Most people talk of a “spring cleaning” but I have found that January after the busy holiday season is a great time to organize and deep clean your home. Tackling these items in January will give you a great feeling of starting the New Year off on the right foot.
Throughout the year, you have probably accumulated lots of additional “stuff” in your attic. Now is the time to organize and either donate or throw out items that you will never use again. Storing items in clear containers allows you to quickly identify items in a box.
I find the best way of accomplishing the deep cleaning is going room by room and cleaning every surface in each room. Everything from shelves to baseboards should be wiped clean.
Once you arrive at the kitchen, all appliances should be cleaned really well. We spend many hours each year in our kitchen so the stove, range and other appliance are due to be cleaned thoroughly including oven racks and under the hood.
Sink Cleaning Tips
One area of the kitchen that we often skip over that probably needs a deep clean the most is our kitchen sink and disposal. Since we use the sink daily to prepare food, it is important that we do much more than just spray it down with water. Germs, odors, and stains can quickly become problems. There is a detailed process which we can follow to clean and sanitize.
Here’s a list of items to help with the cleaning process:
- Liquid dishwashing soap
- Distilled white vinegar
- Baking soda
- Old toothbrush
- Soft sponge
First, thoroughly scrub and rinse the sink.
Expert Home Inspector Tips
Safely clean a stainless steel sink
Keep in mind that stainless steel sink can be damaged by using ammonia, abrasive cleaners or bleach. Use mild soap and a nylon sponge. You should then sprinkle the baking soda all over the sink and work it into a paste and then rinse again.
Paper towel and vinegar deep clean
Soak paper towels in white vinegar and line the sink with them. Let them sit for about 30 minutes and then rinse with soapy water. The last step is to clean the faucet and handles using a toothbrush to get under all edges and crevices. You should now have a sink that’s free of most germs, odors and stains!
Disposal Cleaning Tips
Your disposal is also an item in your kitchen that gets lots of use and not much attention. It is very important that you take extra precaution while cleaning your disposal because of the obvious dangers.
You will need the following items:
- Distilled white vinegar
- Baking soda
- Boiling water
- Ice
- Sea salt
- Lemon (or lime)
Expert Home Inspector Tips
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Sprinkle a ½ cup of baking soda down the disposal and then add 1 cup of white vinegar. Let the sit for a few minutes as it will bubble. Boil a kettle of water and pour the boiling water down the drain.
Ice & Salt
Fill the drain with 2 cups of ice and then pour 1cup of salt over the ice. Run the disposal until the ice is gone. The salt and ice will remove grime and debris.
Use Lemon or Lime
Cutting a lime or lemon in half and adding each half one at a time into the disposal while it is running (with water) will clean and deodorize you drain.
Congratulations, you are now ready to prepare many more great meals in a clean, fresh food prep area.
As I mentioned previously, having done home inspections throughout the Greater Houston area since 2003, I can tell you that deep cleaning your home on a regular basis will help keep the home in good condition and with less odors, stains and generally less deterioration. Then, when the time comes to sell your home, and home inspector shows up for the inspection, you will be able to relax knowing you have made efforts to maintain the home.
If you have a home inspection need anywhere in the Greater Houston area, please consider Texan Home Inspection. You can CLICK HERE and schedule a home inspection with one of our expert home inspectors in less than 5 minutes, or contact us today, 281-342-5762.
