Freezer Cleaning Tips

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The freezer is a long-term food storage appliance where it is easy to forget what is in there. Most people are excellent at cleaning the refrigerator but tend to forget about the freezer.

Minor leaks and spills mostly go uncleaned for an extended period and accumulate in the nooks and crannies of the freezer. Leftover foods from dinner parties and other occasions are usually thrown into the freezer which results into bad odor over time. It is important to set aside time to freshen up the freezer once in several months if it does not fall into the house cleaning routine.

Cleaning out the freezer can be quite challenging especially where there is a large amount of frost build up. However, with the more modern freezers, you are likely not to encounter this problem.

You will need at least a day’s planning depending on the size and contents of the freezer to simplify the process. Outlined below are a few freezer cleaning tips that should consider following.

1. Remove all the food

You can put some of the food from your freezer in the refrigerator if there is enough room. You can also create more space by throwing out some stale and unrecognizable elements in the fridge. If there still isn’t enough space for all your foodstuffs, you will need to prepare several larger coolers. Place a layer of ice at the bottom of all the coolers. Proceed to relocate all the food into the coolers and place another layer of ice on the food. If you think the cleaning process will not take much time, you can place the food on the kitchen counters while you clean.

2. Switch off and unplug the freezer

Ensure the freezer is fully disconnected from any power source. This will prevent any occurrence of an electric shock during the defrosting and cleaning process. Also, it will speed up the melting of the ice in the freezer. Additionally, you should move the freezer to avoid damage to the floors during cleaning. Where necessary, place old towels or newspapers under the freezer.

3. Defrosting the freezer

Every freezer is designed differently. As a result, you will need to refer to the instruction manual for defrosting guidelines. If you cannot locate your manual, you can visit the manufacturer’s website for a digital copy. If you are pressed for time, there are two ways to speed up the defrosting process.

• a. Put hot water in a larger bowl and place it inside the freezer. Close the lid to allow the hot steam to melt the ice in the freezer. Depending on the amount of ice and frost, you may need to change the hot water several times.

• b. Use a hair dryer set at low heat. Carefully direct the warm air on the interiors of the freezer. The melting ice should at no point come into contact with the dryer to avoid electrocution.

4. Clean

A lot of water will have accumulated at the bottom of the freezer from the melted ice. Use a container to remove most of that water. You can also use a towel to wipe out the remaining water in the appliance. If there are any removable shelves, take them out of the freezer. Use warm soapy water to clean and scrub any tough stains with a sponge. Rinse the shelves thoroughly and allow them to air dry. Make a warm solution of vinegar or baking soda and detergent to clean the walls of the freezer. Dip a soft towel in the solution and gently wipe the inside of the appliance. You can also place the solution in a spray bottle. Spray small amounts of the solution as you wipe down with a cloth. Repeat this step severally until to remove stains. Use a toothbrush to scrub out stubborn food gunk. Rinse the interior of the freezer with clean water. Use the warm soapy water also to clean the exterior walls of the freezer.

5. Dry the appliance

Use microfiber cloths or paper towels to dry the interior walls of the freezer. Remove all the moisture to prevent ice from forming.To eliminate any unwanted smells, place a bowl of activated charcoal in the freezer and close the lid.

6. Turn on the freezer

Many manufacturers recommend the deep freezer should run for at least six hours before placing any foods. Once this period has expired, you can begin to place all the frozen food in the freezer. Organize the food according to those with a longer frozen shelf life which should be placed at the bottom.

There is really no easier way of cleaning the freezer. However, you can shorten this process by cleaning the appliance three times a year.

Cleaning Your Baby Stroller

When your baby stroller becomes contaminated, possibly with food, milk, saliva or other substances, you should clean it immediately. It is essential for your child's health. The nasty stroller is the perfect place to grow harmful bacteria, both for your child and for anyone. But, mainly, regular cleaning and maintenance will prevent a significant decrease in physical condition and guest value.

Materials

• A vacuum cleaner

• 2 towels

• Small bucket of water

• Some soap/detergent

• Sponge

• Scrubbing brush

• Toothbrush.

(Remember that you should not use any bleach or whitening materials, as they can fade out of the nursery tissue.)

Cleaning the Fabric

To clean the baby stroller fabric, it must be completely emptied (we recommend doing this outside).

1. Removal: Remove all that can be removed from the stroller: trays, napkins, blankets, and pillows.

2. Mold check: Check for mold or fungus. If you find mold or mildew in the stroller, place some vinegar on the affected area and spray it with a small amount of baking soda and wait about an hour, or a mold cleaning agent (follow instructions on the cleaner.

3. Scrub: Using a scrubbing brush, get areas where food is sticking. You may have to use Goo Gone, Goof Off, or another cleaning agent to remove gum/hard candy.

4. Wash the fabric: Wash the fabric in the washing machine. Typically, it’s washer safe, but check manual to make sure.

5. Dry the fabric: Check the stroller manual for drying instructions. Typically, after washing, you transfer the fabric to the dryer and dry on a normal setting for approximately 30 to 35 minutes.

