NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Spring officially arrives tomorrow. And that means warmer weather, flowers and maybe time to do a little cleaning around your house.
There's just something about spring that makes you really want to deep clean your house, throw open the windows and get rid of all of the dust, the cobwebs and everything else that's crept in and built up over the winter.
Jodhaira Rodriguez does not mess around when it comes to cleaning and for good reason. She’s a Consumer Reports writer who has tested glass cleaners, DIY cleaning hacks, steam cleaners and more!
Her best tip?
“You don’t need a ton of products to get your house clean, some basic things like a multi-purpose cleaner, a glass cleaner, a bathroom cleaner and maybe something that's a disinfectant," said Rodriguez.
Vinegar can be a great option if you don’t want to spend money on a dedicated glass cleaner! But Consumer Reports tests found Sprayway Glass Cleaner earned top marks and is also an economical choice because it also cleans chrome, tile and porcelain.
Vinegar or dish detergent can also help remove mild mold and mildew buildup.
Of course, there are tools you can buy to make some jobs easier and maybe even more fun -- if that’s your thing! Consumer Reports recently tried the Bissell Steam Shot …
“The Bissell Steam Shot is so satisfying to use. It cleaned up my bathroom grout really, really well,” Rodriguez said.
If you don’t need to deep clean, but you have lots of areas to cover, consider a power scrubber like this battery-powered Leebein to keep things moving.
To tackle the dust and cobwebs in all those hard-to-reach places, Consumer Reports says turn to your vacuum’s attachments for help; the crevice tool for tight spaces and the upholstery tool to deep clean your couch.
But the key is having a vacuum with adequate airflow. Consumer Reports tests for that and says this Kenmore delivers!
Or, consider a powerful hand vac like this Black and Decker which comes with different attachment tools for cleaning edges like stair steps and tight spaces.
And one last cleaning tip from Jodhaira...
“Take it room by room. You can do your bathroom today, bedrooms tomorrow, closets the day after that. It’s much easier to work in small groups that way.”
To cut down on paper towel waste and save money, try using microfiber cloths that you can wash and reuse. And if you get them in different colors, you can use a different color for each room so you can keep bathroom germs away from kitchen germs
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
