Better Homes Gardens USA April 2019

BY CAYLIN HARRIS ILLUSTRATIONS EDWIN FOTHERINGHAM

PASSIVE-

AGGRESSIVE

CLEANING

Open your blinds,

sit back, and relax.

One study found that

bacteria reproduces

almost 50 percent

slower in sunny rooms

versus dark.

❑CEILING FAN

Flip the fan’s switch

so blades rotate

counterclockwise—

better for spring and

summer cooling.

❑FIREPLACE

DAMPER

Close it to keep

AC-cooled air in

and critters out.

❑WINDOWS

Replace storm

windows with screens.

❑GUTTERS

Clear the way for

spring showers.

❑DETECTORS

Test smoke alarms

and carbon

monoxide detectors.

RULES

TO

C L E AN

BY

WORK TOP TO

BOTTOM

This way dust and dirt

won’t land on freshly

cleaned surfaces.

CLEAN LIKE

WITH LIKE

For instance, do all

the bathrooms at one

time so you gather

supplies only once.

Cinara Neukirchen,

CLEANERS

THAT DISINFECT

SHOULD SIT

FOR AT LEAST

10 MINUTES

TO GET THE JOB

DONE.

Then wipe each

surface with a

diff erent cloth

to prevent cross

contamination.

Becky Rapinchuk,

author of Clean

Mama’s Guide to a

FIRST THINGS FIRST

SPRING

C HANGE-

UPS

The all-the-little-things handbook

to deep cleaning your home.

OXO Good

Grips

Microfiber

Floor

Duster,

$20;

kohls.com

The material really

is an all-purpose,

no-chemicals-required

cleaning hero. But the

cloths need tender

loving cleaning, too.

[TOOL TLC]

MICROFIBER

■ (^) Wash and dry separately.
Other items can transfer a ton of
lint and hair. ■^ Launder in hot
water and skip fabric softener and
dryer sheets. They gum
up the super-grabby fibers.

TO

WA L K

AWAY

water for five

inside for 30.

The steam loosens

debris, so it wipes off

with a wet sponge.

COFFEEMAKER

Brew a pot of equal

parts white vinegar

and water. Stop

cycle halfway; let sit

for an hour before

completing. Run water

cycles three times.

OVEN

Bake a pan of water

at 350°F for 30

minutes. Once cool,

go after spills with

a scouring pad. Still

have buildup? Run the

self-cleaning mode.

42 | April 2019

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