Most-Missed Spring Cleaning A Checklist for Places Dirt Hides by Sharon Miller Cindrich
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Washing windows, shampooing carpets, hosing down the garage. It’s spring and time to rid our homes of dirt and clutter. While many families have a plan to tackle large cleaning jobs, most forget to clean out what lurks in those hidden crevasses – closets, lunch boxes, backpacks, glove compartments, toy boxes, car seats and medicine cabinets that can be hotspots of messiness. This year, clean from the inside out and create a plan to tackle these most-missed areas along with regular spring cleaning. Address one area each week, and you’ll be spic and span by summer vacation! Lunch boxes and backpacks: Turn soft lunch bags inside out, gently wash inside walls with a mild detergent and use a toothbrush to scrub seams. Run your child’s lunchbox through a cycle if it is dishwasher safe, or scrub it down with a mildly abrasive sponge. Turn backpacks inside out, too, shake crumbs and dirt outside and use a clean paint brush to clean seams, then give it a good squirt of fabric-friendly odor neutralizer.
Junk Drawer: Whether your catch-all drawer is
in the kitchen or home office, dump it out and start from scratch. Wipe out the interior and use a drawer organizer to sort like items into bins – paper clips, twist ties, rubber bands, pens and birthday candles. Discard expired batteries, coupons and dried up pens. Collect coins and relocate to your wallet.
Glove Compartment: Discard old condiment packets, outdated directions and extra food napkins. Check insurance cards, emergency contact information and registration papers and replace with current information. Update first aid kits with fresh ointments, bandages and antiseptic wipes. Add a fresh packet of handi-wipes and bug repellent wipes. Freezer: The National Center for Home Food Preservation recommends defrosting freezers with a manual feature at least once a year or when there is more than one-fourth inch of frost over a large area of the freezer surface. Follow instructions in your freezer’s manual for defrosting. Then, get rid of frozen food that has been in the freezer more than a year and containers that are not properly sealed. Take inventory of what you have and make a meal plan to include frozen ingredients. Then make sure you’re ready for summer with a fresh frozen ice pack for injuries. 16 Atlanta Parent April 2014
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