Earlier this month we shared some of our top tips for spring cleaning.  The article was so popular we decided to do more research to help you get your apartment in Austin clean and shiny this spring!

Coffee Filter Cleaners

One of the most affordable tools in the house is probably sitting next to your coffee cups in the cupboard.  Time to pull them out and put them to a new use!  Did you know they worked really well as a dust rag?  Just wipe and toss and you will be on your way.

Even better, when placing food into the microwave, top it off with a coffee filter and say good-bye to spaghetti stains and other colorful sauces that used to pop all over inside!

Shoe Storage Savior

The next time you cannot find a match for your left shoe or right, go out to the local liquor store and pick-up a wine box.  It is the perfect home for storing your shoes together and saving space at the same time.

Computer Cord Caddy

Just before you toss that toilet paper or paper towel tube, hold on to it!  They are the ideal solution for gathering all those computer cords into one tidy bundle.  This works for electrical cords as well so save those handy cylinders and repurpose them today.

Another ideal container that works well for this same purpose is pipe insulation.  We got some at the hardware store and found that the ½ inch is the ideal size for seizing the mess under our desks.

Pie Plate Dustpan

For quick clean-ups of spilled dirt, sugar, flour and more, keep an aluminum pie plate handy.  Cut it in half, clean up your mess, and toss it all away into the trash.

Glove Dust Magnets

Here is a great tip for dusting off the knickknacks around your apartment in Austin.  Grab a pair of ‘cotton’ garden gloves, spray them with your favorite natural cleaner, and dust all those small accessories that have collected dust over the winter months.  This ‘fingertip’ cleaning tip is one of our favorite ways to keep our keepsakes clean throughout the year.

Designer Drawers

When was the last time you could not find something in your bathroom drawer? Gone are the days of trying to find the lip balm or toe-nail clippers!  We have found that a silverware drawer insert is the ideal solution for sorting out all sorts of stuff that deserves its own space.

If you have any more ideas that we should share with your neighbors at our pet friendly apartment community in Austin, send them our way!  And in the meantime, the best of success to you in your spring cleaning endeavors!

The post More Top Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Apartment in Austin, TX appeared first on Le Montreaux A Concierge Community Blog.

With spring just around the corner (March 20^th), we wanted to help our residents at Le Montreaux Apartments get motivated to start spring cleaning. With help from MarthaStewart.com and HouseBeautiful.com we compiled a yearly ‘To-Do List’ before the weather gets hot again and everyone wants to spend time having fun in the sun! We know how much fun Austin can be!

Start by cleaning out your closets.

Ever just stuff some clothes in there to get them off the floor? Or is it overflowing with bulky sweaters and coats? Now is a good time to pack your winter clothes away and make room for a spring and summer wardrobe. Make sure to make a donation pile for the items you don’t really want, use, or need anymore. When in doubt, throw it out!

The freezer is your friend.

If you don’t like to be inside cooking in the hot summer months, use your freezer. Prep meals that freeze well and that can be reheated quickly to speed up dinner. Grilling is also a quick way to serve up dinner on hot summer nights.

Organize!

Separate your cleaning supplies into buckets for where they are for such as bathroom, kitchen, laundry, etc. If you’re feeling extra motivated, create labels for each bucket. Now is also a good time to go through medicine cabinets and throw out old and expired products. You will be better able to determine what products you might need to stock up on and which ones to skip.

Clean House.

A clean house is a happy house! Deep clean the entire house so that when you clean again it will be quick. Here are a number of items that sometimes get overlooked when we clean house.

The dishwasher. Use a specialty dishwasher cleaner to ensure the dishwasher is clean and can effectively clean your dishes. This should be done monthly.

Entire countertop surfaces. Clean the entire surface and don’t forget to get the backsplash.

Cabinets. Take the time to wipe off the tops and front sides of the cabinets where dust and grease can settle and build-up.

The refrigerator. It’s a good idea to take all the shelves and drawers out and wash with soap and water and wipe down the interior of the fridge.  

The oven. At least once a year we should deep clean our ovens from top to bottom. Here’s an almost effortless way! Just warm up the oven to 150 degrees, turn the oven off, and then place a small bowl of ammonia (1/2 cup) on the top rack and a large pot with boiling water on the bottom rack. Let it sit overnight with the oven door closed and then wipe clean with some dishwashing liquid and a rag or sponge.

Bedding. Pillows, comforters, dust ruffles.

The washing machine. You can purchase a specialty cleaner or use white cleaning vinegar for the washer to ensure mold and mildew don’t build up and cause a stench you can’t get rid of. Leave the washer door open when not in use so it can dry out and further prevent mold and mildew.

Windows. Clean the inside of each window but also make sure to clean the outside of the windows to remove dirt and grime that built up over winter. House Beautiful’s pro tip is to wash on a cloudy day, so the cleanser doesn’t immediately dry on the windows.  

Carpet. According to House Beautiful, the carpet should be professionally cleaned every 18 months in areas that don’t have a lot of traffic and three or four times a year in high traffic area.

Complete Unfinished Projects. Finish up and projects you started over the winter to make time for the new ones come spring when the air is fresh, and the temperatures start to rise.

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