Deep Cleaning Your House: A Room-By-Room Guide Deep Cleaning Your House- A Room-By-Room Guide | Page 17

Sanitize sponges: Mix 3/4 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water and soak the
sponge for five minutes, then rinse – that's it.
 Tips for Cleaning Every Month
Again, these don't have happen all on the same day, so split up your tasks and
delegate jobs to your partner (and kids!).
Clean a washing machine: Use the special washer cleaner cycle on the newer
models, or add a specialty cleaner like Affresh and run a normal cycle with hot
water.
Clean dishwasher: Descale your machine by filling a large glass measuring
cup with 2 cups of vinegar and placing it on the top rack. Then run the
machine without detergent or heat dry.
Clean vacuum: Change your bag when it's three-quarters full to keep suction
strong and replace the filter if it's very dirty or torn. Snip threads snarled in
the brush with scissors or a seam ripper.
 Tips for Cleaning Every 3-6 Months
It's easy to forget about these tasks, so don't let them sneak up on you!
Wash pillows: Put down and fiberfill pillows in the washer and launder two
at a time in warm water on a gentle cycle. Add an extra cold water rinse and
spin cycle. Then tumble dry on low heat with a few rubber dryer balls.
Clean inside of oven: Wipe loose bits of food with a damp sponge. Then use
the self-cleaning function on your oven to remove burnt-on grime. Wash your
racks in the sink with warm, sudsy water and a heavy-duty scrub sponge.
Wash shower curtain liner: Launder plastic or vinyl curtains in the machine
on the highest water level with a couple bath towels for extra agitation.
 Tips for Cleaning Every Year
Consider this your two-minute refresher on deep cleaning.