10 Summer Cleaning Tips for a Sparkling Home

Home maintenance is the last thing you want to worry about in the summertime. To prevent heat, humidity, dust, grime, and pests from taking a toll on your home, employ these summer cleaning tips indoors and out. Tackle these cleaning tasks at the start of the season so you can enjoy the warm weather and sunshine the rest of summer.

Dust and Reverse Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans can stir up dust and pollen unless the blades are cleaned regularly.

Before you turn on the fan this summer, remove dust and debrisusing an old pillowcase.
Spray the interior of the pillowcase with an all-purpose cleaner and slip it over one of the blades.
As you wipe, grime gets trapped inside the pillowcase instead of falling on furniture or floors.
After cleaning, reverse the direction of the blades, so the fan brings cold air downward instead of pushing warm air around the room.

Clean Out the Fridge

Make room in your refrigerator for fresh produce and barbecue leftovers.

Working one section at a time, do a summer clean out, transfer items you want to keep to a cooler.
Check expiration dates. Toss anything past its prime.
Wipe down fridge surfaces with a damp cloth.
Was removable shelves and drawers at the sink with warm water and dish soap.

Do a Clean Sweep

A helpful summer cleaning tip is to stock front porches, decks, and patios with inexpensive brooms that you can use for all sorts of cleaning chores.

Use them to brush spider webs from windows, screens, railings, porch ceilings, mailboxes, window boxes, and foundation plantings.
Sweep porch and deck floors daily to remove debris deposited by wind, rain, incoming traffic, and critters.

Scrub Outdoor Cushions and Pillows

Cushions and pillows bring comfort and style to your outdoor furniture, but they endure a lot of wear and tear when exposed to the elements. Keep these plush accents fresh and ready for the next season with these helpful tips:

Using the upholstery attachment, vacuum over the surface of the cushion to remove loose dirt, dust, and debris.
Mix 1 Tbsp. dish detergent with 1/4 cup Borax in a bucket of water. Use a brush dipped in the cleaning solution to scrub the entire surface.
Use a garden hose on medium-high pressure to rinse off the cushions.
Squeeze out any excess water with your hands, then blot the fabric with a clean towel to soak up as much moisture as possible. Prop the cushions up vertically and allow them to air-dry completely.

Clean Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets, which are opened and closed frequently by messy hands, can get sticky if not properly cared for. Donna Smallin Kuper, a certified cleaning technician, shares her strategy for how to clean kitchen cabinets:

Dip a cloth into a solution of 1/4 cup of Murphy Oil Soap ($5, Target) and a gallon of warm water.
Wring the cloth and wipe cabinet fronts, paying special attention to areas around the knobs.
Dry with a clean cloth.

Kuper recommends doing this monthly. Otherwise, grime adheres, and when you try to remove it, the cabinet finish could come off with the greasy residue.

Clean Wicker Furniture

Wicker is a popular material for outdoor furniture, and rightfully so, as it adds a charming cottage style to any outdoor space. But with the tight weave of wicker, cleaning can be a challenge. Read on for tips and tricks for cleaning wicker.

Purchase covers for any pieces that stay outdoors, since shielding wicker furniture from the elements when it’s not being used will prevent fading.
For wicker made of bamboo, rattan, or willow, brush off or vacuum as much of the surface dirt as you can. Then wash the wicker with a soft brush and soapy water mixed with 1 or 2 tsp. ammonia. Rinse well and let the piece dry outside in the sun.
For wicker made of twisted paper or grasses, simply wipe them down with a damp cloth.
For synthetic wicker, clean with soap and water. Furniture made with synthetics wicker materials can also withstand being hosed down.

Prevent Mold in the Bathroom

To ward off mold and mildew in your bathroom, home-keeping expert Leslie Reichert suggests using a few speed-cleaning tips:

Clean the shower while you’re showering using a Mr. Clean Eraser sponge ($4, Walmart) and a squeegee.
Swish a brush around the toilet bowl daily; use a pumice stone to remove rings and stains.
Wipe mirrors with a finely woven microfiber cloth, which won’t leave streaks or lint, and use one sprayed with vinegar to wipe down countertops.
Clean sinks with an eraser sponge; shine sinks and faucets with a microfiber cloth.
Wipe floors with a damp towel or mop.
Since it’s summer, hang wet bath mats and damp towels outside to quick-dry in the sun.

Get Ready to Grill

Clean grill grates so remnants of previous meals don’t transfer to foods being grilled.

Follow Reichert’s summer cleaning tips for how scrubbing a gas grill:

Turn it on and let the grates get hot.

Place a cut lemon on a long-handled fork, dip it into a bowl of salt, and rub it across the grates. The lemon’s acid will cut grease, and the salt acts as a scrubbing agent.
Scrub especially dirty grates with a block of pumice, then wash grates well to remove pumice dust.
Avoid using metal brushes, Reichert says, because the bristles can break off and can get into your food.

Prepare for Grass Stains

Kneeling to garden, sliding into first base, and simply relaxing on your lawn are likely to result in grass-stained clothing. Because of the chlorophyll in grass and plants, these stains can be difficult to remove if left to set.

Here’s the best way to clean them:

As soon as possible, brush away debris and treat grass stains with a prewash spray or a solution of 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts water.
Let the solution sit for 5 minutes.
Machine-wash the stained clothing in an enzyme detergent and the hottest water safe for the fabric.

Freshen Window Treatments

Cleaning expert and author Mary Findley says summer is the perfect time for taking drapes and curtains outside for airing. Give window treatments a good shake to remove dust, and let them bask in the sun to expel stale odors. Alternatively, throw draperies and curtains into the dryer for 10 minutes to remove dust and kill mites; avoid having to iron them by promptly removing and rehanging them.

Looking for more tips? Head over to Better Homes & Gardens for more!