Knock these cleaning tips out of the way at the beginning of the season for a fresh start to your summer.
Home maintenance is the last thing you want to worry about in the summertime. To prevent heat, humidity, dust, grime, and pests from taking a toll on your home, employ these summer cleaning tips indoors and out. Tackle these cleaning tasks at the start of the season so you can enjoy the warm weather and sunshine the rest of summer.
01 of 07
Dust and Reverse Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans can stir up dust and pollen unless the blades are cleaned regularly.
Before you turn on the fan this summer, remove dust and debris using an old pillowcase.
Spray the interior of the pillowcase with an all-purpose cleaner and slip it over one of the blades.
As you wipe, grime gets trapped inside the pillowcase instead of falling on furniture or floors.
After cleaning, reverse the direction of the blades, so the fan brings cold air downward instead of pushing warm air around the room.
02 of 07
Clean Out the Fridge
Make room in your refrigerator for fresh produce and barbecue leftovers.
Working one section at a time, do a summer clean out, transfer items you want to keep to a cooler.
Check expiration dates. Toss anything past its prime.
Wipe down fridge surfaces with a damp cloth.
Was removable shelves and drawers at the sink with warm water and dish soap.
03 of 07
Do a Clean Sweep
A helpful summer cleaning tip is to stock front porches, decks, and patios with inexpensive brooms that you can use for all sorts of cleaning chores.
Use them to brush spider webs from windows, screens, railings, porch ceilings, mailboxes, window boxes, and foundation plantings.
Sweep porch and deck floors daily to remove debris deposited by wind, rain, incoming traffic, and critters.
04 of 07
Clean Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets, which are opened and closed frequently by messy hands, can get sticky if not properly cared for Andreiza Freitas , a certified cleaning technician, shares her strategy for how to clean kitchen cabinets:
Dip a cloth into a solution of 1/4 cup of Murphy Oil Soap ($5, Target) and a gallon of warm water.
2 drops of Dawn dish soap.
Wring the cloth and wipe cabinet fronts, paying special attention to areas around the knobs.
Dry with a clean cloth.
Freitas recommends doing this every other week. Otherwise, grime adheres, and when you try to remove it, the cabinet finish could come off with the greasy residue.
05 of 07
Prevent Mold in the Bathroom
To ward off mol and mildew in your bathroom, house cleaning expert
Clean the shower while you're showering using a Mr. Clean Eraser sponge ($4, Walmart) and a squeegee
Swish a brush around the toilet bowl daily; use a pumice stone to remove rings and stains.
Wipe mirrors with a finely woven microfiber cloth, which won't leave streaks or lint, and use one sprayed with warm water and dish soap to wipe down countertops.
Clean sinks with an eraser sponge; shine sinks and faucets with a microfiber cloth.
Wipe floors with a damp towel or mop.
Since it's summer, hang wet bath mats and damp towels outside to quick-dry in the sun.
06 of 07
Get Ready to Grill
Clean grill grates so remnants of previous meals don't transfer to foods being grilled.
Follow Reichert's summer cleaning tips for how scrubbing a gas grill:
Turn it on and let the grates get hot.
Place a cut lemon on a long-handled fork, dip it into a bowl of salt, and rub it across the grates. The lemon's acid will cut grease, and the salt acts as a scrubbing agent.
Scrub especially dirty grates with a block of pumice, then wash grates well to remove pumice dust.
Avoid using metal brushes, Reichert says, because the bristles can break off and can get into your food.
07 of 07
Keep Floors Spick-and-Span
When determining how to clean floors, it's important to remember that different floor surfaces require different cleaners, Andreiza Freitas says.
Mop all types of floors with cotton terry cloth or recycled hand towels, which can be tossed in the washer and reused.
Clean linoleum and vinyl floors with a solution of 1 gallon of warm water with Dish soap or white vinegar or eco-friendly all-purpose cleaner and 1 gallon of warm water. You can also add 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar for extra cleaning power.
For wood and laminate floors, terry cotton a towel with a solution of 1 part distilled vinegar to 30 parts water , warm water mix with murphy oil soap or Bona hardwood floor cleaner until the cloth is just damp enough for mopping.
Stone and tile floors can be mopped with cotton towels moistened with very hot water. Beware that cleaners and vinegar will pit and damage stone and tile finishes.
Place mats at every entrance for wiping feet. Keep floors cleaner longer by asking guests to remove their shoes as they come in the door.