We aren't just about flooring here at Carpet Mill. Most days we are browsing new lines of area rugs for our customers and finding the new trends in hardwood floors and learning the newest techniques to install the cutting edge tile, but some days we are just like you and find ourselves needing to do some spring cleaning, here in the store and at home.
Windows up and the sun sits higher and higher warming us from above, we all stretch from the cold winter and reach for the warmth to come with spring. A little stir crazy we have become and we want to open up the house and start our spring cleaning, so here's a little list to help you complete your task and get heading into spring on the right foot.
Windows up and the sun sits higher and higher warming us from above, we all stretch from the cold winter and reach for the warmth to come with spring. A little stir crazy we have become and we want to open up the house and start our spring cleaning, so here's a little list to help you complete your task and get heading into spring on the right foot.
 | 1. Get supplies: Microfiber clothes (in both regular and eye-glass grade), microfiber mop, non-abrasive cleanser, baking soda, white vinegar, vacuum with long-bristle and edger attachment, steam. 2. Go top-to-bottom, back-to-front: Avoid backtracking, start working with gravity—when you dust high surfaces like ceilings and furniture, it falls to the floor. Likewise, start mopping or vacuuming opposite the entrance to the room, so you don’t track dirt over clean areas. |
3. Swipe ceilings and walls with a clean, dry microfiber mop. The wide, flat mop head makes quick work of removing cobwebs and dust, and the long pole helps you reach every corner and behind furniture, This speedy technique is ideal for painted or wallpapered surfaces; for textured ceilings or stucco walls, use a feather duster instead.
4. Give your windows a one-two punch of sparkle with this multitasking trick: Strip fabric treatments from every window in the room and tumble them in a cool dryer for 15 minutes. While the dryer shakes the dust from your curtains, dampen an eyeglass-grade microfiber cloth with water and use it to clean windows, streak-free. Swipe a water-dampened regular microfiber rag over the woodwork trim, then remove window treatments from the dryer and hang immediately to avoid wrinkling.
| 5. lampshades and art work-Use a long-bristle vacuum attachment, circle the top and bottom band of the lampshade to suck up dust without catching or disturbing the trim. Then run the brush up and down the sides of the shade to clean the entire surface. When it comes to wall art and framed mirrors, we suggests pulling down pictures and running a microfiber cloth over the front and back of the frame as well as the wall. Never spritz glass cleaner on glass, moisture can seep behind the glass and ruin your photos or art. Instead, use a fine microfiber cloth to remove dust from glass or spray your solution directly on the cloth, then apply to clean the surface. |  |
 | 6. Area Rugs and Carpeting-No need to empty a room completely before vacuuming; simply move furniture out of the way—and then replace—as you go. Roll up area rugs and vacuum beneath to remove dirt and debris. In a room with wall-to-wall carpeting, use the edger attachment of your vacuum to clean the space where the baseboard meets the floor. (While you’re at it, use the long-bristle attachment to clean the baseboards.) On carpeted stairs, use static electricity to make your life simpler: Put on a rubber dish glove, then run your fingers along the edge of each step to bring out dirt caught in the crevices. With a handheld vacuum or vacuum attachment, suck it up as you go. |
-You can considers a steam floor cleaner a secret weapon for fast, deep cleaning on hardwood, tile, vinyl and laminate floors. She especially likes it in the bathroom, where it makes easy work of pulling up dirt from uneven tiles and grout.
-As an alternative, spritz hardwood and laminate floors with your favorite floor cleaner and wipe with a microfiber mop.
| 7. Bathrooms- Remove mildew and soap scum from your shower curtain liner with little effort by throwing it in the washing machine with a few fluffy towels and laundry detergent. Put it in the dryer on low heat for 10 minutes to soften and remove wrinkles, Lane says, and hang it back up, looking like new. For hard-to-reach stains around the toilet, faucets, and other tight spots, aim the steam cleaner nozzle at the area and watch dirt and grime you never knew existed get flushed out. Wipe the newly sanitized area with a microfiber cloth and move on. |  |
8. Mattresses and Headboards- Use new or clean microfiber cloth and run it over wood headboards, footboards and mattress frames; for upholstered pieces, systematically vacuum with a long-bristle attachment, working from the top to down and paying extra attention to tufted or pleated areas. Then sweep a long-bristle attachment along the sides of the mattress and box spring, focusing on the welting at the edges, where dust can get trapped.
| If you’ve got a self-cleaning oven, save it for last—turn it on and then head outside to avoid any intense fumes (either enjoy a much-deserved iced tea in the yard, or else take the opportunity to shake out smaller area rugs outdoors). For all other ovens, prepare a paste of baking soda and water, apply to inside walls and floor of oven, then spritz with vinegar in a spray bottle and wipe down. Grease and cooked-on food should come right off. |  | Wipe the top of the refrigerator with a water-dampened microfiber cloth—for especially greasy dust, moisten the cloth with cleaner. If possible, move the refrigerator away from wall and clean the coils with the brush attachment on your vacuum—removing months’ worth of dust will help the appliance run more efficiently. |
Put your dishwasher to work: Run the range hood vent screen and non-wood dish drains through a cycle to clean and disinfect them. Then show the dishwasher itself some love: Add non-abrasive cleanser to a damp microfiber cloth and run it along the inside rim of the dishwasher door to remove any accumulated food build-up. Spritz with water and wipe dry.
The sooner this gets done in the early spring, the more time you have to relax, take in the warm breezes, work in the garden, hang out with friends and family and make memories. So plan that weekend attack, and get it all out of the way. You wont regret it once its done, and you will feel so accomplished that you can then treat yourself with something fun for the upcoming summer.
