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There are special items and areas that need cleaning and attention in the summer or more frequent cleaning and attention. Here’s how to tackle those summertime cleaning chores quickly and easily.

1. Gas grill grates – It’s important to clean your gas grill grates after every meal you cook to avoid cross-contamination between meals. For a quick and gentle clean, warm up the grill to get the grates hot and use a long handled fork to pierce a half lemon. Dip the lemon in salt and then use the salted lemon to quickly and easily clean the grates. For more stuck on grime, use a pumice stone made for grills. Avoid wire brushes as they can shed metal bristles that can end up in your food.

2. Outdoor spaces – You spend a lot more time in your outdoor spaces in the summer. Here’s a simple tip to keep them spruced up all summer long. Stash inexpensive brooms near porches, decks and patios. Use the brooms to clean away cobwebs or dirt from screens, ceilings, railings, mailboxes and window boxes. Use the brooms to regularly sweep away floor debris and dirt deposited by wind, rain and foot traffic.

3. Patio furniture – To clean patio furniture, start by giving it a thorough spray down with a hose equipped with a spray nozzle. Next, create a cleaning solution with 1/2 cup bleach and a gallon of water. Use a large sponge to clean the furniture with the bleach solution and leave wet for about 5 minutes. After that, simply spray away the bleach solution with the hose and let air dry. Note: It’s best to do this away from plants/gardens as the bleach run-off could harm the plants.

4. HVAC – Your HVAC is going to do a lot of work for you during the summer. Clean it up with a regular service appointment and these cleaning steps. Vacuum the air intakes, vents and registers to clear them of dust, pet hair and debris. If you have a reusable filter, clean it with hydrogen peroxide, rinse clean and let air dry before you put it back in. Otherwise, replace your filter monthly during the warmer months to keep clean and cool air moving throughout your house.

5. Bathroom – Bathrooms are already prone to mold and mildew and in our humid climate, summer can make the battle against mold even worse. Stay on top of mold with eraser sponges for stuck on gunk or vinegar and microfiber cloths for less stubborn grime. Hang wet towels, damp bath mats and other damp or wet items outside in the sun to dry instead of the bathroom.

6. Garage – Keep the garage tidy by decluttering and giving away old tools and items you no longer use. Install a pegboard on one wall to hang items like rakes and brooms to keep them up out of the way. You can also use the pegboard to hang up recreational items like boogie boards and yard games.

Summertime means fun in the sun but it also means you’ll be using items or spaces differently than you do the rest of the year. Keep them sparkling and clean with these helpful tips and tricks for a clean and fun summer!

Did you know that even appliances used to clean things, such as your dishwasher and clothes washer need to be cleaned periodically themselves? When is the last time you have cleaned your appliances? If it has been a while, read on for more details on what to clean and how often.

Dishwasher – Check and clean the drain in the bottom of the machine at least weekly to remove debris that has collected in the machine. Wipe down gaskets and door seals to keep everything sealing up tightly. Once per week, put a bowl of white vinegar on the top rack and run an empty cycle on the hottest setting. This will help disinfect and deodorize your dishwasher.

Washing Machine – Your washing machine’s job might be to wash other items but if you don’t wash your washing machine periodically, it can spread viruses and even fecal bacteria like E. coli between loads and also spread these nasties to your dryer – YUCK! At least once per week, run an empty cycle on the hottest setting and pour in one cup of bleach. This will keep your washing machine germ-free and smelling fresh.

Microwave – Your microwave can be a hotbed for germs! Food splatters are an invitation for growing microbes. Wipe down the handle with a disinfectant wipe daily. Once per week, fill a bowl with water and either 1 cup of white vinegar or a cut up lemon and boil the mixture for three to five minutes. Then let the steam work to dislodge stuck on gunk for a few minutes and wipe clean.

Stove – The stove is another place where food splatters provide a hospitable place for germs to grow and thrive. Wipe down the stove top after every use with an all-purpose cleaner and microfiber cloth. The oven should be cleaned inside at least once every three months.

Refrigerator – The fridge is another place where germs congregate. Clean the handles and seals daily with a disinfecting wipe. The inside should be cleaned and sanitized at least once per week. Many foods stored in the fridge can harbor listeria, a germ that can make you and your loved ones very sick. Listeria thrives in fridge temperatures and so does mold, another nasty you want to avoid in your fridge. Use a solution of half vinegar and half water to clean your fridge every week and make sure to clean up any spills immediately.

