handheld units are not adequate and should be used only in areas with limited access. Good companies will also clean out your dryer vent as well.
If the blinds or shutters are really grimy, use a damp cloth and mild soap and water. The same process will work on vinyl vertical blinds. But for blinds covered with fabric or cellular shades, use a vacuum-cleaner hose with a brush attachment and be gentle. If dirt or an insect gets caught inside one of the ”cells,” set your hair dryer on low heat and blow it out.
Once a year, you may need to reseal marble or granite counter tops. Granite is moisture-resistant, but it is also porous. So resealing can help the stone resist spills that cause etching or staining. Start with granite cleaner and thoroughly wash surfaces. Make sure the granite is dry before applying the sealer. Sometimes sealers come in spray bottles, but use dry rags to apply the sealer thoroughly. Let the liquid penetrate the stone, then apply more. Follow label instructions on the sealer for drying time before using the counter again.
Throw away any caustic or dangerous chemicals in the bathrooms and kitchen or move them to a safer place. Check under faucets for possible leaks. Cleaning up spilled food on pantry shelves is also a great way to fight the invasion of insects this summer. If you have a houseful of kids, and spills happen all the time, you might want to switch from solid-wood shelving to wire mesh in your pantry. That way, the crumbs will drop to the floor and will be easy to sweep up.