AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN | 121
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pringistheseasonforburstsofenergyandenthusiasmand,forsomepeople,
thatmeansonething:springcleaning.“Regularcleaningkeepsthings
hygienicandlookingtidy,butyourarelygetintothedarkestcorners,”says
ElkeKeeley,co-founderofcleaningcompanyUrbanYou.“Springcleaningaddresses
areasthataren’talwaysvisible– insidecabinets,drawers,thepantry,airventsand
lightfittings.”Ideallyyoushouldaimtodoa deepcleanofyourhomeatthechange
ofeachseason,saysMichaelGirowal,founderofGreenCleanAustraliaandClean
Mission.“Andthatincludestheoven,insidethefridgeandthewindows.”
Thesatisfactionyou’llfeelattheendofa goodspringcleanishardtobeatand
it’sgettingeasiertoachieve,thankstoa raftofproductsonthemarketthatwill
helpyoupowerthrough.“Havingtherighttoolscutsyourcleaningtimeinhalf,”
saysGirowal.“Werecommenddusting,upholsteryandedgingattachmentsforyour
vacuum,a grout-scrubbingbrushfortheshowerandtiles,a squeegeeforwindows,
pluscolour-codedmicrofibreclothsforsurfaces.”OthertoolsinGirowal’sdeep-
cleaningcaddyincludea stiffbrushforsoapscum,a magiceraserforstubborn
marksanda scrapingbladefortheovendoor.CLEAN START
Here’showtodeepclean
urkitchenlikea pro:
Freshen your fridge
“Remove everything shelf
by shelf, wipe items and
shelves, and dispose of
out-of-datefood,”says
UrbanYou’sElkeKeeley.
Wash your tiles, floors and
benchtop “Use soapy water
or a multipurpose spray.
Wipewalltilesfromthe
topdown,”sheadvises.
Tackle doors and drawers
Remove everything from
cupboards and drawers
(including the cutlery tray)
and wipe all surfaces,
recommends Keeley.
“Clean into the back
corners of cupboards,
where grime accumulates.
Wipedripsandmarksfrom
doorsanddrawerfronts.”
Deodorise your
dishwasher “Eliminate
odours by placing a cup
of bicarb in the base of
the dishwasher and
running it while empty.”ABOVE Clockwise from left
Syneco folding ladder,
$29.50, Bunnings. FC5
hard-floor cleaner, $349,
Kärcher. White Magic
extendable duster, $24.95/
set of 2, Howards Storage
World. Pinnacle 9L
galvanised-steel bucket,
$21, Bunnings. Oates ‘Wizard’
duster, $10.50, Officeworks.
Ecomax coconut-fibre dish
brush, $10.95, Biome Eco
Stores. Long-lasting
bathroom sponges, $75/set
of 2, Enjo. White Magic
Sturdy grout cleaning brush,
$17.95, Howards Storage
World. Australian House
& Garden ‘Tyndall’ basket,
$99.95/pair, Myer.
Murchison-Hume Boys’
Bathroom Cleaner, $13,
Freedom. Ladelle Lemon
& Spearmint all-purpose
surface spray, $11.95, Myer.‘ YOU SHOULD AIM TO DO A DEEP CLEAN OF YOUR HOME AT
THE CHANGE OF EACH SEASON – THAT INCLUDES THE OVEN,
INSIDE THE FRIDGE AND THE WINDOWS.’ Michael Girowal“A three-step ladder is really useful – you’ll be surprised at what a little extra
height reveals,” adds Keeley. “You’ll also need a long-handled duster to remove
cobwebs from ceiling corners and to reach the top of the fridge and behind the
washer and dryer.”
You’ll find automated products galore to help you target specific cleaning jobs.
The latest cordless vacuums, such as Dyson’s V11 and Bosch’s Unlimited Series 8,
boast longer run times than their predecessors, powerful suction and a variety >