Coffee Maker – Your coffee maker can become clogged with minerals from your water. To rid your machine of these mineral deposits, run a solution of two parts water to one part vinegar through the coffee maker (be sure to include a coffee filter to catch debris. Afterward, run two full cycles of fresh water through the machine to avoid any lingering vinegar taste.

So, have you cleaned your appliances lately? If not, you could be harboring dangerous germs and viruses in your appliances that could make you or your family sick. Be sure to clean your appliances regularly to avoid spreading germs to people, clothing and other items. If you need help giving your appliances or your home a good deep clean, call the Clean Up Club!

We know you want to keep your home germ free and safe during the pandemic. To do so, we’ve put together some important facts and tips to help you avoid contaminating your home with COVID-19. COVID-19 or the novel coronavirus can live on most surfaces an average of 72 hours, and longer if the surfaces are moist or porous. Experts estimate that 42% of people do not clean surfaces in their home well enough to kill a virus like COVID-19. Plus when you do go out, places like the grocery store or gas station are potential sites of contamination that might be teeming with germs that you can end up bringing home on your clothes, your shoes, your phone and your bag. Here are our tips for helping keep your home free of contamination and help prevent COVID-19 in your home.

1. Disinfect things immediately when you get home. Remove shoes at the door, wipe down bags, open any packages and have a trash can in your entryway for any packaging materials.

2. Take off dirty clothes immediately. While it might make for more laundry, your clothes are a potential source of contamination so you want to change clothes as soon as you arrive home. Put clothes into a hamper or better yet, into a wash load as soon as you get home. Wash clothes on the warmest setting possible to kill germs.

3. Disinfect your hands and your phone right away. Wash your hands thoroughly and disinfect your phone with alcohol wipes or other disinfectant.

4. Disinfect high traffic/high touch surfaces in your home. Think of how often you and your family touch door knobs, light switches, counters, tables, remote controls, faucets, railings, cabinet pulls and handles. Disinfect these areas frequently – at least once per day or more.

5. Use the right cleaner. Not all cleaners can disinfect so you want to make sure to use a cleaner that is also a disinfectant. Disinfecting cleaners should be clearly labeled but if you aren’t sure, there is a list from the EPA you can check out <https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2>.

6. Use door mats and rugs in high traffic areas and vacuum at least daily.

When preventing COVID-19 disinfection, an abundance of caution isn’t out of line. While changing clothes and disinfecting your phone might sound extreme, the virus can live on those surfaces and contaminate you, your family and your home. The Clean Up Club cares about our community and we want you to be safe and healthy during this difficult time.

When you have the right tools, cleaning can be faster and easier than ever. Here are the tools you’ll want in your cleaning tool box to help you get your clean done quick.

 

1. Mr. Clean Magic Erasers – While this tool has been out for a while, there is still nothing quite like it for cleaning scuff marks off walls and tackling tough tub stains and soap scum.

2. Drill Brush Power Scrubbers – This tool consists of a set of scrubbing brush heads that work with your regular cordless drill. These nylon brushes clean deep but don’t scratch fiberglass, tubs, porcelain, tile, showers, sinks, shower doors, door tracks, baseboards and grout.

3. Squeegee – Another classic tool, this one is perfect for keeping mirrors and glass shower doors squeaky clean and dry.

4. OXO Good Grips Deep Clean Brush Set – A set of two brushes, the larger is great for grout and scrubbing larger areas. The smaller brush is great around fixtures and tight areas. The smaller one also has a special wiper blade that cleans small crevices and even drain openings.

5. Drain Snake (brands include Zip-It, Vastar Drain Snake and others) – This tool is a long, flat and flexible strip of plastic with barbs or “teeth” along each side. When you have a slow moving drain and need to clean it up, this is the tool that gets the job done. Hair and soap builds up inside your drain over time and can slow down waterflow. Work the snake down into the drain and twist it slightly as you slowly pull it out along with all the hair and muck that was gunking up your drains.

6. TubShroom – This tool is a flexible plastic drain piece that prevents hair and other debris from going down your drain in the first place. The TubShroom catches the hair and you simply pull it out after a shower or bath and remove the collected hair.

7. House Again Microfiber Cleaning and Buffing Cloths – These double-sided super absorbent cleaning and buffing microfiber cloths are great for any cleaning task from cleaning down wet surfaces to dusting around the house.

8. Pumice Cleaning Stone (Fine Grit) – This fine grit pumice stone comes with a super strong handle to help you clean a variety of surfaces safely and without scratching. Clean your toilet, tubs, sinks, tile, pool tile, porcelain, stone and steel. This tool gives you a pristine clean while removing stains, calcium, lime, rust and hard water stains.

