Summer cleaning poses a unique set of challenges. The heat on its own is enough to discourage people from cleaning, but here are solutions for those problems.
The romanticized dog days of summer are finally here. Expect days full of watermelon, sunshine, and…mold?
Hopefully not.
It’s a busy season, especially if you have little ones running around the house. The slow times of winter have come and gone, and now you have to figure out how to keep up with housekeeping before things get hot and muggy.
To keep things bright and light this season, check out these 5 keys to solving summer cleaning challenges.
1. Address Excessive Moisture Issues
We’re sorry we had to open this up with mold, but it’s a serious issue for homes — especially in the summer months.
Mold tends to be green or black while mildew is white, gray, or yellow. Both fungi grow in wet, moist, warm places.
Whether it’s mold or mildew, you don’t want it. It’s ugly and really bad for your health.
Keep your washer machine from harboring nasty bacteria by doing an empty load on hot with detergent. After it’s done, leave the door open to air out.
Also, avoid throwing wet towels into the dirty bin. Let them air dry, preferably outside, before bringing them into the laundry room.
Anywhere that gets more humid than other places in your house, such as the bathroom from the shower, should have air conditioning, a fan, or windows open some of the time.
2. Get Rid of Bugs
On the same note of creatures you don’t want living in your house, we have to mention bugs.
To get rid of fruit flies, check out our recent article. They’re hard to avoid but relatively easy to combat.
Summertime often brings in other pests, such as flies, wasps, and termites. Consider bug traps outside for the pesty suckers (or one inside if they make their way in often) and be sure to check for signs of termite infestations to catch it early.
3. Clean the Trash Cans
Nobody wants to do it, but it needs to get done unless you want a stinky kitchen or garage.
The warm season will remind you to do this, as odors become more noticeable in the heat.
Give your garbage inside and outside cans a thorough scrub down with soap and water. When you’re done, you can add baking soda to the bottom of the can to prolong the next time it gets smelly again.
4. Give the Appliances Some TLC
Now is a good time to clean up the appliances you didn’t get to during spring cleaning.
The microwave is one that could use a cleaning multiple times a season. Cut up a lemon, put it in a bowl of water, and microwave it for 3 minutes. This loosens up the muck inside, allowing you to easily wipe it out.
To keep your fridge from having fingerprints, clean it with furniture polish. Choose the citrus variety for good smells and an oily finish to prevent future prints.
5. Do The Little Things For Summer Cleaning
If you have people over more often during the summer, you may want to take care of the little things that you know secretly bother you.
This includes water rings on wood tables. Put two scoops of mayonnaise on it and let it sit with a paper towel on top for 15 minutes. If it doesn’t work, hold a blow dryer on high close to it until it disappears.
You may want to clean out dirt from your sliding doors and give your outdoor furniture a good wipe down.
You Do The Minor Things, We’ll Do The Major Things
We’ll make you a deal: if you take care of your fruit flies, keep your towels from molding, and do minor furniture upkeep, we’ll do the recurring summer cleaning.
