Housekeeping Tips from Ashley                                         

                Time-saving tips for summer cleaning

  • Keep your drains (and especially your garbage disposal!) mold and bacteria free during the warm weather months by pouring some boiling water down them, followed by a dollop of baking soda and dash of white vinegar. Finish with more boiling water to flush.
  • Keep an eye out for leaks, whether it is your AC unit or outdoor hose. Not only will leaks rack up your water bill, but they could cause mold to grow and unwanted puddling near your home’s foundation. Fix leaks by tightening any loose hardware, valves or hose attachments.
  • Dry brush outdoor couch cushions (or hit them with your vacuum’s upholstery attachment) to remove pollen and pet hair before hosting company.
  • Clean and reverse your ceiling fan blades each summer, so they are not just aimlessly swirling dirt and pollen around in your home. By reversing the blades to turn counterclockwise, the fan will push cold air, rather than warm air, downward.
  • Invest in a few inexpensive brooms and dustpans to stash on each porch, patio or deck. These are handy for spot cleaning all your window treatments, screens, railings, ceilings, window boxes, etc.
  • Buy a new summer shower curtain liner and pretreat it by running it through the washing machine on the cold, gentle setting with ¼ cup of white vinegar. This will prevent mold and mildew from forming on the shower liner during the warmer, more humid months.
  • Give your gas grill an exfoliating spa treatment in between uses to keep the grates fresh.
    • Just turn it on high, and let the grates get hot (or use this technique when you are done cooking, while the grill is still hot).
    • Hold a cut lemon with long-handled tongs or stick it on the end of a long-handled fork (either way, be careful!).
    • Dip the lemon into a bowl of salt and then rub it across the grates from front to back. The lemon's acid will cut grease, while the salt is a scrubbing agent.
  • Crush grass stains by pretreating them with a DIY solution of 1-part white vinegar and two parts waters. Let the solution sit for 5 minutes before machine washing stained items with an enzyme detergent on the hot setting.