Last Updated on September 23, 2020 by Ellen Christian
I was part of the Every day, care™ project with Whirlpool® as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars. #EveryDayCare
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Finally the summer is here and I can throw open the windows and do a good deep cleaning. While many of you are probably more familiar with spring cleaning, here in Vermont spring is mud season. It’s really hard to do a good deep cleaning when the temperatures are still freezing outside and every trip in and out of the house means more snow and mud on the floors.
9 Summer Cleaning Tips and Tricks
By the time June arrives, the snow is generally gone and most days have warmer afternoon temperatures that allow me to open the windows and enjoy the breeze. Summer also has one other things that spring doesn’t have – kids home from school. When the kids were little, it was hard for me to clean with them around.
Now that they are 17 and 22, I can delegate – one of my favorite words. When I moved out at 18, I knew nothing about cleaning. My Mom had done it all and I was very much unprepared. I don’t plan on making that same mistake. With the kids home for the summer, I can include them in my home care routines so they have an idea of what needs to be done when they’re on their own.
- Washing machine care. The washing machine can start to smell like mildew in the summer because of the added heat. After teaching my son to run the washer/dryer, I talked to him about how well a vinegar rinse in the washing machine works to kill mildew.
- Removing allergens. Summer also means pollen and both Sarah and I have allergies. We pay special attention to dusting several times a week to be certain we keep the indoor pollen count to a minimum. A microfiber cloth will catch and hold more dust than a feather duster will.
- Remove fingerprints on glass doors. With all the extra trips in and out, the glass in our front door seems to accumulate more fingerprints than ever. Use a mixture of vinegar and water to clean your glass and wipe them dry with crumpled newspaper. It’s better for the environment and leaves the glass streak free.
- Take shoes off at the door & keep them dry. Nothing tracks more dirt into the house than wearing your shoes inside. Take them off at the door and if they are wet from the grass or the beach, put a piece of crumpled up newspaper inside to absorb the wetness.
- Polish the silver. OK we don’t have silver but we do polish the showerhead and fixtures in our bathroom to keep it spiffy for company. If you have hard water, just fill a bag with vinegar and tie it around the showerhead. Let it soak for an hour and then wipe it off.
- Freshen the lamp shades. We have cats so dust and cat hair can often be found on our lampshades. The best way to remove it is to use a lint brush.
- Clean your cutting boards. Get ready for summer barbecues and picnics. Plastic cutting boards can be bleached to remove stains. Wooden and bamboo cutting boards can be rubbed with half a lemon and sea salt.
- Line your refrigerator shelves with plastic wrap. The kids are not known for wiping up spills when they make them. When the shelves get stained, just remove the plastic wrap and start over.
- Freshen your bathroom. Extra summer guests may leave your bathroom slightly less than fresh. Put a cotton ball soaked with a fewd rops of lavender essential oil inside the toilet paper tube for a natural bathroom freshener.
Doing a really good deep clean may not be the most glamorous way to spend part of your summer but it’s one of the ways I take care of my family. I like knowing that the kids are a little bit more prepared to take care of themselves than I was when I left home
Whirlpool has launched the Every day, care™ Project to highlight how simple acts of care can change the world. Little acts like cleaning the dishes after a meal or folding the laundry can make a big difference in the lives of those we love. Click here to check out the Every day, care™ website and see how the little things can add up to big changes. #EveryDayCare
Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
All of your tips will be great to use on a regular basis. I did know that Vinegar was a good cleaning aid, however, I did not realize that newspaper would help in cleaning glass and help in not leaving any streaks. Thanks for the info.
Glad to share, Tammy!
Great tips! I use lemons and baking soda for cleaning around the house.
It really does work so well!
Thanks for all of the great tips to clean and then keep things clean! That’s the important…and sometimes very hard…part. But even though I dread it, seasonal cleaning gives such instant gratification that I manage.
I love seeing my house completely cleaned after spring cleaning!
I use a microfiber cloth to dust with because the dust really sticks to it, instead of just wiping and the dust flies everywhere. I also Remove fingerprints on glass doors by using vinegar and water and newspaper. I also need to wash all my windows though. That is going to be a big job!
Mine need to be done too, Karen!
These are all great tips. My favorites are lining the refrigerator shelves with plastic wrap and putting a cotton ball soaked with a fewd rops of lavender essential oil inside the toilet paper tube for a natural bathroom freshener. Great tips, thank you for sharing.
Always glad to share!
These are really great tips. I really like the idea of Line your refrigerator shelves with plastic wrap, I am going to have to do this.
Thanks, Shelly. It’s a big help.
I love how it feels after my windows have been washed for the first time in the spring! And I’m going to try the lemon and sea salt to get my cutting board clean again.
It works really well, Layne. Thanks!
Thanks for all the tips. I’m guilty of not teaching my kids to clean yet because I wanted them to be able to just focus on their homework. Since they’re getting older now, I need to change that, thanks!
Definitely start before they get too old & just assume they’ll never have to help out.
I’ve never heard of stuffing newspapers in shoes to absorb the wetness. Does the ink bleed on the shoes at all since they are wet? Also… what mixture of vinegar do you use on your washer? I’ve always used bleach or bleach tablets. Never tried a vinegar mix of any kind!
I have never noticed any ink bleeding onto my shoes at all. I just add about a cup of vinegar to the washer when it’s empty and run it through a complete cycle.
These are great tips! i have to admit I don’t remember the last time I maintained our washing machine or cleaned out the fridge. I’m sure both need it!
I need to do the refrigerator again soon!
These tips are awesome! Growing up my friend’s mom always put newspapers in their tennis shoes and I completely forgot that trick existed until now!
I love that one. it works great!
These are all really great tips! I need to do some washing machine care this week!
I need to do mine again too, Janet!
These are sure to come in use, awesome tips that will help me a lot when cleaning, especially the one about the shouwer head, that can get really messy and hard to clean, so this tip is awesome!
Thanks, Nicole. They really can!