Top Ten Spring Cleaning Ideas - Part 1

As the days get longer and the afternoons get warmer, it's time to start thinking about getting ready for the change in the seasons. For many of us, that means getting rid of the clutter and disarray that tends to collect around the house during the winter, when getting outside is less pleasant. If you've been delaying thoughts about spring cleaning, here are a few quick tips to get you focused on potential problem areas and motivated to do something about it!

1. I Do Windows!

Nothing contributes to "dingy outlook syndrome" like dirty, streaked windows. Start inside (on a cloudy day, since sunlight adds to streaking) by spraying windows with plain water mist and wiping down with a microfiber cloth. If you'd rather not use microfiber, spray with a window cleaner and wipe down with old newspaper (the fiber content of newsprint works great on windows and it's a good way to get one more use from those stacks of papers awaiting recycling). For a quick finish of exterior surfaces, consider using one of the consumer brand outdoor window wash solutions. These come ready mixed and attach to your garden hose. Just give those outside windows a blast from the hose and the solution does the rest. Quick and easy!

2. Window Blinds

Closely related to dirty windows, dusty window blinds are often overlooked, but shouldn't be. For making quick work of mini blinds, get a plastic wallpapering tray, the kind you use to moisten wallpaper before applying it. It's the right shape and size for most mini blinds (except the really wide ones). Fill the tray with a solution of warm water and ammonia or other cleaner, remove the blinds from their brackets, and soak the blinds for an hour or so in the tray. Then take them outside, remove from the tray, spray them down with fresh water, and stand them on end to drain and dry. When dry, put them back up... no more dusty mini blinds!

3. For a Cleaner Internet...

These days, most of us spend several hours per day in front of a computer screen, both at home and at work. But the electrical current that makes your computer work also creates a magnetic field that pulls in dust particles, causing the back of many workstations to resemble a nursery for dust bunnies. To remedy this, shut down your computer and unplug it, then start by wiping down the screen with a pre moistened cleaning cloth (the ones you get to clean your glasses will work fine). Use a dry towel to wipe down the dust from the cords, the back of the workstation, the printer and its connections, and even the power strip that everything is plugged into. To clean out the mouse and keyboard, get a can of compressed air (available at most office supply stores) and blow loose dust and particles out of there (using a vacuum cleaner is not recommended because of the force of the vacuum and the delicacy of some computer parts). By the way, this is also a good idea for the entertainment cabinet, especially if it houses a TV, DVR, DVD player, stereo, and other things with interconnected wires.