10 Tips for Deep Cleaning Your Home

1. Maintain the Right Humidity Level
It’s important to maintain optimum humidity levels in your home. If the humidity is too low it results in static electricity. This is a problem because static electricity attracts dust and makes it hard to remove. If the humidity is too high, it creates the perfect environment for dust mites. Dust mites are an allergen and they promote dust production in the home. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, there are up to 19,000 dust mites in a half teaspoon of dust. To prevent static and keep dust mites to a minimum, keep the humidity in your home between 40% and 50%.

2.  Protect Your Furniture and Carpets
To keep furniture and carpets clean, use protective furniture sprays and carpet sealants. Scotchgard and Ultra-Guard are two examples of effective brands. These products protect against liquid spills. When a liquid hits a protected surface, it beads up instead of absorbing into the fabric. These products can be multi-purpose, protecting against mold, mildew and bacteria as well. A good practice is to get a deep upholstery and carpet cleaning once a year, and then use a sealing product. 

3. Use a Car Product to Prevent Soap Scum Buildup
A great way to prevent soap scum from building up on glass shower doors is to use a product made to protect car windshields. These rain-repellent products can be coated on glass shower doors. They form a barrier that makes water, oils, and soap suds bead up and roll away. You can find them at any store that sells auto supplies. When you notice that water is no longer beading on the shower door, it’s time to reapply the product. These products were made for glass, so they should not be used on plastic.

4. Use a Pumice Stone on Your Oven
Oven cleaners can be toxic and messy to use. Most oven cleaners contain lye, which is a dangerous substance that can burn your eyes and skin. The old fashioned approach to cleaning ovens is still your best bet. A wet pumice stone can be used to scrape your oven free of dirt and grease. Another trick for cleaning ovens is to put a clean, damp cloth or sponge in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then use it to wipe down your oven with or without cleaning products. It’s a good idea to use rubber gloves to do this.

5. Seal Your Stone Countertops
Granite, marble, and other stone countertops are porous, so colored liquids can be absorbed, causing stains. Use a sealer on your countertop that prevents stains by making the liquid bead up on the surface. Even though these countertops are usually sealed when they’re installed, the sealant can wear down and needs to be replaced. Twice a year, reseal your countertops. You can test them to see if they need new sealant by dropping a small amount of water on the countertop. If the water doesn’t bead and stay beaded for a few minutes, then it needs to be resealed.

6. Clean Your Toilet with Coca-Cola
Traditional toilet cleaners can contain lots of harsh chemicals. Avoid toxic fumes by using Coca-Cola to clean your toilet instead. Simply pour the beverage into your toilet and let it soak, then scrub with your toilet brush. After you flush, the Coca-Cola should leave your toilet sparkling clean.

7. Use Grapefruit and Salt on Your Bathtub
Similar to  toilet cleaners, bathtub cleaners can contain harsh chemicals and scrubbing the bathtub tends to be an arduous task. Cleaning your tub can be less toxic and more pleasant with salt and a grapefruit. First, sprinkle coarse salt all over the bathtub. Then use a grapefruit that’s been cut in half to rub in and wipe up the salt. Finally, simply rinse the tub with water.

8. Use Coffee Filters to Clean Electronics
There’s no need to buy special cleaning cloths to clean your delicate computer screens and other electronic devices. A simple coffee filter is effective to clean dust and fingerprints off of these devices. Use it to clean screens on your TV, tablet, computer and  phone without leaving a trace of fibers behind.

9. Use “Daylight”Light Bulbs
While it’s not exactly cleaning, making sure you have bright light bulbs will make your home look nicer and enable you to spot stains and other messes more quickly. “Daylight” bulbs are full-spectrum light bulbs designed to look like natural light. They actually positively affect your mood, just like sunlight does. These bulbs are usually labeled “daylight” and range between 5,000 to 6,5000 kelvins.

10. Spot Clean Everyday
 Perhaps the best way to address deep cleaning is to spot clean on a daily basis to prevent dirt from building up and stains from forming. Cleaning regularly will also keep allergens at a minimum. Putting together a handy kit for spot cleaning makes it fast and easy to do.
Here are some essential items:

• Cleaning pads- use them to wipe down walls and light switches
• Damp micro-cloths- wipe down your pets to prevent dander from filling the air
• Dry sweeper cloths- use them to dust and clean dry dirt from floors, electronics and other surfaces

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Sources:
https://makespace.com/blog/posts/deep-cleaning-tips-tricks-hacks/
https://www.houselogic.com/organize-maintain/cleaning-decluttering/spring-cleaning-tips/?site_ref=mosaic
https://homehacks.co/deep-cleaning-hacks-for-entire-house/