It’s that time of year again – time to roll up your sleeves and scrub down every square inch of your home. Some people find this relaxing, however, the majority of folks would say that the only relaxing they will be doing in this process is after the work is completed. This mountain of wiping, dusting and scrubbing does not have to overwhelm you, though. We have put together a list (below) of easy tips and tricks you can do to clean your home and if you do these items, you’ll be enjoying your sparkling abode before you know it!

1. Load up your dishwasher, not with your normal dishes, but with lighting globes, toothbrush holders, and other acceptable household items and run on the gentle cycle. Let your machine do the work while you multitask on other projects.
2. When you wash the windows, wait for a cloudy day. The direct sun might dry the cleaner to the window before you have the chance to wash it off.
3. Hose off your door mats and patios. You’ll be surprised how much dirt is waiting for you!
4. Put your dryer to work and toss drapes, curtains, and even throw pillows in the dryer for 15 minutes on the “air-only” cycle, then rehang immediately to prevent wrinkles. Another spot to tackle? Your lampshade. Speed up the process with a lint roller.
5. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to pay attention to the thing under the sheets. Press firmly with your vacuum’s upholstery and crevice tools to clean the sides.Then, spot-clean stains with upholstery cleaner or mild suds. After spraying, let dry, then sanitize with a disinfectant spray like Lysol.
6. Degrease your kitchen cabinets. Wipe them down with warm, soapy water. We also like Kitchen Cabinet Cream  which leaves cabinets feeling cleaned and moisturized.
7. Make your stainless steel shine by mixing a solution of 1 teaspoon dish detergent and 1 quart hot tap water. Using a microfiber cloth, rub the detergent solution onto the marks in small sections (it will take a little elbow grease), going with the grain. Rinse with clean hot water only, and dry immediately with a clean cloth.
8. Clean up your grout. Stained spaces between your tile are a serious eyesore. To fix that up quick, mix 3/4 cup household chlorine bleach with 1 gallon water. Wear rubber gloves and eye protection. Use a stiff brush to apply to one small area at a time. Be careful not to let the liquid spatter onto surrounding surfaces. Let it sit for several minutes, then scrub and rinse. It’s always best to finish with a grout sealer as well!
9. Honestly, we wouldn’t be surprised if you said you’ve never cleaned out your knife rack — but it’s actually really easy. We suggest you suck out any crumbs or dirt using the crevice tool on your vacuum cleaner. If that doesn’t work, aim a hair dryer at the slots to blow any crud out or get a 12-inch pipe cleaner and work gently to insert it into each slot; swirl it around there to collect dust and grime.
10. Prep your outdoor spaces. With warm weather almost here, it’s time to get your outdoor furniture ready for use. To do this, add a squirt of dish detergent to a bowl of warm water, then wipe down tables and chairs. Finish it all off with a spray of water from the garden hose.
11. Time to focus on your fridge! You probably wipe down your fridge’s interior shelving on the regular already, but don’t forget about the rest. Pop out the door shelves and bins, and wash in warm, soapy water to get rid of food bacteria and spillage. For the shelves that can’t be removed, try using abrasive salt and bubble soda water to easily remove gunk.
12. Check your smoke detector batteries – this should be done twice a year!
13. Wipe your blinds and window sills down with a damp cloth. This is a tedious process, but worth it! If you add a couple drops of essential oils to your water, it leaves your home smelling great and makes the process that much more enjoyable. We recommend a citrus scent!
14. Wash out trash cans. But seriously… to really clean garbage cans, spray them with a hose and dump out the water. Next, spray the inside with a disinfectant spray, scrub with a handled brush and rinse. Leave them upside down to dry.
15. Get important papers in order. Set aside all tax return information so it’s handy. Store any files from last year that need to be saved. Cleaning up your finances and technology is super important to do multiple times a year!