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Make your spaces sparkle without cleaning all day.
Spring is just around the corner, and with it, longer days of sunshine and (hopefully) visits from friends and family as COVID begins to loosen its grip. The bad news—the months you’ve spent schlepping at home have been hard on your house. It’s dirty and tired looking, but the thought of tackling a long list of spring cleaning chores makes you tired, too. Choose one or all of these chores below and heed the tips and tricks to do it best, and you’ll reap the squeaky clean rewards.
Shine up your windows
The gray days of winter disguise how dirty your windows really are, but a sunny day will show you just how much grime is blurring your view. That’s the reason why Big Lick Windows’ phone rings off the hook in warmer weather. While owner Juan Jaramillo uses commercial products to clean clients’ windows, he also likes good ole Windex.
“Windex is my biggest competitor,” Jaramillo jokes. If you are looking for a natural alternative, mix one part distilled vinegar to 10 parts warm water in a spray bottle. Once you have your cleaner of choice ready, wipe down the dry window with a clean microfiber cloth to remove loose dirt, then spray the entire surface with your cleaning solution. With a second clean cloth, work the solution onto the window with circular motions. With a third clean cloth, buff the window until dry. Always proceed one window at a time (don’t spray them all at once). Microfiber cloths are a must—Jaramillo sings their praises, as they are less likely to leave streaks or lint behind.
Hack: Clean windows on a cloudy day with no rain, Jaramillo says. If it’s sunny outside, the heat will cause the glass to dry too quickly and create streaks, negating your hard work. Try doing just your first floor, or one main living area if you’re pressed for time.
Clean up your trim
Your wall trim and baseboards are the workhorses of your walls, weathering shoe scuffs, furniture dings and wear from kids and animals. Wall trim gets touched, especially by small hands, and fingerprints make it look grimy, says Alicia Ice, owner of A+ Custom Cleaning, who handles both commercial and residential clients. Choose a room, and clean up the wall trim and baseboards.
“Clean from top to bottom,” advises Ice, who says this is good practice for cleaning any room, and is how her crew tackles cleaning jobs.
Hack: Ice says for white trim, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser pads are your best friend. They shine up trim like new with less elbow grease required, and save you from having to repaint.
For more spring cleaning hacks, including a gunky grout and cleaning your smallest room, grab our latest issue on newsstands now or see our free digital edition below!
The story above is a preview from our March/April 2021 issue. For more stories, subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition. Thank you for supporting local journalism!
