Get spring cleaning now! Want a sparkling clean home?

Day 1: Time for your summer wardrobe!

Get everything out of your wardrobe and divide it into three piles: clothes you want to keep, items you’re unsure about and stuff to sell second hand or donate to charity. Clean the wardrobe itself by vacuuming the shelves and drawers, then wiping it with a damp cloth and a little mild detergent. Then put everything back into the wardrobe. Separate storage boxes are the best place for your underwear and socks.

Day 2: Wash the washing machine.

When you wash your clothes, dirt and traces of soap can be left in the washing machine. So it’s important to clean it regularly yourself. Pay particular attention to the rubber seal around the drum, the detergent drawer and the hollow it fits into. Then pour a good dash of vinegar into the drum and run the boil wash programme with the machine empty. Last but not least, clean the outside of the machine with warm, soapy water and a cloth.

Day 3: Attack the oven!

You know that smell of burning cheese that comes from the oven when you use it again the week after your cosy night in with a pizza. It’s time to give it a thorough clean, but you really can’t face all that scrubbing. Save yourself a ridiculous amount of work by putting a bowl of ammonia in the oven before you go to bed and leave it there overnight. Ventilate the kitchen well when you remove the bowl from the oven the next day. You’ll find you then have no trouble at all removing the baked-on grease.

Day 4: Vacuum the walls.

Before you can get going with a bucket and mop, it’s a good idea to get rid of the dust in your home. The following tips help you get this done more quickly. To start with, move everything aside that is in the way and check that the bag inside your vacuum cleaner isn’t full. Work from the top down: start by vacuuming the corners of the ceiling, the walls and the curtains (yes, you can vacuum them too). Then tackle the furniture, and last but not least, the floors and rugs.

Day 5: Read the newspaper while you have the chance!

In a moment, you’ll be recycling it. When the weather starts getting sunnier, it’s time to make your windows shine. It’s best to start by brushing the dirt off the window frames, then cleaning the glass using lukew

arm water plus a generous dash of vinegar. Make sweeping movements with your window wiper, and alternate between horizontal strokes on the inside and vertical ones on the outside. For extra shine, polish the glass with crumpled-up newspaper while it’s still wet.

Day 6: Put a potato in the fridge.

The fridge is another appliance that can get a bit smelly if you don’t clean it regularly. If you’ve accidently left overripe pears to rot in the vegetable crisper, try using vinegar, a raw potato, baking soda or coffee. They absorb nasty smells in no time at all. When you clean the fridge, don’t forget the little ‘hole’ at the back. If there’s something stuck in it, use a toothpick to unblock the hole.

Day 7: Lemon in the bathroom!

Whatever you do, you’re bound to get limescale in the bathroom sooner or later. So it’s time to call in the heavy artillery. And that means... Grandma’s special remedies. Lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda are fantastic cleaning products for the bathroom. Use them to get your taps sparkling like diamonds.

Day 8: Polish your wooden floors.

If you have a wooden floor, it’s important to give it some regular TLC to prevent wear and tear. It’s up to you whether you use floor wax, oil or varnish. Your choice will depend on how intensively you use the floor. Wooden floors in kitchens and bathrooms usually have a harder time of it than the other rooms in your home.

Day 9: Fix your fire!

Isn’t it wonderful to warm your cold cheeks by the fire in wintertime? It’s just a shame that the flames gradually disappear behind a thick layer of soot. When winter ends, it’s best to find the time to get your fire looking spick and span again. Ammonia works wonders here, too. Leave a bowl of it in the hearth overnight and let it do its thing. And once again: don’t forget to ventilate the room well when it’s time to clean it!

Day 10: Take your old electrical and electronic appliances to the RecyclePoint

Once you’ve given the whole house a good going over and everything smells as fresh as springtime itself, there’s one last thing to do. You need to ‘declutter’, of course! When you do a thorough spring clean, you’re bound to find a few old devices that you didn’t even know you had. If they still work, take them to the second-hand shop. If not, head to a Recupel collection point.  And now... bring on the sunshine!