By: Danny Lipford
With Memorial Day 2016 this coming Monday, this is the perfect time to share with you summer home cleaning tips that can easily be forgotten.
Indoor Summer House Cleaning
- Refrigerator Coils: The condenser coils on a refrigerator remove heat from inside the unit; and if they get dusty and dirty, it can cost up to $100 more a year to run your fridge! The coil is located either on the bottom behind the kickplate, or on the back of the refrigerator. To clean refrigerator coils, turn off the power to the fridge, then vacuum the coils using a homemade wand from a cardboard gift wrap tube or a vacuum cleaner brush attachment.
- Refrigerator Door Gasket: The flexible magnetic rubber gaskets on your refrigerator doors can wear out and reduce the efficiency of your fridge. Start by inspecting the seals for cracks or tears, then clean the gaskets with soap and water. Next, test the seal by closing the door on a piece of paper or dollar bill, then gently pull it out. You should feel resistance if the seal is working properly. If the paper pulls out easily, you may need to realign the door or replace the gasket.
- Range Hood and Filter: Allowing grease to buildup on range hoods and over the stove microwave fans can reduce their efficiency and shorten the life of the fan. In addition to cleaning the outer and inner surfaces of a range hood or microwave with a citrus-based cleaner, it’s important to remove and clean the range hood grease filter regularly by washing it in the sink in hot, soapy water or running the filter in the dishwasher. If you can access the exhaust fan on the range hood, turn the circuit breaker off and clean the fan blades as well.
- Bathroom Vent Fans: Bathroom ceiling vent fans can collect quite a bit of dust, which can makes them noisy and inefficient. To clean and maintain a bathroom vent fanremove the cover, vacuum out any dust, and spray any moving parts with silicone lubricant to get your fan quietly humming once again.
- Bathroom Drains: Nothing ruins a good shower like a slow running drain! To clean tub and sink drains, remove the drain assembly and insert a drain stick in the drain pipe to pull out any hair or other clogs. Follow this by pouring a little bleach down the drain, allow it to sit for 10 minutes, then flush it with water to kill any mold or mildew lurking in the pipe.
- Showerheads: When the nozzles on a showerhead become clogged with mineral deposits, the spray can be reduced and start going haywire. To clean your showerhead, tie a plastic bag full of vinegar over the showerhead and allow it to soak overnight (or take the showerhead off and soak it in a pan), then turn on the hot water to rinse it out. If your showerhead has seen better days, replace it with a water saving model.
- Ceiling Fan Blades: The blades on paddle ceiling fans tend to get dusty over time and keep churning that dust around in your room. To clean ceiling fan blades, secure a clothes dryer sheet to a paint roller with rubber bands, and use it to roll those dust-bunnies away!
- Clothes Dryer Vent Pipe: The accumulation of lint in the vent pipe and hose on clothes dryers causes 15,000 fires annually! To prevent a dryer vent fire in your home, it’s important to clean the dryer vent regularly. Start by removing the dryer hose and/or outside vent pipe cover, then clean the inside of the hose and pipe thoroughly with a special brush or vacuum cleaner. Also, make sure to clean the lint filter on your dryer every time you dry a load of clothes.
This article is from Today’s Homeowner.
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