6. Repeat: Repeat, if necessary.

Cleaning the Stroller Body

1. Vacuum the body of the baby stroller methodically.

2. Use a towel to clean the body, and a scrubbing brush to remove tougher areas stained with food.

3. Rinse with a hose.

4. Dry.

5. Inspect the body.

6. Repeat, if necessary.

That’s It!

There you have it. This is my method for cleaning a stroller, and it works just fine. Of course, there are thousands of methods out there, and a ton of strollers are different. Please feel free to share your tricks and tips with Out of Sight Cleaning.

What is a deep house cleaning?

We all know those areas we avoid cleaning until it is absolutely necessary. When the oven starts making smoke signals. When the inside of your microwave looks like a competition of kids finger painting project. When you have such a greasy situation, the payoff is huge- its time you stop putting aside those deep cleaning tasks! Deep Cleaning entails cleaning or washing down your doorframes, baseboards, cabinets, windowsills, carpet, and doors. You also need to clean fan blades, light fixtures, blinds, and perfume a detailed kitchen and bathroom cleaning.

General House Cleaning vs. Deep Cleaning

It is highly beneficial to deep clean the entire house at least once every year to remove all debris and dust and debris completely for a cleaner home and to enhance a healthier environment. However, deep cleaning each room of your house can turn out to be a tedious task and if that the case, you can always hire the services of professional home cleaners to effectively clean every inch of your home. These professionals understand the hassles of everyday life where everyone is so busy with work, family, and social life, barely leaving no time to clean your house properly. Typically, deep cleaning covers areas that are not traditionally covered by spring or regular cleaning. These areas include:

• Behind kitchen appliances such as washing machine, oven, and cutting through the grimes that build up beneath the sink.

• Full and deep dusting all the corners of the rooms for cobwebs

• Inside of patio doors and window frames

• Inside your oven and don’t forget the oven door glass

• Outside and inside of all windows

• Scale removal from all kitchen tiles, bathroom tiles, taps, shower heads, and more

Deep Cleaning the Entire Home checklist

The key aspect to keeping a healthy and happy home is maintaining a well-cleaned home and you can’t achieve this without a thorough deep house cleaning. Typically, this is what deep house cleaning entails:

Dust and vacuum cleaning: Hard-to-reach places, ledges, light fixtures, windows, and above the cabinets need to be cleaned thoroughly. Typically, you need to remove obstacles and clean all the areas that tend to be too hard to reach during a normal cleaning routine.

Cabinets or Drawers: Empty your cabinets and drawers one after the other and wipe them with a clean cloth. Then give them a vacuum, and you can also use favorite cleaning spray. Not forgetting where your eyes land, don’t forget to wipe down your cabinet faces as well.

Couch and Chairs: Take out all cushions to allow you to vacuum the creases where cans, pet hair, and snack debris, popcorn love to call home. Also, you can move the couches to clean behind it if it sits against the wall and underneath where most dirt particles lay.

Carpet: carpet cleaning is the centerpiece of your deep cleaning. You need to clean spots, stains, and dust in your carpet to ensure that the whole family is healthy and that they enjoy a cleaner interior environment

Blinds: deep cleaning is not complete without giving your blinds a thorough cleaning by spraying them with some vinegar and scrupulously scrubbing them down.

Faucet: Wipe your faucets and showerheads with vinegar and remember to also clean out the aerators.

Windows: Vacuum your window tracks and windowsills and try to remove bugs and cobwebs from the window screens.

Vent Covers: Remove your HVAC vent covers and clean them thoroughly in a sink with luke-warm soapy water.

Garbage Cans: Sanitize and wipe out garbage cans, your recycling bins, flowerpots, and wastebaskets.

Doors: ensure that you wipe down your doors as well as doorframes for all the dust, fingerprints, and smudges.

Ceiling Fans: dust and wipe down the ceiling fan blades

Kitchen: you can use vinegar and baking soda clean the sink, microwave, oven stovetop, cabinets, fridge, freezer, and dishwasher. Also, remember to remove fire hazard at the bottom of your toaster.

Bathroom: Remove your shower curtains and wash them. Also do a thorough cleaning to your toilet, toothbrush holder, and grout.

Bottom line

The best way to avoid a strenuous deep cleaning is by practicing continual upkeep. If you clean your home regularly, the next time you confer with the above Deep Cleaning checklist, your house will be in a right place.

Tips on Cleaning Your Home After a Wildfire

Wildfires can cause a lot of damage to your home even after it has escaped its raging flames. Smoke and ash can travel for long distances within no time unleashing destruction in unimaginable proportions.

California wildfires have for a long time been a thorn in the flesh of many homeowners owing to the high number of times the area experiences such disasters. As a result, professional house cleaning has become a necessity every time such incidences occur to help minimize risks. Experts use specialized equipment and skills to inspect, test, clean and restore your home to its pre-exposure condition.

