4 Things You Forget When Spring Cleaning Your House
Apparently we’ve had our last freeze here in Texas so now it’s supposed to warm up for good, which in my book means it’s spring. Pretty much all I want to do now is be a pool rat because it feels warm enough in my car; *sigh* maybe in a month or so. Back to my main point spring cleaning your house, there are a few things I’ve noticed missing from your typical spring cleaning list. These four things ought to be cleaned to help you save money in the long run.
Vents/Air Ducts
Keep the air in your home clean by properly maintaining your AC and furnace. Make it a habit of taking your vent covers off and washing them every 6 months or spring cleaning time. Also, check your air ducts for dirt or mold problems so you know whether you need to call a professional to clean them. Put this on your spring cleaning list and stop bigger problems before they happen.
Washing Machine Filter
“The washing machine has a filter?!” That’s what I said when my front loader HE machine refused to finish cycles. I wrote about cleaning the filter here. You’d be surprise at what may be lurking in the filter and it may be the cause of the sink lingering in your drum. I’ve seen videos where people have found socks, change and wait for it: car keys. When I cleaned mine out, it smelled like something died in there but afterwards my machine worked great. So put your filter on your to spring clean list and keep your washer happy.
Refrigerator Coils
The reason your milk isn’t as cold as it usually is might be from dirty coils. I’ve heard and experienced the mysterious death and resurrection of the fridge just from having dirty coils (read about it here). Every spring and fall cleaning, especially if you have pets, give them a good vacuuming.
Dishwasher
Yes, the thing that you stick dirty, grimy dishes in needs a good cleaning every now and then. Food grime has to go somewhere and somewhere just might be sticking in the hidden crevices like the spinning arm and the filter at the bottom. These are probably going to be the biggest culprits of hiding grime. Adding this to your spring cleaning list will result in cleaner, more sparkly dishes.
On this list, all I have left is to clean my dishwasher (hence no picture) and then maybe a few other things on my cleaning list. I usually do my spring cleaning room by room over a few days, what’s your method?
Happy Cleaning!
Angela
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Another good item to check during the spring is the sump pump. It helps to combat flooding from all the melting snow.
Yes, good tip. 🙂 Flooded basements are no fun, speaking from experience. Thanks for stopping by!
Those are all the dirty things that we forget! Thanks for sharing! So glad to have found you on the SomewhatSimple link party.
Thanks so much for visiting!
I never think about my fridge. It could stand a deep cleaning.
My name is Katie and I host Inspired Weekends, open from Friday to Thursday. I would love to have you link up!
Thanks for stopping by. I just linked up. 🙂
what wonderful tips! I have put them all on my cleaning to do list.
Thank you so much. Happy Easter!
You’re welcome! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Great tips. I always forget the refrigerator coils!
Thanks!
Good tips I truly do forget about. Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Hi Angela! This is so true! The germaphobe inside me loves your blog and this post (as does the rest of me, lol!). Something I always forget to clean is the tops of bookcases and cupboards (when they don’t reach the ceiling) and the top of my fridge. Also, the top of the door frame or window frame. Eek!
I forget those too! I have a nice layer of dust on them right now to tell you the truth.
I totally need this + an episode of Hoarders + a big cup of coffee to get me in a spring cleaning frenzy! THanks!
Ha ha, you’re welcome. After watching Hoarders I totally have to clean my house to make me feel better. 🙂
Great tips! Thank you! Now do you have any ideas how to spring clean with an incredibly active 16 month old? 😉
Clean when she naps and break big projects down into smaller ones; clean in little spurts. For example, if you want to clean out all of the cabinets, do one at a time so instead of 3 hours to clean all of them you spend 15 minutes doing one. If she wants to “help” give her a damp rag and show her how to wipe and let her do her thing with the rag. If anything, do what works for you and run with it.
Never fails I always forget the fridge coils! Thanks for the reminder!
You’re welcome!
Awesome – the only thing I’ve recently thought about needing to clean is my washer and dryer, but I need to pay attention to other things, too!! Thanks for the reminder.
Great Spring Cleaning tips. Thanks for linking them up to Think Tank Thursday. I’ve featured you today.
Great post. Sometimes it is hard to remember those ‘random’ spots to clean. I’ll be featuring this on my party highlights post this week…thanks for linking up to Crafty Tuesday!
Thanks so much for the feature!
So, I want to know exactly HOW to clean the refrigerator coils. I don’t even know where mine are!! Plus, why don’t manufacturers make it even a tiny bit easier to move the darn thing out from the wall…got any tips for that? I live alone, and I am afraid the fridge is goung to tip over on me and I will be dead!
Usually they are on the back of the frig or at the bottom behind an access panel. They will look like black tubes weaving back and forth with metal fins connecting them. Use a duster or compressed air to clean them off.
It’s tough to move a frig away if the coil are on the back. It is best to get some help if you are unsure.
What Tyler said. 🙂 I also have written a post on it here. I like to use my vacuum and gently stick it under as far as it will go without forcing it to suck up the dirt and dust.
I have never cleaned my washing machine. I do not spring clean, but I use the mount vernon method, so when I get to my laundry room I will clean it. The mount vernon method involves spending about 15 minutes per day, I started at my front door, working clockwise around the house cleaning thoroughly every nook, cranny, surface and drawer. I stop after 15 minutes and start where I left off the next day. It takes me about 6 months to get back to the front door to start all over again. Thanks for the great post.
Very informative site.