Don’t Forget to Spring Clean These 5 Spots in Your Apartment

Daylight Savings Time has started, the days are getting longer, and the season for spring cleaning is on its way. After a long winter spent cooped up inside, it’s time to let out the stale air and bring some freshness back to your apartment. You may already have decluttering your closet or cleaning out your pantry on your spring cleaning checklist, but don’t forget to also clean these easy-to-miss spots in your apartment. Read on for our lesser known spring cleaning tips.

This will look different depending on what kind of furniture you have in your apartment. If you have leather couches, chairs, or love seats, start by making a DIY 50/50 cleaning solution of white vinegar and water. Test this solution on a small, hidden area of your coach to make sure it does not remove or damage the ink of the leather. If not, then wipe down your leather furniture this mixture and a microfiber cloth. You can also use a water and mild dish soap solution. If you have an upholstered couch, you can make a solution that’s 1 part vinegar, 3 parts water, and 1 tablespoon dish soap and use it to lightly mist the couch. Use regular water and another clean cloth to wipe it down after. Finally, if you have a couch where you can remove the cloth coverings, take them off and throw them in your washing machine. While they’re getting cleaned, remove your couch cushions and vacuum up any crumbs or dust that your couch was harboring. If you’re unsure which approach to take, check the manufacturer’s tags on your couch as well. It should have cleaning instructions, and some indication of what cleaning products you are allowed to use.

For optimal cleanliness, you should try vacuuming your apartment at least once every one or two weeks. However, during routine vacuuming, it’s likely you’re missing some more remote areas where your vacuum cleaner doesn’t easily fit. During this year’s spring-cleaning session, make sure you vacuum behind heavier furniture like your couch, under your bed, in your closet, and — if you can manage it — behind your fridge. These less-seen spots don’t need the same attention as, say, your living room rug, but have likely accumulated a lot of dust and dirt over time.

It’s time to finally face the expired condiments taking up room — and possibly even causing some odor — in your fridge. Again, you should be trying to clean out ingredients gone bad in your fridge as part of your regular cleaning routine, but if you’ve let this chore fall to the wayside, it’s time to tackle it. Start by throwing out anything expired or that you definitely don’t plan on using in the future. Then, remove any shelves or drawers that will come out. You can wash them in warm soapy water and dry them on a dish rack. Finally, wipe down any surfaces that you couldn’t remove with soapy water and a sponge. Once everything is clean and dry, you can return all the pieces of your fridge, and place an open container of baking soda inside to absorb any odors.

If you are lucky enough to have in-unit laundry, then you may want to point your attention toward cleaning your machines this year. Washing machines can be prone to growing mold if you don’t keep them clean, especially around the seal that’s around the perimeter of the opening. Use a bleach or disinfectant solution to scrub the seal and remove any evidence of staining or mold. Your washer may also have a filter, prone to a buildup of grime, which can be removed and rinsed out with hot water as well.

Finally, now is the perfect time to give a little love to the appliances you use every day. Open your microwave and make sure there aren’t any stains from food splattering; if there are, unplug it, take out the plate, and wipe down the inside and outside. You can wash the plate using dish soap and a sponge. If you have a toaster oven or an air fryer, it can also use some TLC. Unplug your device again and take out any removable parts, like trays or racks. Those can be left to soak in soapy water while you wipe down the interior and remove crumbs from the toaster oven with a damp cloth or paper towel. Be careful not to get any cleaning supplies on the heating element. The process for an air fryer is similar: All the basket and pan need are a soak in a dish soap and warm water solution. Bigger appliances, like your oven, may be a little more complicated. If your oven has a self-cleaning feature, refer to the manual to find out more about how it works. If not, use an oven cleaner to scrub down the interior.