Tips to keep your home clean this summer
In spite of the fact that the weather’s nice and the sun is shining, summer often presents some unique messes. From grass stains to melted ice cream stain in dress, summer can be challenging. Keeping your home clean during the summer can make you feel like you are taking two steps backwards for every step forward. With children home from school, summer activities bringing the great outdoors inside, and no time left in the day to wipe or scrub, you are probably thinking you did rather move than fix the summer wreaks on your home.
Bathroom:
From toothpaste dribbles and mirror stains to wet floors and shower spot stain, the bathroom will endure a variety of messes throughout the week. Because we constantly use it each day, it’s easiest to clean up after yourself instead of waiting a few weeks later for a bigger mess.
Areas to focus on for a clean bathroom:
- Clean the sink
- Scrub the shower, tub and toilet
- Remove mirror spots
- Mop the floors (don’t forget all corners)Keep Odour Away: Trash never smells good, but it can start to smell extremely bad during the summer season. This is because heat and humidity create the perfect environment for bacteria growth, which is what creates the unpleasant smell inside your trash cans. The problem becomes even worse when the humid summer air captures these bad smells and keeps them around for longer than usual. Prevent this problem by sprinkling baking soda in the bottom of your trash cans. Baking soda will absorb the bad odours before they spread throughout your home and ruin your summer.
Curtain Washing:
Wash curtains on a summer season even if they don’t look dirty, because by the time dirt appears they can be permanently discoloured. Clean these fragile fabrics gently. Make sure they fill no more than half the machine and let them soak for 5 minutes in cold water. Use a mild detergent, and if you wish, a whitening agent. Turn the machine to rinse to drain the water, then run the machine on a gentle wash setting for just 2 to 3 minutes.
Washing:
Remove sweat and antiperspirant buildup on your favourite tank tops and white shirts:
- Rinse sweat and antiperspirant stains with cool water for 15 seconds to dilute salts and acids
- Pre-treat stains with liquid detergent containing enzymes and set for 15 minutes
- Wash with fabric-safe bleach in the hottest water that is safe for fabric
Benefits of car washing in summer:
The reason that it can be so difficult to wash your vehicle in the summer is that the sun makes the surface temperature of your vehicle very warm which causes the water to evaporate quickly. This can leave you with a car that is full of watermarks and streaks. To help with this, try to find an overhang or place in the shade to park your vehicle while washing. This will help to cool your vehicle off a little and keep the water on it for longer. Make sure to check the cleaning products that you plan on using to make sure they don’t have any special instructions for when using them in direct sunlight. When you begin washing your vehicle, start with the wheels and then do one section at a time. By washing one section at a time, it gives you enough time to wash, rinse and dry that area before the heat dries it for you. By drying your vehicle after washing, you are eliminating the water spots and streaks that no one wants.
Whether it is summer or winter, try to get it all done in a day or every day. Just do something each and every day and I guarantee you’ll get over the feeling of I want my house to be clean all at once. With a simple cleaning routine, you will find that maintaining the basics every day is really the secret to a clean and tidy home.