FranniePantz: Dear Frannie Friday--Deep Cleaning Tips

June 5, 2015

Dear Frannie Friday--Deep Cleaning Tips

I hate cleaning. I HAAAAAAAAATE cleaning. And yet messes drive me insane so because I have 23 kids (ok, four but it feels like 23), I feel like I am cleaning all. the. time. But it isn't often that I reaaaaaally clean. Last week my weekly resolution was to deep clean my house. But I didn't finish, so it has continued into this week. Let me tell you, it is exhausting but wonderfully satisfying. Here are just a few simple tips for cleaning that made it SOOOO much easier:

Oven

We have a gas stove which, I think, is actually much easier to clean than the electric ones. But that doesn't mean that the burners don't get all nasty. I've done this trick quite a few times on both our current gas stove as well as past electric stoves and it works like a charm.

Step 1--Put a generous amount of baking soda around the burners

Step 2--Microwave a bowl of water so that it is HOT

Step 3--Put two to four washrags in the hot water and then place them (WITHOUT ringing them out) soaking wet on top of the burners

Step 3--Turn on your oven's self cleaning option

Step 4--After the oven is done cleaning, the baking soda and all the yucky stuff will literally just flake off and be clean as a whistle!

Bathroom Grout

Step 1--Mix together 3/4 bleach (actual bleach) and 1/4 cup baking soda to make a paste

Step 2--Generously spread it on the grout

Step 3--Let it sit for 10-15 minutes

Step 4--Rub it off with an old toothbrush or rag

Step 5--Let it sit for about 5 minutes longer

Step 6--Rinse it off with a handheld shower head or a wet rag

Blinds

I personally cannot stand the smell of vinegar, but it works, so you have to grin and bear it through this one. If you just put an old sock over your hands and moisten the sock with vinegar, it will clean your blinds like a charm.

All the Little Things

The thing about deep cleaning is that you have a chance to get to the little things that usually get neglected. So put those little magnets that the baby plays with into the dishwasher. Take a rag to the baseboards. Clean off the ceiling fan blades. It's all little 2 minute cleaning jobs but in the end, it makes a world of difference.