Why Wait For Spring? Clean These Parts Of Your Home Now

Spring cleaning gets a ton of attention, but what if we told you now is actually a great time to do some deep cleaning in your home? Before you pull out your holiday decorations and start making plans to host dinners and parties, think about tackling these often-overlooked cleaning projects.

• Clean Your Fridge Inside and Out
  With the holidays coming up, it's a great idea to take everything out of your refrigerator and give it a deep cleaning. Check expiration dates before putting anything back in, and make sure you only keep items you plan to eat before they go bad.
  
  When you're done, it's time to wipe down the outside and clean your coils. Vacuum using a crevice tool and use a long-handled brush to remove pet hair and other debris from in between the coils. If your refrigerator isn't built-in, move it away from the wall and clean underneath.

• Launder Like It's Going Out of Style
  There are few things more satisfying than tackling a large laundry project on a cool fall day. Plan to set aside a day (or a weekend) to wash all of your blankets, throws, curtains, slipcovers, bed skirts, pillows, mattress covers, and all washable comforters.
  
  Before you re-make your bed, turn all of the mattresses over, vacuum them, and spray them with fabric refresher.

• Get the Dust Bunnies Off Your Ceiling Fans
  If you haven't turned your ceiling fan off for a while, you might be shocked by the amount of dust that has collected there. To make the job easy, climb up on a stepladder and put one blade at a time inside a pillowcase. Then, slowly pull it off, catching all of the dust inside.
  
  When you're done, take the case outside, shake it out, and toss it in the laundry. While you're up there, you might also want to switch your fan's direction so it's turning clockwise. This will create an updraft and help circulate warm air around the room.

• Give Your Baseboards a Once-Over
  It might not be the most fun task, but removing dust and scuffs from your baseboard will make a big difference. You can vacuum them with an upholstery attachment to remove dust, then use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove scuff marks. If you really want to deep clean, use a Q-tip to remove dust and dirt from the tops and ridges of your baseboards.

• Soak Your Shower Heads
  Mineral build-up can wreak havoc on your stainless steel showerheads. The good news is, it's easy to fix this. Simply put some distilled white vinegar in a small plastic bag and wrap it around your shower head, holding it in place with a rubber band.
  
  Let it sit for a couple of hours so the scale can dissolve. Then, use a toothbrush to scrub it away. If you're cleaning a bronze or brass shower head, note that these are more delicate. In this case, you'll just want to rub the scale away with warm water and a soft cloth.

Don't let this list overwhelm you. Start by choosing just one task, then put on your favorite music and dive right in! You'll be surprised by how quick and easy it is to do and how much of an impact each task will have on your home.

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