Make a Clean Start this Spring!

SPRING IS DEFINITELY IN THE AIR, AND IT IS A GREAT TIME TO CLEAR OUT ALL THE CLUTTER THAT HAS ACCUMULATED – BOTH IN YOUR HOUSE AND YOUR BUDGET. We've gathered some handy cleaning tips to make your Spring Clean a lot easier:

Kitchen Always begin cleaning on the right side of your stove, then move clockwise around the room. The stove is typically the dirtiest part of the kitchen, so ending with it keeps you from spreading dirt and grease. (First, soak drip pans and knobs in warm soapy water. By the time you've worked your way around, they'll be easier to clean.) Believe it or not – your dirty kitchen sink contains more bacteria than a toilet seat. If you don't have disinfectant available, there's an easy way to disinfect your sink with common kitchen products. Clean your sink with soap and water first, then spray it with a mist of vinegar, followed by a mist of hydrogen peroxide, and let the sink air-dry. (Don't mix the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide; spray one after the other.) If your sink is stainless steel, make it sparkle afterward by putting a few drops of mineral oil on a soft cloth and buffing it. This prevents water build-up, which deters mould and keeps the sink looking clean longer. Use microfibre cloths instead of paper towels. When wet, microfibre helps sanitise and clean floors, counters, glass and tiles, and eliminates the need for other cleaning products. We all know that sponges are a breeding ground for bacteria. Disinfect yours every night by squeezing it out and microwaving it on high for a minute. When it's shredded and smelly, replace it.

Bedrooms Start with the bed – if your bed is made, your bedroom looks neat. When you wake up, pull the covers up to your chin, then scissor-kick your way out of bed so it'll be half-made when you get up. Tuck the covers up and in before you leave. Most women have drawers full of clothes they don't wear, and their dresser tops soon become repositories for things they can't store. Get rid of things you haven't worn in a year and vow to put away your clean laundry each week. Keep a "pamper basket" next to your bed to store the books, knitting and other odds and ends you enjoy doing before nodding off. Leave only your alarm clock, lamp and a box of tissues on your nightstand. Gone is the clutter!

Laundry Since fabric softener and dryer sheets can strip towels of their absorbency, add a quarter cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle or throw two new, clean tennis balls in your dryer to get rid of static electricity, soften fabrics and eliminate the need for dryer sheets. Almost everything can be washed in cold water (and it's better for your electricity bill and the environment too), but use the hottest water possible for sheets, towels and underwear. Take special care to put undergarments in the dryer as soon as possible to stop bacteria growing while it is still damp.