The cleaning work can be categorized into two. Structural and content cleaning. When cleaning your house after a wildfire, the following tips are vital in ensuring a thorough job regardless of whether you are the one doing it or it is being done by a cleaning firm:

1. Structural cleaning involves cleaning on ceilings, walls, exteriors, attics, cabinets, doors, odor control, windows, debris removal, and high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) air filtration. Areas such as open windows, ventilation system, and attic can let in a lot of smoke and dust. Failure to thoroughly clean these areas can leave your home with smoke residue and odor.
   • hange air filters in air conditioning units to remove soot residue and ash since airborne particles trapped will mix with fresh air polluting the quality of air in your house after cleaning.
   • Dilute and flush the dried residue using firefighting foam residue mixed with a little detergent to wash it from the surface and then rinse using clean water. You can after that blow the surface using pressure washing to get rid of fine particles which might have been left during scrubbing.
   • Dilute ash and smoke around your home for it to be absorbed by the ground since it will continue emitting smoke odors and microparticles that mix with the air when they come in contact with the wind. You can use high-efficiency particulate air filters in your home to reduce the health impact of airborne particles from the smoke and ash.
2. Content cleaning involves cleaning of fixtures and furniture, appliances, and carpet cleaning. Items in your house will also suffer from ash and smoke and require to be cleaned.
   • ash all clothing to remove dust particles that might have been left on the garment.
   • Disinfect and deodorize curtains carpets, mattresses, upholstery, and furniture using steam to restore their luster and get rid of the acrid smell of the smoke. You should avoid using odor masking sprays since they are only useful for a short time. Smoke and ash from wildfires can cause significant health and property damage. Seeking professional help when cleaning your home after a wildfire helps restore your property’s aesthetic appeal and make it conducive for living. Leaving professionals to clean your house after wildfires help you have peace of mind. Some of the damage is not visible through naked eyes but will get worse if left unattended when it happens. It saves you money and treasured memories in and outside your house.

Tips on Cleaning Shower Doors

 Walking into a bathroom that is fresh-smelling and extremely clean not only makes you comfortable as you do your business but stamps your confidence in the hygienic conditions of the entire house. Most people engage in house cleaning but overlook shower cleaning yet it is the other area that carries loads of germs, besides the kitchen. However, maintaining high standards of cleanliness can be overwhelming if you do not know the right ingredients to use. Besides, even though you clean your bathroom regularly, it is easy to forget about the shower doors where streaks of soap and scum can remain lodged for long. This article will inform you tips on cleaning shower doors to keep your bathroom free of stains and looking good.

1. Using furniture oil

It is difficult to clean soap scum off your shower doors so why wait for it to accumulate! They say it is better to prevent better than to cure so avoid scum from building up on your shower doors using furniture oil. Furniture oil acts as a barrier preventing scummy buildup so apply it on the door. However, you will need to clean the door first so that the oil can hold. After washing, apply a thin coat of oil and allow it to sit for about two minutes then polish off any excess with a clean, dry cloth. The oil will be a buffer against future scum.

2. Use vinegar and baking soda

If your bathroom has glass shower doors, then vinegar is the best bet as your cleaning solution. Vinegar is acidic, and it is this acidity that helps to clean the dirt thoroughly. Mixing baking soda or sodium bicarbonate with vinegar creates carbonic acid that immediately breaks down into carbon dioxide and water, making it safe.
 
Here is what you will need:

1. Baking soda.
2. Scotch Brite.
3. Window scrubber (10 inches)
4. Window Squeegee (12 inches)
5. White vinegar.
6. Paper towels.
7. Spoon.
8. Small container

Method

1. In a plastic bowl, pour half a cup of baking soda.
2. Add enough white vinegar.
3. Use a spoon to mix the vinegar and baking soda until it forms a paste-like consistency.
4. You will observe fizzing and wait till it stops then scoop up a little of the paste using the Scotch Brite.
5. Wipe the paste onto the shower glass door.
6. Let the paste sit for about 10-15 minutes then thoroughly clean it using water and the window scrubber. Use the window squeegee and paper towels to dry the door and ensure that you have cleaned all the scum.

3. Using white vinegar

You can also use vinegar alone without baking soda to clean glass shower doors. You will need:

1. Water and distilled white vinegar ( equal amounts)
2. A spray bottle.
3. Paper towels or black and white newspapers

Method

1. Use the vinegar and water to make a solution.
2. Put it in the spray bottle and spray it on the shower door.
3. Use the newspapers or paper towels to clean the grime off the glass.
4. Buff the glass clean using clean per towels or a dry cloth.

What happens when the vinegar solution does not remove the stains?

If the stains are stubborn and the towels are not useful, you may use a soft brush. Further, you can cut a lemon in half, apply salt on one cut side of the lemon and in circular motions, use it to remove stubborn hard water marks. You can then use the vinegar solution as above and dry the glass using a clean, dry cloth.

How do you keep the scum off for good?

You do not have to keep scrubbing your doors. Instead, keep your shower doors easy to clean using Rain-X 2-in-1 rain repellent and glass cleaner. Once a week, you can spray it on your doors and wipe it off with a microfiber cloth. It forms a protective film that prevents water from sticking to the door.

Final thoughts

The condition of your bathroom speaks volumes and let it communicate positively by keeping your shower doors spotless using these tips.