Ready for the big cleaning?
Everyone knows the ‘regular cleaning spots’, but which spots are easily forgotten and really deserve a soapy water? Which corners should not be skipped during the big cleaning? That’s why here’s a handy not-forgotten list, prepared by helpling the online marketplace for cleaning helpers.
1. Cooker hoods: get rid of that grease
An extractor hood absorbs cooking odors and is a magnet for grease. If you forget to clean it, it will clog. As a result, the extraction function deteriorates sharply and your entire kitchen will soon be blue during baking.
You can put the filter of the extractor hood in the dishwasher: place it horizontally in the upper part and let the dishwasher run completely once (with only the filter in it). The inside of the hood cannot of course be skipped. Remove the grease with a sponge and hot water. Then wipe with a damp microfibre cloth and dry with a cotton cloth.
If you don’t have a dishwasher, place the filter in the sink, fill it with double the amount of washing-up liquid and very hot or boiling water. Let it soak for half an hour and then scrub the dirt off with a scouring pad.
2. Freezer: frozen bacteria
Many bacteria do not die at the temperatures of a freezer, but only hibernate there. As a result, they end up in every nook and cranny of the freezer and can eventually spoil food.
Turn the freezer off to clean it, take out the drawers and let it thaw completely. After the freezer has thawed completely, you can kill the bacteria by wiping it with a cloth that has been soaked in a mixture of half water / half vinegar. After this, the bacteria will no longer wake up from their hibernation.
3. Dishwasher, incubator of mold
Bacteria feel safe in the pleasant warmth and humidity of the dishwasher and can cause damage if you don’t remove them in time.
First remove all loose parts: racks, lids of the salt and detergent dispensers and the filter. Then wipe the inside of the entire dishwasher with the soft side of a clean sponge and vinegar. Clean the filter with a sponge and washing-up liquid. Then put all parts (racks, lids, filter) back and fill the detergent dispenser with natural vinegar. Finally, run the dishwasher completely on the highest temperature.
4. Major cleaning and tile grouting
Shower, sink, toilet and the floor: the normal routine to clean your bathroom. You don’t actually think that tile grooves need a separate treatment. But it is precisely in those grooves that mold can develop. To combat this, you can use tea tree oil. It has an antibacterial effect and kills fungi.
After your normal bathroom routine, you can clean the grooves. Dip a cotton swab in Tea Tree oil and apply a generous layer to the grooves. After half an hour, this miracle cure has killed all the fungi and you can bathe carefree again.
5. Washing machine, rinse away the dirt
After a wash, the washing drum always looks spotless, but soap residue is guaranteed to remain in the pipes and other hidden places of your washing machine. As a result, your clothes will come out of the washing machine less fresh over time than you were used to.
To clean your washing machine: put 50 grams of baking soda (also: baking soda) directly in the washing drum and pour 50 milliliters of natural vinegar into the large detergent dispenser. Wash your washing machine (without clothes) at 60 degrees. Finish by scrubbing the detergent dispenser with a sponge and warm water.
6. Hidden risk factors in the big clean-up
Door handles, telephones, light switches and remote controls are touched several times a day, but are less likely to come into contact with antibacterial agents. Viruses can survive on these types of surfaces for up to 24 hours if not cleaned. Take on this danger: pour a good dash of natural vinegar on a microfibre cloth and wipe everything clean and bacteria-free.
7. The mattress: we never sleep alone…
dust mites. On average, 1.5 million of these critters live in your bed. So don’t forget to give your mattress some attention during the big cleaning this year. Beat the dust out of your mattress with a carpet beater and sprinkle it liberally with baking soda (baking soda). Leave it on for a few hours, vacuum your mattress to soak up everything, and put a new duvet cover on it. There is nothing better than a clean and freshly made bed.