By Kiersten Willis, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Troy Warren for CNT #HomeGarden
The first day of spring is a few weeks away, and now is the time to begin planning your methods for sprucing up your home.
“When we envision spring-cleaning as a time to rejuvenate our inner and outer world, the cleanup process can be incredibly enlivening rather than being a tiresome chore,” clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly, Ph.D., told Healthline.
Even though the benefits are there, it can feel daunting to tackle cleaning your entire house for the season. Here are five ways O, The Oprah Magazine says you can make spring cleaning a breeze.
T-shirts can lead to streak-free mirrors
If you’ve been using paper towels to clean your mirrors, you’ve likely noticed that lint clings to the mirror. Get a dust- and streak-free shine by putting old cotton T-shirts to use.
The Spruce has a list of glass-cleaning tips and an old T-shirt is recommended to ensure no debris is left behind. It’s also environmentally-friendly.
Coffee filters can make TV screens look brand-new
Kids love to touch things, so your TV is likely littered with tiny fingerprints. You can use a coffee filter to gently remove the smudges from your beloved 50-inch television. According to Apartment Therapy, the disposable paper is lint-free, making it ideal to clean an LCD screen. Turn off the TV and gently sweep the filter across the screen. It will gather dirt and act as an anti-static measure so dust won’t instantly reaccumulate.
Make wall scuffs disappear
Kate Schulhof, the founder of the natural minimalist blog A Clean Bee, told O that a light blend of soap and water is usually enough to get rid of marks on the walls. However, you may need to purchase a magic eraser to remove more stubborn scuffs. Yet there are some marks that cleaning simply can’t fix. In that case, you’ll have to paint it.
Give your coffee maker a denture tablet cleaning
Denture tablets aren’t only useful for cleaning your dentures, retainer or mouthguard. They also come in handy for getting into the nooks and crannies of appliances — including your heavily-used coffee maker.
“Denture cleaning tabs utilize the antibacterial and alkalizing properties of sodium bicarbonate (the primary ingredient in baking soda), and when combined with fizzing properties, is essentially like scrubbing and cleaning on a micro level,” Lee Gause, dentist and owner of New York’s Smile Design Manhattan told CookingLight. The publication has an explainer on how to use them to get the machine tidy.
Make your knife block pure with a simple mixture
Many of us have been using the ample time spent at home in the last year to cook more meals at home. If you’re a chef in the making, however, you want to make sure your utensils are clean — that includes your knife block.
The Kitchn has tips on how to get it squeaky clean. You’ll need several items you likely already have on hand, including dish soap, dishcloths and bleach as well as a few sponges and brushes.
