Carpets hanging on balconies is the first hint of spring cleaning in Lebanon. After this long rainy winter, nature is starting to unfold into a new season and it is the best time for us all to do the same. As I always try to convey, be in the season and let nature be your guide in all its moods and changes. Open up your doors and windows and lets welcome the fresh air and sunshine.  My goal is to get every room in my home sparkling so I take it step by step. Eventually, the whole house will be refreshed. Put yourself in a good mood, build up all your energy, organize your schedule, and lets start.

Bedrooms: 

– sprinkle  baking soda on your mattresses

– leave the baking soda on them for a few hours

– vacuum and flip the mattress to its other side and repeat the same process (try to do this every season)

– wash all bedding, quilts, covers, and pillows

we place our heads on our pillows every night, therefore, they need major washing. But, please read the instructions slip on your pillows before you do, if it says dry clean then send them along with the quilts. See how our generation has it easy !! If it is ok to wash the pillows follow the below steps.

pillows:

– Use two pillows at a time

– set machine to the “gentle cycle”

– put the temperature on warm

– use a mild detergent, I suggest a liquid detergent as it dissolves easily and doesn’t leave a residue like the powder ones

– rinse it twice

– to dry pillows and keep them lump free, toss a couple of tennis balls wrapped in a clean white cotton sock  and dry on normal heat, avoiding high temperature, for it can break down the filling

– I usually choose to do my pillows when the sun is out because I prefer to dry them outside in the sun; exposing items to the sun is one of the best disinfectant and we have it abundantly

Curtains:

– wash curtains, dry clean them, or just vacuum, depending on the need and fabric

windows and blinds:

– wash windows, blinds, and AC ducts or filters

– remove the filters from ACs

– soak them with soap in your bathtub, rinse and place outside to dry (you can assign a day to do this to all your filters

floors:

– take out your carpets and wash the floors (carpet cleaning is described later in the post)

Bathrooms:

consisting of counters, sink, toilet, and drains

– carry out your usual routines for your sinks, counters, and toilets as for your drains you might be a little surprised, but YES they do need cleaning as they get clogged from hair and all the shampoos and soaps that we use. You can use any drain opening product available in our local supermarkets to unclog your bathtub drain. Leave the product in the drain for a while then prepare to pull out all the clogged material using a thin rod. Oh I forgot to tell you to put on your disposable gloves at this point. You will be surprised at what will come out! Or simply ask your pipe fitter to come do the job for you.

General checking on the whole house’s drains in essential.

shower head:

– fill a plastic bag with vinegar and some baking soda

– wrap it around your shower tops no matter how big they are

– tie the bag around the top with a rubber band

– leave overnight

this method helps remove all stains and clogged openings leaving your showers more powerful; you will notice the difference in your next shower. Make sure to immerse the whole shower head into the liquid.

Now lets not forget to wash the shower curtains for those of you who have bathtubs and bath matts regularly

I do change my shower curtains once every year by scrubbing them with soap and a brush

to finish with the bathroom, there is an interesting step I do all the time, dip a bit of baby oil on a piece of cotton and wipe your stainless steel appliances for a shine and a coating against water drops stains.

Kitchen:

start with the cabinets, oven, kitchen appliances, refrigerator, and freezer

oven:

– if you don’t like to use strong chemicals I have an alternative that can still do the job; my way is simple and easy.

you won’t believe how useful it is to always have baking soda and white vinegar in big quantities at home as these two ingredients can do miracles.

– combine equal amounts of dish washing liquid, vinegar, and baking soda with a few cups of warm water

– warm your oven

– switch it off and spread the mix in it

– leave for an hour or two and scrub with a scrub pad

– rinse with clean water

this method is also used for the fridge

to disinfect your microwave:

– place water and a few sliced lemons in water

– put the bowl in the microwave

– start your microwave on the 3 minute program

The steam will loosen  up the tough and sticky particles and the acid from the lemons will disinfect the microwave.

living room:

I start by removing the curtains for washing and the ones that are fixed and cannot be washed, vacuum well, but be careful not to damage by over doing it.

curtains that are washable, I usually wash them and hang them while still wet because in this way you can skip the ironing process as they will dry in a straight and neat manner.

carpets:

please be careful with carpets! Some are not colored with natural dyes and you will end up with messy results.

There are many kinds of chemicals for cleaning like special carpet shampoo with instructions that show you what method to use on certain stains. I stick to a very practical approach that is simple:

– warm water, mild soap, and a bit of white vinegar; mix together

If your carpets have been heavily used and they need deep cleaning, I recommend sending them to a professional. However, if they are relatively clean, use the mixture above, dip a white cloth in it, and sweep on both sides. Expose the 2 sides to sunshine for a couple of hours making sure they are completely dry.

Sprinkle dried lavender flowers on the carpets and roll them up, cover with cloth, and pack them in a dry area for next season.

I tried to give you a swift idea on general cleaning tips. Now that you have an idea, and for those of you who have help at home, I made it simple enough for to you explain the methods to them, and to also print and hang on your fridges as a reference for them to always follow.

After you are done, start taking care of yourself and enjoy the coming season, as you above anyone need the pampering. BE IN PEACE , it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work, it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm at heart. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your LOVE and affection.

Essential tip:

Always keep a schedule and divide your work accordingly by daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. This way will ensure efficiency, order, and less stress.

Happy cleaning! With love, Jahna