Martha Stewart Cleaning Tips

Martha Stewart is rightly known as one of today’s domestic goddesses. She has been offering some terrific advice regarding cooking, decorating, and overall house management for years. Part and parcel of home management is of course cleaning, and if you look her up on the internet you’ll be able to find quite a bit of advice regarding house maintenance - including Martha Stewart cleaning tips.

 

In several articles, Martha has come up with some excellent advice regarding spring cleaning, and we’ve collated it here for you. Spring cleaning is no less than a necessity, especially given that many homes and offices are shut up for the winter and may be musty. In some cases, as a matter of fact, there can be pests such as flies and bedbugs inside the house or office - making it even more important to clean everything properly come springtime.

 

Remove mattresses and cushions - vacuum them to remove debris and then take them outside to air and sun them. Once sunned and aired, bring them back inside and rotate them to evenly distribute wear. Rugs and carpets need to be vacuumed and cleaned - wash, shampoo or dry-clean carpets; shampoo wall-to-wall carpets. Floors should be mopped or washed and waxed. Windows should be cleaned with soft brushes; wash them with ammonia or white vinegar in water to clear them. Wipe afterwards with a rag to ward off water stains. Curtains and shades need to be washed and cleaned also; launder fabric or have it dry-cleaned. Use a duster to clean slat blinds.

 

You may wish to go through your wardrobe and sell or give away any clothes that you no longer use or want. Off-season clothes you still want may need to be dry-cleaned or aired out before being stored again.

 

You may have to rid your refrigerator and freezer of any spoiled or rotting items. It may be best to clean it well. Unplug the unit, move any food that is still good to a cooler, then wash the fridge well with soap and water. Remove any of the fittings inside and then wash them separately. Dry on newspaper or on a plate rack before placing back in the unit.

 

Martha also recommends cleaning the coils, condensers and grates of your refrigerators, stoves, air conditioners and other equipment. Clean the filters of those equipment that use them, or replace them altogether. Also work on your safety equipment: make sure fire extinguishers are still pressurized, check the batteries of smoke detectors and those of house flashlights too.

 

And don’t neglect your cleaning equipment too. Brooms may need changing if they are too frayed, as may rags. If rags are too dirty, discard them and buy new ones. Check to see that you have a sufficient supply of cleaning solution and so on. Lastly, don’t neglect your vacuum cleaner either - it might need servicing as well. The bag may require replacement; the motor may also require some attention. It may benefit from a quick visit to your local service shop.