When you think of making your cleaning faster and easier, you likely think of the cleaning solutions themselves. These cleaning tools help you make quick work of almost any cleaning job on your list.

This flu season has been brutal! When it hits someone in your household, how do you disinfect your home to keep the rest of the family from getting sick too? It’s all about disinfecting your home of the flu!

1. Designate a special area for the sick person – Designate which bedroom and bathroom the sick person will use and have them stick to those areas. This helps cut down on the area you need to disinfect and helps prevent spreading flu germs throughout the house.

2. Disinfect surfaces first – The flu virus can live on a hard surface for over 24 hours. Plenty of time for it to spread to other family members. Disinfect your countertops, tables, remote controls, computers, tablets, door knobs, light switches, faucet handles, cabinet pulls, sinks, tubs and toilet (seat and handle). Follow the directions for disinfection found on the back label of the cleaner you’re using. If you aren’t sure, a good rule of thumb is to apply enough cleaner for the item to be visibly wet for about four minutes and then let air dry.

3. Sanitize kid’s items – Sanitize toys, cups, dishes, nipples, bottles, teething rings and other kids items by washing thoroughly, then sanitizing in a solution of two teaspoons of bleach per gallon of water. Soak then rinse with warm water and let air dry.

4. Open windows to circulate fresh air – For a couple of minutes each day, open the windows to circulate out stale, germy air and let fresh air in.

5. Be careful with laundry – When you transport clothes and bedding from the sick person’s room to the laundry, remember those items have flu germs all over them. Carry them in a basket, wash your hands after handling and disinfect the basket when finished with it.

6. Use paper towels instead of cloth for drying hands – While you have the flu in your home, switch to paper towels to dry hands and throw them away immediately instead of cloth towels that can harbor germs.

7. Use disposable cups and dishes for the sick person – This will make it easy to just throw the germs away instead of trying to sanitize dishes.

8. Disinfect your mop and broom – After using your mop and broom to clean the floor, soak them in a solution of 1/2 cup bleach per gallon of water. Fully submerge and allow to soak for 5 minutes. Rinse with warm water and let air dry.

When the flu hits your household, you can prevent its spread by disinfecting your house of the flu germs. These top tips will help you sanitize and kill the germs in your home to prevent the flu from spreading.

Is there a cleaning chore you tend to put off and put off? Is it cleaning the kitchen cabinets? Many people procrastinate on cleaning kitchen cabinets or simply don’t know what to use to clean the different types of cabinets. While it’s true that different types of cabinet finishes have different cleaning requirements, none are hard to manage when you know the right solution for the job!

 

Stained Wood Cabinets

The most time consuming are stained wood cabinets because you have to clean them first and then oil them to maintain their finish. It’s best to do this at least once per year but it’s better if you do it every six months. Start by creating your cleaning solution. You’ll want to start with a few drops of dish soap, then make a solution that is 7/8 white distilled vinegar and 1/8 rubbing alcohol. For easy application, you can put the solution into a squirt bottle. Use a microfiber cloth to wipe the solution off the cabinets and then rinse thoroughly with a separate microfiber cloth and warm water. Your final step after cabinets are dry is to polish them with a furniture oil containing beeswax to seal the finish.

 

White and Black Cabinets

Both white and black cabinets show every speck of dirt and dust they pick up. For these types of cabinets, it’s best to wipe them down weekly with a microfiber cloth dampened with warm water.

 

Painted Cabinets

For painted cabinets, you want to avoid harsh cleaners and chemicals because they can strip the paint or cause bubbling and chipping. To clean painted cabinets, fill a spray bottle with just distilled white vinegar (no rubbing alcohol in this one) and add a few drops of dish soap. Close the spray bottle and shake well. Spray the solution on the cabinets and wipe away with a clean damp microfiber cloth, following along with a dry microfiber cloth to prevent any streaks or spots.

 

Laminate Cabinets

If you have laminate cabinets, wiping them down once per week with a warm, damp microfiber cloth should be enough to keep them looking great. However, if you need a deep clean to remove stuck on food or grime, use the same solution you would for stained wood cabinets and wipe clean with a warm and damp microfiber cloth. We’re using microfiber cloths in all of these cleaning scenarios because they are the best for preventing water spots and streaks.

It’s also recommended that you remove your knobs and pulls to give them a deep clean and clean well around their holes in the cabinets to avoid build up of grime and grease.

