Although
the weather’s nice and the sun is shining, summer often presents some unique
messes. From grass stains to dollops of melted ice cream, summer can be
challenging – unless you know the tricks of the trade.
Use
these five tips to keep your house clean and organized throughout the hot
season.
1. Bathroom
·
Remind everyone
to keep a window open or the fan on during every shower to prevent humidity
(which is the perfect environment for mold)
·
Go through what’s
in the shower rack and under the sink. Toss out any empty bottles and take
inventory of things you need (sunscreen for instance)
·
Wipe down any
surfaces that accumulate moisture right after you use them in order to prevent
hard-water stains and mildew\
2. Patio/Deck Furniture
- Cleaning the
patio is
simple! You only need 30 minutes and a little elbow grease, and you’ll be
on your way.
- To
clean your patio furniture, spray with water, scrub with a solution of
water and Dawn Ultra Dish
Soap, and then use
a soft brush to work the cleaner into any dirt. Or try a Mr. Clean Magic
Eraser for
stubborn scuffs and dirt. Check cushions for laundering
instructions.
- If
you find any rust on metal furniture, sand it down and rinse it off. This
might require multiple rounds depending on how much rust there is
3. Laundry Room
·
The key to
prepping the laundry room for a summer full of washing, drying and folding
grass-stained T-shirts and shorts is organization. Check out our full laundry
room organization guide.
·
Clear the laundry
room of empty bottles and boxes that may have accumulated, and be sure to pack
away any cold-weather clothing
·
Since summer
presents an entirely different set of stains you’d encounter in most other
seasons (condiments, ice cream, grass, dirt) before you sort by whites and
colors, sort clothes by those you need to pre-treat and those you don’t.
4.
Kitchen
- Hot temperatures cause a stinky
reminder that this is a great time to give your garbage can a scrub down
- Get into the nitty gritty of
everything else in the kitchen – like appliances. Toasters are easy, but
appliances that see heavier use, like a microwave, may need a little more
attention
5. The Pantry
·
Throw away the
expired or “why-did-I-buy-this?” kinds of foods
·
Organize all the
usable items for easy access. Keep everyone from rummaging for something in the
very back of the pantry and knocking everything over in the process!
Tip: Cleaning the pantry is more than organizing!
Pantries are renowned for collecting mysterious crumbs and debris.
