Get warm weather-ready with 12 tips that'll make your house shine.
Sure, you vacuum and do laundry every week. Your tub never has a ring and your stovetop is always shiny. You're house proud, and why not? Guests always comment on how organized and clean your place is. But this summer, even you can take it up a notch. Here are 12 easy chores that'll make your home shine.
1 Clean lampshades. Disconnect the lamp and remove the shade. If your shades are simple -- no decorations -- just use a damp cloth to gently wipe the inside and outside. If there are embellishments that need extra attention, use an old toothbrush to get them clean. Wipe down the lamp base and give the cord a once-over, too.
2 Wash draperies. For fabric panels: Some can go into the washer; others (like silks and fine fabrics) can be gently vacuumed, brought to the dry cleaner or washed by hand in the sink or tub. For mini-blinds: Cover your hands in a pair of cotton socks. Dip them in warm soapy water and wipe each of the slats clean.
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3 Clean ceiling fan blades. Climb a ladder and dust ceiling fan blades with a feather duster.
4 Dust the baseboards. If a simple dusting doesn't suffice to remove gathered dust on your baseboards, use a toothbrush to gently scrub them clean. Be careful not to damage the painted walls above.
5 Wipe and disinfect all your doorknobs, light-switch plates and telephones with a damp cloth. Use a damp paintbrush on stereo knobs and to dust its crevices. You can do the same for your remote control.
6 Wash all inside and outside doors with soapy water, remembering to wipe the top edge of the frame.
7 Self-clean the oven (Okay, technically this takes hours, but it only takes a few minutes to set it up).
8 Clean your coffeemaker. Technically this takes more than 10 minutes, but each step itself takes only a minute or two. Tackle each step during commercial breaks in your favourite show.
Commercial break 1: Fill up the coffemaker reservoir with one-part white vinegar to two parts cold water and "brew."
Commercial break 2: Pour the heated vinegar-and-water combination back into the reservoir after it "brews" the first time and run it again.
Commercial break 3: Discard, then fill reservoir with cold water. Run through.
Commercial break 4: Discard used rinse water and repeat with fresh water.
9 Clean your kitchen exhaust hood. Clean or replace the filter.
10 Check your water heater for signs of leakage or rust.
11 Look for worn extension cords. Replace them.
12 Inspect your furnace. Any signs of rust or scale? Any weird noises? If so, book a professional inspection.
13 Pick a ground fault circuit interrupter outlet (GFCI) and test it. Push the Test button, check that this has popped out the Reset button and that anything hooked up to the outlet will no longer power on. Push Reset and you’re good to go. Test a different GFCI outlet next time.
14 Conduct a garage door safety check.
• Put it into manual mode and lift it: it should glide smoothly and stay open on its own three feet from the ground: if not, have a pro counterbalance it.
• Put a pet- or child-size object on the ground (a small cardboard box or lightweight plastic laundry hamper, for example) and close the door. It should pop up as soon as it meets the obstacle. If not, call a pro.
15 Check your emergency flashlight. Do the batteries work? If not, replace them, or consider upgrading to a non-battery powered, manual wind-up model. courtesy Style at Home