Did you find that most types of cabinets are easier to keep clean than you thought? For many types, a quick weekly wipe down is enough to keep them looking fresh and new. When you have to put in a little more work, the payoff is worth it with beautifully clean cabinets.

Having cleaning supplies organized and handy makes it faster and easier to keep a clean home. When just finding the cleaner you need is a hassle, you’re more likely to leave the mess for later than to spend time searching for the cleaner you need. Here are some organization ideas that are affordable and help keep your clean easy.

Expandable Under Sink Rack
Limited space under the sink? No problem. Snatch up an under sink rack that expands to fit the space for around twenty bucks and you’ll double your storage space in a snap.

Tension Rod
Install a small tension rod under the sink to hang your spray bottles from. This keeps your spray cleaners handy so you can just grab and go.

Plastic Bag Dispenser
Most notably, the plastic bag dispenser by IKEA is a great way to store cleaning cloths, brushes, scrubbers, spray cleaners, gloves and more. And at only $3 each, you can get a few to keep all of your supplies neatly organized.

Shoe Organizer
Hang a clear shoe organizer on the inside of your pantry door (or linen closet door if you don’t have a pantry). The clear plastic pockets allow you to easily see each item and you can store a dozen or more cleaners, sprays, brushes, bottles, scrubbers, cleaning cloths and gloves in just one organizer. You can also use a shoe organizer that hangs on the rod and provides box-like cubbies to store paper towels, cleaning rags, extra toilet paper and other lightweight items.

Rolling Cart
A rolling cart is a great idea for cleaning chores where you need several cleaners or scrubbers or want to bring everything with you from room to room. Store supplies in a rolling cart you can move where you move as you clean your home. Hang hooks on the side for extra storage for brushes, scrubbers and towels.

Keeping your cleaning routine simple and easy is key to keeping up with it. The best way to keep it simple is with good organization so you can find what you need, when you need it in a flash and knock out any cleaning task with ease.

Cleaning the bathroom is probably everyone’s least favorite chore. Well, we have a handful of cleaning hacks that can help you clean each part of your bathroom faster and easier than ever before.

Bathtub

1. Vinegar and baking soda – Yes! The universal cleaning pair-up can also speed up your cleaning routine. Remove stains from rust and hair dye and remove soap scum in just a few simple steps. The amount of vinegar and baking soda you’ll need will vary based on the size of your tub and the number of stains you have to treat. You’ll want to combine the two ingredients in a bowl until you have a thick foamy paste. Use a mesh scrubber or steel wool to scrub the entire tub. Apply extra mixture to the stained areas and let sit overnight. In the morning, it just rinses away, stains and all.

2. Dawn dish soap – The old standard blue Dawn dish soap is the star cleaner here. Give the tub a good coating of soap and then use a broom (yes! a broom!) to scrub the tub in swift long strokes, using a little pressure until foamy. Let sit for 5 minutes and then rinse away and check for any missed spots to touch up.

Shower Walls

3. Dawn dish soap and vinegar – Mix equal parts of vinegar and blue Dawn dish soap into a spray bottle. Run the shower for a few minutes on hot to heat up the shower space. Spray to coat the surface of the shower walls evenly with the mixture. Let sit for 5 minutes then use a damp cleaning rag to wipe away.

4. Magic Eraser – Mildew stains are the pits and they can be super stubborn. A simple scrubbing with a Magic Eraser removes mildew stains quickly and easily.

Counter and Sink

5. Dish wand – Fill a dish wand with your favorite grime and grease cutting cleaner. The dish wand makes quick work of scrubbing down your sink and counter. Then simply rinse grime away.

Shining Faucets

6. Vaseline or coconut oil – Want shiny, water-repellent faucet finishes? Use a dab of either vaseline or coconut oil and rub evenly over the surface. Use a dry clean cloth to buff away the vaseline or the oil, leaving a shiny finish behind.

Mirrors

7. Shaving cream – Squirt a little on mirror, spread around and then buff away with a clean and dry cloth. This cleaning hack has the bonus of working as a mirror defogger too.

Toilets

8. Peroxide – Pour a half a cup of peroxide into the toilet bowl and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Use a toilet brush to scrub and then flush for a brilliant clean.

9. Coca Cola – Pour 1 can of Coca Cola into the toilet bowl and let sit for one hour. Use a toilet brush to scrub away grime and stains and flush clean.

Who knew your least favorite room to clean could be so simple and easy to care for? These cleaning hacks make the bathroom cleaning chores faster and easier than ever and you’ll have the most sparkling and shiny bathroom on the block with minimal effort.