Nine ways to spruce up your home for summer
With good weather and a little bit of spare time up your sleeve, January is a great time to set up your home life for the year to come. Take charge of 2018 by taking care of these nine easy cleaning and tidying tasks.
1. The oven
The odds are on that over the Christmas period, your oven received some of the most consistent use it gets all year.
Reward your appliance for its faithfulness and set yourself up for a new year in the kitchen by deepcleaning the oven.
If you can’t handle the ovencleaning jandal, hire a professional.
2. The fridge
Remove the plastic organising trays and give them a good clean with hot water and dishwashing liquid. Make sure you dry them well before replacing them.
For the interior of the fridge itself, it’s best to use a plant-based all-purpose cleaner and a damp microfibre cloth.
3. Windows
Make the most of the balmy weather by cleaning the exterior of your windows. Inside, clean the ledges and frames using an allpurpose cleaner, and glass wipes for the windows themselves.
4. Carpet
Dense surfaces like carpet are a nightmare to dry in winter, so get your carpet cleaning out of the way now.
If you’d rather not hire a cleaning machine, freshen up by sprinkling baking soda over the entire carpeted area and let it sit for an hour, minimum. Vacuum it up and repeat if desired.
Take rugs outside for the afternoon, hang over a rail or chair and let the kids beat the dust out.
5. The playroom
The kids are home from school so let them be the ones to sort and tidy their toys.
Fix or throw away broken toys and donate or pass on those which they have outgrown.
6. Your wardrobe
Take a similar approach in your wardrobe by separating out what you no longer wear.
Find new ways to organise what remains. Multiple handbags and belts, for example, can be stored on a single hanger to free up space.
7. Underneath objects
Lift the couch, move the coffee table, shift the bed. Dust everything and then thoroughly vacuum beneath.
8. Washing machine
Wash your machine by running it on the longest cold cycle, with two cups of vinegar inside the drum and one cup of baking soda wherever you normally add your laundry detergent.
Give it a thorough wipe afterwards with a clean cloth to make sure no residue remains.
9. Linen and bedding
Take a long hard look at your pillows and duvet inners. Worn out items should go to the op-shop, the rest can air on the line for the day.
Similarly, donate any old towels or blankets to be put to use at the SPCA.