Spring-cleaning 101: How to organize your home like a pro
Professional organizer Lisa Jacobs shares tips for closets, the pantry and more.
When it comes to spring cleaning those tough appliances, all you truly need are cleaning solutions and elbow grease.
A water and vinegar mixture will do the trick for many of the appliances in your home, but sometimes a bit of soap and water is all you’ll need.
Appliances can often be forgotten when you are spring-cleaning.
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Even so, it's important to make sure you give them a scrubdown, especially those in the kitchen that can become filthy if not properly cleaned.
There are tons of appliances that might need a little extra care when doing your spring cleaning. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images/File)
These appliances will require a cleaning ASAP.
Check out the tips for cleaning each of them.
- Clean the oven with vinegar, water and baking soda
- Add a cleaning cycle for your washing machine
- Clean the inside of the dishwasher
- Don't forget to clean the microwave
1. Clean the oven with vinegar, water and baking soda
When it comes to cleaning your oven, a few basic ingredients will assist monumentally in your spring-cleaning efforts.
A combination of vinegar, water and baking soda is truly all you need.
"When baking soda is mixed with vinegar, the acid breaks down baking soda, releasing carbon dioxide gas that can help lift dirt from the surfaces being cleaned," according to Livescience.com.
Straight vinegar doesn't clean more effectively than a vinegar and water solution. Vinegar neat is super-smelly and hard on skin.
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The trick to using baking soda as an abrasive cleanser is to wipe it off with rags, then spray the surface down with water and wipe with rags again.
When diving into your oven, give the racks attention first.
Soak them in hot water, dish soap and baking soda. After they've sat, wipe down the racks with a sponge or towel.
Don't forget to clean the racks of your oven when spring cleaning by giving them a soak in soapy hot water. (Gado/Getty Images/File)
For the rest of the oven, combine a quarter-cup of vinegar with two cups of hot water and a drop of dish soap, according to a homemade solution on the Best Buy website. Add the ingredients to a spray bottle and hose down the inside of the oven. Sprinkle baking soda atop the area and leave overnight.
The next day, take a wet sponge or towel and wipe down the what's left on the oven.
Cleaning the top of the oven is going to differ depending on what kind of stovetop you have.
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If you have a gas stovetop, removing the grates is going to be the first step. Then take a damp dish cloth and dish soap to wipe the grates down. Make sure they are completely dry before you replace them.
Cleaning your stovetop can be done with vinegar and baking soda. (Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images / File)
If you have an electric glass stovetop, make sure the surface is cool and spray the top down with vinegar and then baking soda, according to USA Today.
Take a towel and dampen it with hot water. Place it on top of the stove and let it sit, according to the outlet.
Wipe the surface down with a towel — and you're left with a squeaky clean stovetop.
2. Add a cleaning cycle for your washing machine
Cleaning your washing machine, while very easy, is often neglected but important to keep your clothes smelling fresh and clean.
Run a load without any clothes or detergent, just a hot cycle with liquid chlorine bleach, according to Good Housekeeping. Also, if you have a newer washing machine, look for a "cleaning cycle" button as some of the newer models have that option.
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Make sure to also take a towel to the door of the dishwasher and give that a scrub. Make note to leave your washer door open when it is not being used, allowing it to air dry.
It's extremely important to clean your washing machine to keep your clothes fresh. (Pavlo Bagmut / Ukrinform / Future Publishing via Getty Images / File)
3. Clean the inside of the dishwasher
Cleaning your dishwasher is fairly similar to cleaning the washing machine. When you clean your dishwasher, all you have to do is run an empty load with an open jug of white vinegar on the top rack, according to Good Housekeeping.
While the cycle is running, scrub down the outside of your dishwasher to get rid of any germs and fingerprints that have been left behind.
You can do so with any disinfectant spray, homemade or store bought.
4. Don't forget to clean the microwave
Start by removing the plate from the inside of the microwave and clean it by hand or in the dishwasher. It's recommended you do this often as grease and grime can easily stick to it after each use.
The best way to clean the inside of a microwave is unique but easy and effective. Add water and vinegar into a microwave-safe bowl and turn it on until it reaches a boil, according to Reader’s Digest.
Carefully remove the bowl and wipe down the inside of the microwave.
The steam from the mixture breaks down food and oils stuck to the appliance.
