Spring cleaning - With these four home remedies you can get the house clean

Spring cleaning is the ideal opportunity to bring freshness and order back into your own four walls. Dirt and grime reduce well-being and have a corresponding effect on the soul.

A sparkling clean apartment, on the other hand, creates a good feeling. It is important to proceed in a structured and careful manner. If you only clean half-heartedly and messily, you will quickly lose interest and possibly annoy yourself later. After all, you're not removing all germs and bugs.

Create a checklist

Plan enough time for the action. It is best to multiply the scheduled time by 1.5. If you like, you can spread the campaign over several days. The best days are when the sun is shining and it's not so icy outside - then you can open the windows during the event so that the dust can get out and fresh air can come in.

Expensive cleaners don't have to be

Special and more expensive cleaners are rarely effective and bad for the environment.
You can make your own cleaners. This saves money and protects the environment: Vinegar, citric acid (in powder form), baking soda and washing soda are enough to clean the entire household. When you combine these natural remedies for specific stains, they can be real magic bullets.

• Windows ready for streaks: A few drops of household washing-up liquid and a little spirit dissolved in five liters of water are enough to clean the windows.
  
  
• Get rid of limescale stains and edges: Vinegar works against limescale. Citric acid can also be used in a similar way - but it is more odorless.
  
  
• Shiny surfaces: Water mixed with baking soda in a spray bottle ensures clean windows or refrigerators.
  
  
• Clean floors: acid-resistant floors and work surfaces can be cleaned with baking soda and citric acid (1:1) in the mopping water.
  
  
• Remove grease stains: washing soda in combination with water is a very good grease remover. Stubborn stains are soaked with a soda solution

• Well-groomed furniture: You can polish furniture with vinegar and oil that you make yourself.

DANGER:
Wear gloves when using these agents, because vinegar, citric acid and co. can irritate the skin.

This is how you can make space

So that you have enough space for spring cleaning, first tidy up the part of the apartment that you want to clean. Sort out or throw away objects that are lying around. Broken and unused items are disposed of - this applies to decorations as well as clothing and furniture.

The following principle can help when cleaning out: What has been in the closet unworn for a year will no longer be worn anyway. So off to the non-profit clothing store.

Fixed order can help

Before you put the things back in their place, they are thoroughly cleaned of dirt:

• Vacuum the upholstered furniture with the upholstery nozzle of the vacuum cleaner. Wash removable upholstery or have them cleaned when needed. In general, you should follow the manufacturer's instructions.
  
  
• The shelves, cupboards and chests of drawers also need to be cleared out and cleaned - wipe the inside and outside as well as the doors with a rag. Don't forget the inside of the drawers. This drives away musty odors and any eggs laid by pests are also removed from the gaps. Holes are best taped. Put cedar wood or lavender in the closet to protect your textiles.
  A final external polish ensures shine and protects the furniture at the same time.
  
  
• DIndoor plants now also get attention: remove dried or dead parts - even pruning makes sense in some cases. Rinse the plants in the shower to dust them off. For large plants, you can also gently wipe the leaves with a cotton cloth.
  

Clean windows without leaving streaks

At the latest when the sun no longer penetrates properly through the panes, it is time to clean the windows. This is the best way to do it: First, soap the panes properly inside and out with an ordinary viscose or microfiber cloth. The cleaning agent is then removed with a squeegee, a hand-held device with a rubber strip, leaving no streaks.

Drag these down the disc in serpentine lines from left to right. Newspaper for wiping, grandma's favorite household remedy, is no longer necessary. Then clean the frame inside and out. It is also a good idea to wash the curtains on this occasion.

Clean kitchen and bathroom

When you've finished the living areas, it's time for the utility rooms like the bathroom and the kitchen. The order makes sense as this is where you fetch water and rinse other items during your cleaning action. So clean the utility rooms at the end of your spring cleaning. In this way you prevent these rooms from being dirty again later and you having to clean them again.

OUR TIP
If you don't want to spend a whole day on spring cleaning, you can spread the cleaning work over several days and always do one room or a single job such as window cleaning, wiping, etc.

What: t-online 2023