With houseguests gone and the decorations put away for another year, what better time to get a few important deep cleaning jobs done around the house that may have been neglected with all the holiday activities. Roll up your sleeves and start the new year off right with our top five unsuspecting cleaning tasks to tackle now for your best January ever:
Sweep Up
Out of sight? Out of mind! Address high-up surfaces such as ceiling fans, kitchen cabinet tops, crown molding, bookshelves, light fixtures and more now with the award-winning Precision Angle Broom to trap dust and cobwebs. Simply sweep its flagged tips along the surface, remembering to relocate items positioned below before cleaning.
What you’ll need:
- Precision Angle Broom
- A step stool or a ladder (plus a spotter)
- An Upright Dust Pan
- A garbage bag or bin
After you’ve removed everything from beneath the area you’ll be cleaning (clear off the kitchen counter, for example), use the Precision Angle Broom to sweep and trap dust. Clean off the bristles into the garbage bag or bin on-hand. Sweep the surface below with the broom into the Upright Dust Pan and empty it into the garbage. Depending on the surface, you may then wish to use a Microfibre Dust Cloth with your preferred cleanser to wipe the surface clean.
If you’re tackling lighting fixtures, consider removing the fixture altogether after you’ve captured the cobwebs and clean it carefully on its own.
For kitchen cabinets and bookshelves, why not remove all items from the shelves and give each shelf, including the back and the sides, a thorough cleaning?
Mop Up
After a month of dry mopping under and around just about everything, take the time to move your furniture and thoroughly mop your floors. With an 8.5” scrub brush for dried-on gunk, tear-resistant head and wringer, the Nitty Gritty Roller Mop is the go-to tool for this big job.
What you’ll need:
- Nitty Gritty Roller Mop
- Someone to help you move the furniture
- Clean & Rinse Bucket
- A floor cleaner of your choice
Move furniture out of the way with the help of a second set of hands, being careful not to scratch the floor or hit the wall with the furniture. Cover furniture as necessary or as you see fit. After removing the wringer, fill one side of the bucket with water and the floor cleaner of your choice. Submerge the Nitty Gritty Roller Mop in the water, wring and mop the floor. Use the convenient brush as needed to remove hard, dried-on messes. Wring the dirty water into the empty side of the bucket (separating dirty water from clean). Repeat until the floors have been mopped and they’re dry. Return the furniture to their spots carefully. Take a seat and put your feet up – you’re done!
An alternative to store-bought floor cleaner is to make your own at home. If that’s something you’re interested in, there are lots of different recipes online. Here’s one specifically for hardwood floors from the folks at Clean My Space:
Hardwood Floor Cleaner
• 2 c. water
• ¼ c. vinegar
• ½ tsp. dish soap
• 5-10 drops essential oil
Wipe Up
Perhaps the hardest working appliance in the kitchen is your oven. Now’s the time to show it some TLC with a little elbow grease and a deep cleaning. Grab a Heavy Duty Easy Rinse Scrub Sponge with deep grooves on one side and non-scratch material on the other, and get ready to remove those racks. Things are about to get clean!
What you’ll need:
- Heavy Duty Easy Rinse Scrub Sponges
- Oven cleanser of your choice
- Glass cleaner of your choice (suitable for oven window)
- Utility Bucket
There are several different ways to manually clean an oven, regardless of whether it’s a self-cleaning oven or not. Some people use sprays while others use pastes or foams. Some people apply and scrub immediately while others leave the solution overnight to work its magic before scouring.
However you choose to clean your oven, one thing remains true: You’re going to require a strong and reliable sponge.
Soft, flimsy sponges will fail to remove baked-on debris and uber-aggressive sponges can run the risk of scratching non-stick and delicate surfaces such as the oven window.
That’s why we designed our Heavy Duty Easy Rinse Scrub Sponges with two distinct sides – one for each part of the oven and one for each part of the job.
Whenever you decide to tackle the task at hand, remember to fill the Utility Bucket with warm water and use it to rinse the sponge as you clean. You’ll thank us later, we promise!
Wash Up
If you can’t remember when you last emptied and washed out your household garbage cans and recycling and compost bins, it’s time. Oh, is it time. Reach for a Microfibre Sponge Cloth to reduce waste while you’re giving everything a really good scrub for a more absorbent and sustainable option than single-use cloths.
What you’ll need:
• Microfibre Sponge Cloths
• A large sink (utility sink, for example)
• Soap or cleaner of your choice
Ever wondered what’s growing in the bottom of these kitchen bins? Bacteria, for one thing (we don’t even want to think about what else). So, keeping them clean is important – and thankfully really easy. Simply fill the sink with hot water and your favourite soap or cleaner. Immerse each bin in the hot soapy water and wash thoroughly, inside and out, with the Microfibre Sponge Cloth. Rest upside down to air dry on the counter. Once dry, return the bins to their rightful place in the kitchen and line as you see fit. So easy, right? You’ll be wondering what took you so long to add this simple task to your weekly list of chores.
Scrub Up
Your spa bathroom may be magazine-worthy, but that discoloured tile grout is a designer “don’t”. Remove grime and build-up with an ergonomic Small Scrub Brush. This will take some time – but it’ll be well worth it. While you’re at it, maybe it’s time to make weekly bathroom tile scrubbing your new year’s resolution?
What you’ll need:
- Small Scrub Brush
- Bathroom tile and grout cleanser of your choice
Stubborn grout stains are everywhere in the bathroom if you look close enough. On the floor, surrounding the tub, in the shower stall… and it can be a little overwhelming. The good news is that this task is super satisfying, so don’t let it become too daunting to attempt.
Like manually cleaning the oven, there are a million different ways to clean scummy tile grout with seemingly an equal number of cleansers available to use (both store-bought and DIY). You do you! What’s crucial is that you use a tough, sturdy and ergonomic scrub brush – because this task is going to take a while. Designed for comfort and control, strong polymer bristles work hard to remove grime and bring beautiful grout lines back to life. It’ll be worth it, we promise!