The Best Spring Cleaning Tips

Cleaning Done Right

It is suggested that you make the most out of the time you set aside clean. "Clean your house. And I mean really clean it," he says. "Polish silver, wash windows,  wipe down the light bulbs in your lamps, wipe down the walls. Everything will gleam and glisten. The effect will be cathartic and make you feel like you have accomplished something."

Taking Care of Stainless Steel

To keep your stainless steel bright and clean, using a light mist of wax-based aerosol spray once or twice a week. Don't put on too much — you don't want to soak the surface and make it greasy. Wipe the mist with a clean, lint-free cloth, and never use oils to keep away fingerprints — lint will stick to the oil. Also, don't use cleaners with bleach after you've put on the waxy layer, or it will dry out and lose some of the luster. And finally, don't use anything abrasive. You don't want to scratch or ruin the surface.

Organizing Closets

Organizing your closet is the first step to organizing the rest of your home. Get rid of unused clothes and accessories, and organize the rest by how you get dressed in the morning and by color. Your closet will look appealing, and your everyday routine will be easier.

Removing Stains and Odors

That to remove stains and odors, blot up as much of the smelly mess as you can right away. While you're blotting the upholstery, put a plastic liner or a garbage bag between the cushion and the fabric so you don't push the contaminant into the cushion. Then flush with cold water as best you can. Blot and flush again. Cold water doesn't set stains as much as hot water. You can also use a portable spot cleaner or wet/dry vac. If there's still a residual odor, use a half-vinegar, half-water solution and rinse again. If that doesn't work, call in the professionals.

Cleaning Painted Walls

To clean your painted walls, try starting with a clean cloth or sponge and water. If that doesn't work, dip the rag or sponge into water mixed with a little dishwashing liquid, the milder the better. If the stain persists, apply a few drops of soap directly onto the wet sponge or cloth you're using. For more stubborn cases, you could apply a little soap right onto the stain. If you need to resort to a stronger, try some mid-mild to mild detergent but you must realize it have strong solvents in them and can soften the paint surface. Make sure that whatever you do to get rid of the stain, you rinse the wall afterward with plain cold water.

Cleaning Your Carpet

To keep carpets looking nice,  taking off your shoes when you get home — but leave your socks on because walking around in bare feet leaves natural oils that attract dirt. Try to vacuum every day and use a top-load vacuum, so the dirt falls inward, and HEPA filters. Change the filters often, so you don't blow pollutants back into the air. For less-trafficked areas, you can get away with cleaning the carpets once or twice a year, and every 18 months for a bedroom. For higher-traffic areas, the most often you'd need to bring in professionals would be three or four times a year, although once you see that your carpets dirty, you probably should have it cleaned for health reasons.

Caring for Your Tiles

Cleaning bathroom and kitchen tiles with a cleaner that has "neutral pH" on the label. You can also mix baking soda and water for a homemade cleaner: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda into 2 gallons water and mix very well. Then apply the liquid with a string mop or sponge mop. For grout, use the same baking soda and water mixture, but for tough stains, call in the pros.

Removing Stains from Counter-tops

Getting rid of stains on granite can be tricky, but the key, is to wipe up stains ASAP. Also have your counter-top sealed a few times as soon as it's installed. You'll know it's sealed properly when water beads and forms droplets on the surface. Then have it sealed again a year later. You can poultice away rust, and you remove soap scum or mildew with a solution of 1/2 cup ammonia in a gallon of water. For most coffee or juice stains, you can use a little hydrogen peroxide in water, plus a few drops of ammonia. For every day wear-and-tear, buff away small scratches with superfine dry steel wool, called "grade 0000."

Reorganize Bookshelves

Sort books by size and subject matter. Remove and discard any ripped dust jackets (unless you think they might have value). Line books, some vertically, some horizontally, in a rhythmic pattern. This will relieve the monotony of rows.

Caring for Your Area Rugs

You should clean your area rugs every four or five years — or every 10 years if a rug is not walked on much. Over-cleaning contributes to wear and tear. Really fine silk rugs need be cleaned only every 20 or 30 years. For treating stains at home, keep a bottle of club soda on hand. Stains caused by pets, coffee, orange soda, red wine, and anything with dye or an acid base are the hardest to remove, and the key is to act quickly. Pour club soda directly onto the area, let the soda absorb into the yarn, and the salt in the soda will neutralize the acid. Blot again and again, until the residue is gone. For bloodstains, you should use milk instead, and for soil and grease-based stains, mix 1 part Ivory soap detergent with 16 parts water. If you still see residue when it dries, call an expert.

Caring for Wood Floors

The keys to keeping your wood floors looking new are to avoid over-sanding, use trivets or saucers under plants to avoid water damage, use furniture protectors to avoid scratches, and damp-mop once a week with a mild soap’

Polishing Silver

Use a toothbrush and Hagerty Silver Foam on your silver because it's not too abrasive and it's water-soluble. For really bad black tarnish, Simichrome Polish is great. Never put your silver in the dishwasher and store it in anti-tarnish cloth bags when you're not using it.

A clean home is a happy home.  -Birdy