Now that Spring Break is wrapped up and kids are back to school, its time to focus on Spring Cleaning!
When doing staging consultations one thing we are always stressing to clients is CLEANING your home. A sparkling clean home shows so well and stands out from the competition.
Usually when preparing to sell, time is at a premium and any time saving tricks are gold!
Here’s a few tips we love to share with our clients:
Removing Hard Water Stains:
Soak some paper towels or cleaning cloths in undiluted vinegar, place on and around the mineral build-up, leave the damp cloths on for at least an hour and then scrub and rise. Ta-Da!
Cleaning Your Dishwasher:
First remove the bottom loading tray and inspect your drain, remove any debris that can clog the draining process. Next sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda on the bottom of your dishwasher, replace the loading tray and leave the baking soda overnight. In the morning, run the hottest possible cycle using vinegar instead of detergent to clean and deodorize your dishwasher. Bye-Bye dirt and odors!
Cleaning Your Pendant Lighting:
Light fixtures! Remove the glass dome, place on the top rack and run the dishwasher as normal. Make sure you use the drying feature to reduce spots.
Clean Faster with These Secret Weapons:
Better Homes and Gardens recommends CLEANING FASTER with these four things:
- A 50ft, 16 gauge extension cord lets you plug in your vacuum at a central location so you can clean a whole level without stopping to find another outlet.
- A microfiber mop with an extension pole dusts ceilings and walls quickly and easily. When you’re done, just remove the cover and toss in the wash.
- A double-sided squeegee is the nest tool for cleaning windows. Dip it in your cleaning solution of choice and work in a tight S-pattern from top to bottom.
- Mr.s Clean Magic Erasers make short of soap scum, scuff marks, wayward crayon scribbles, and lots more.
Our favorite SECRET WEAPONS:
- ZEP Heavy-Duty Citrus Degreaser cleans stainless steel, appliances and kitchen surfaces. Removes adhesives, grease and oil from most surfaces. Look for it in the paint section of your home center.
- Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser has a combo of mild abrasives and oxalic acid that removes baked-on food, teas and coffee stains, and rust. BKF cleans stainless steel cookware and sinks, glass and ceramic cook-tops, solid surface countertops, porcelain and acrylic bathtubs and more!
- Goo Gone Pro Power is a non-corrosive liquid formula that cleans and removes chewing gum, grease, tar, stickers, labels, tape residue, oil, blood, lipstick, mascara, shoe polish, crayon and bumper stickers. Cuts through grease and grime AND is safe for use on carpets, upholstery, clothing, wood, cement, metal and plastic.
- A-MAZ Water Stain Remover is safe to use in non-ventilated areas and no mask or gloves are required. Removes water spots and mineral deposits like lime scale, calcium, oxidation, iron, alkali, mildew, mold, soap scum, paint and salt spray. You will be AMAZED what this does for shower doors!
Do you need guidance on how to best prepare your home for sale? Staging consultations are affordable and customized to help you maximize your time and save you $$.
Creative Concepts – Home Staging and Contracting – 503-881-0886 www.stagingoregon.com
