10 Spring Cleaning Tips and Tricks to Refresh Your Space

It’s springtime in Oklahoma, and that means it’s time for new beginnings! Time to freshen up your home, air out and clean the space that’s kept you warm throughout the winter.

Not sure where to start? We’ve pulled together some great cleaning tips that are sure to take your home from drab to fab in no time!

Wipe it all down. If your home is anything like mine, dust, pet fur, and little finger smudges cover everything in no time flat. Over time, that’s a lot of grime, especially if you have some spots that you just can’t get to on a regular basis (who doesn’t?). Give it all a good wipe down with your own all-natural cleaning spray. Just combine half a cup of distilled white vinegar, half a cup of water, and 12-24 drops of your favorite essential oil such as lemon, or a combination of lavender and peppermint, orange, or tea tree. And voila! Your home is starting to sparkle, and smelling great, too! **Don’t use vinegar on wood or natural stone! It’s too acidic. Instead, use wood-specific cleaners and a granite polish like Weiman Granite & Stone Daily Cleaner & Polish. You’ll love how much your surfaces shine after using the right cleaners!**
Air filters. Go ahead and change out those air filters! Between running the heater and the air conditioner (that’s Oklahoma weather for you) your filter has been working hard and could use a reset! Pro tip: order your filters online via subscription through a service like Amazon, DiscountFilters.com or Ecobee and you can get a new one in the mail every time it’s time to change it out! Or, save money by buying them in bulk for the year. Either way, it will make it easier to keep up with those filter changes!
Vacuum both sides of the rugs. It’s too much of a hassle for most of us to do regularly, but spring is a great time to give your high-traffic areas a deeper clean by vacuuming your rugs on the top AND flipping them over to vacuum the other sides. Dirt filters down and gets stuck under there, so this is how you can get it really clean! Bonus points if you have to move your couch to do this, and give that no-mans-land a good sweep as well!
Clean your outdoor rugs. Outdoor rugs lead a hard life. They see every kind of weather, get blown around and covered in leaves, dirt, rain, snow, ice, pollen, and who knows what else. Give them new life by hosing them down and hanging them up over an outdoor table, chair, or clothesline to air dry. You’ll be glad you did.
Windows and blinds. Do you remember the last time you cleaned your windows? All of them? Top to bottom? It’s an impossible task to keep up with, but Spring is the perfect time to give them all a good wipe down. Wait for an overcast day to avoid sun-streaks, and hit them all with a microfiber cloth and glass cleaner. Then, dust the blinds and vacuum the drapes (or if you have machine washable curtains, go ahead and throw them in the wash!)
More wipe downs. While you’ve got your microfiber cloths handy, take a dry one and go over your walls, baseboards, and door frames! These areas are easy to forget and accumulate dust just like everywhere else.
Tune up the A/C. You don’t want to wait until the hottest day of the year to find out your A/C isn’t in optimum condition. (Been there - done that! Not fun!) Have a technician come out and give your system a tune-up before it really gets started working through the Oklahoma heat! It’s cheaper, and much easier, than dealing with an A/C in need of repair later!
De-stink the kitchen sink. Run several cups of ice through your garbage disposal to clean months of food and gunk off the blades, then run some lemon rinds with cold water. Your sink will smell so much better!
Freshen up musty carpets. This one’s so easy, and excellent for homes with pets. Sprinkle some baking soda on your carpet, and let it sit for about 15 minutes, then vacuum. Say goodbye to those musty pet smells! Even if you don’t have pets - it’s always good to deodorize!
Deep clean the fridge. Pop out the removable shelving pieces and bins from your fridge and wash them in warm, soapy water to clean off food spillage that has settled in them over time. Dry them off and pop them back in - your refrigerator will sparkle like new!