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Six Appliances You Should Deep Clean This Summer

Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of the little bit of extra free time you have to tidy up your home. Summer brings on a lot of heat, so you can spend your time cleaning indoors, and save the outdoor cleaning for in the fall as the weather begins to cool down.

  1. Your Wood Floors

Even though you might think you need to mop your wooden floors every week that could ruin them. Instead, you should only wet-clean them once every one to two months and spot clean as needed. Make sure you use trivets and saucers under plants to avoid any water damage and use furniture protectors to avoid scratches. Summer brings in a lot of dirt from outside and you don’t want any of it sticking to your floors permanently.

2. Washing Machine

Summer brings on extra sweaty clothes, socks, sheets, and so much more. Your washing machine has probably been through a lot this summer and will need a cleanse. Disinfect it with distilled white vinegar and baking soda to keep it fresh and high-functioning. Run the machine with hot water, then add the cleaning agents, and let it sit for 30-60 minutes. Afterwards, restart your machine, let the water drain, and wipe it dry.

3. Dishwasher

A lot of times people simply think you can just throw dirty dishes in the dishwasher and they will get cleaned. This is not always the case. To ensure this heavy-duty cleaning appliance gets all the tomato sauce stains off your dinner plates, you have to clean it too. First, remove any bits of the food on the bottom. Then, run a second cycle with a specialty cleanser made for your dishwasher about once a month to keep it clean.

4. Refrigerator

Refrigerators are also an important item to keep clean since it holds food! This means the outside and inside. Pull out all of your fridge’s interior shelving and make sure to wash them with warm soapy water to take care of any spills or stains. The wash the inside of your refrigerator – sides, top, and bottom. If your fridge is clean, then your food will be cleaner which is always a good thing.

5. Oven

If you ever start to smell something burning when you first turn on your oven, it might be time for a deep clean. First, chip off loose pieces from your range, then spritz burnt-on food with ammonia. Sprinkle baking soda and a few drops of white vinegar on the bottom, let it bubble up, then wipe away the grime and dirt with a sponge.

6. Your Closet

Organizing your closet is the first step to organizing the rest of your home. Get rid of unused clothes and accessories and organize the rest by how you get dressed in the morning and by color. Use some of these tips to make your closet look appealing, and your everyday routine easier and quicker!

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Tips to Keep Your House in Tip-Top Shape during the Summer

home cleaning

Summer is a great time to tackle your seasonal household upkeeping items. There are a lot of small projects you can tackle during these warm months to protect your house from the elements. Be sure you are protecting it from the extreme weather conditions it is enduring. Check out some of our pro tips below to maintain your home this summer to keep it in tip-top shape!

Wash your windows

Throughout the year, your windows can build up a good amount of grime, but there’s an easy way to fix this! To see if your windows need a good cleaning, do one swipe of cloth along one of the low windows on your house to see if there’s any dirt or grime present. Even if your windows look fine, you may see some dirt after giving them this test. Getting your windows clean is a quick and easy project – just get some warm water and soap or glass cleaner to scrub off the debris.

Clean your grill for barbecuing

Keeping your grill clean all summer long will truly make your bar-b-ques enjoyable. If you have a charcoal grill, empty all of the old ashes and safely dispose of them. Wipe away the remaining dust, then finish off the grill by washing it down with soap and water. For a gas grill, close the lid and heat it on high for about thirty minutes to burn away any old food particles. Scrub the grates with a grill brush to clean out the remaining pieces in between the cracks. Finish it off by wiping it down with a sponge and changing out the drip tray. Just a few minutes of cleaning and you’ll be ready to cook up some delicious food for your friends and family!

Repair cracks

Summer is a great time to check your driveway or patio at your home to see if there are any cracks in it. A lot of concrete cracks can be easily fixed yourself with a store-bought sealant. Asphalt can be tricky to seal but can also be done yourself if you are feeling up to the challenge! If not, both your patio and driveway can easily be sealed by a professional. Sealing these will ensure a longer life for your patio and driveway and will give your house a much more pleasing aesthetic.

Plant a new layer of mulch

If you have a garden in your yard, adding fresh mulch every year will really help to keep it growing strong. You’ll want to remove some of the older mulch and properly dispose of it. The fresh mulch will not only look more beautiful, but it also helps to hold water in for the plants and resist more weeds.

Give your deck a makeover

If you have a wooden deck in your backyard, summer is a great time to see how it’s doing. If any boards are rotting, be sure to remove them and replace them. For a painted wooden deck, as the paint starts to chip over the years, decide if it is time for another coat. Check to make sure no loose nails are lying around and hammer them in or remove them if you find any. This all also applies if you have a wooden fence.