OK Weekend Warriors, are you ready for the big one? This is the part of Spring Cleaning where you get the gloves on and get sweaty. This weekend we’re going to clean the machines! We strongly recommend that you dress the part: That means yoga pants and a tank top for us, but you do your thing. The point is you’re going work up a sweat (and maybe even get a little wet) so dress comfortably. Don’t worry, we’ve broken it down for you with step-by-step, easy-to-follow instructions for every machine on the list.
And speaking of lists, a good playlist wouldn’t hurt, either. You need a good soundtrack. We’ve got you covered there, too. We partnered with the cool kids over at Silver Bullet Records who made a special playlist on Spotify that will keep you bumping for over 3 hours. Grab your Cleaning Kit and let’s do this!
TIME: 2-4 hours
YOU’LL NEED:
- All-Purpose Cleaner
- Dish Soap
- Glass Cleaner
- Stainless Steel Cleaner
- Cheap, white vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Lemons
- Clean pitcher or bottle (to decant cleaner temporarily)
- Gloves (optional)
HOW TO CLEAN THE OVEN:
TOP TIP: Start cleaning the oven the night before. Trust us on this one.
HERE’S HOW:
- Take everything out (even the racks).
- Take your oven racks to the bathroom and draw a hot dish soap bubble bath for them. Leave them to soak overnight.
- In a small bowl, mix a 1/2 cup of baking soda with a few tablespoons of water. You want it to have a thick consistency, like cream cheese.
- Spread baking soda paste all over the interior surfaces of your oven. The baking soda will turn a brownish color as you rub it in. This is gross, but normal.
- Allow the baking soda mixture to rest for at least 12 hours, or overnight.
- The next day wipe it clean! I start with paper towels, because it’s super greasy and gross. Once most of the brown muck is gone, I swap over to All-Purpose cleaner and a cloth or sponge.
- Pour out half of your Counter Safe All-Purpose cleaner into a clean bottle and put it aside. Now fill your trigger bottle back to almost full with white vinegar.
- Spray the vinegar + cleaner mixture in the oven. The vinegar will react with the baking soda and gently foam.
- Take your damp cloth and wipe out the remaining foamy vinegar-baking soda mixture. Repeat until the baking soda residue is gone.
- Replace your oven racks: Give them a good scrub in the tub before putting them back in the oven. You can use the same baking soda paste you made for the oven to really make them gleam. FYI: You’ll probably need to wash the tub afterwards. Sorry.
- OK, that was the hardest job and now you’re ready to do rest of the appliances! Warning: don’t attempt this one until you’ve actually done the dishes and your kitchen is relatively clean.We are about to make a mess and it’ll get a lot worse before it gets better.
HOW TO CLEAN THE FRIDGE:
- Start with the obvious: Throw away any old food
- Take everything out and put it on the counters or dining table while you clean.
- Remove the glass shelves if you can and soak them in the sink while you clean the inside.
- Spray the entire fridge interior with All-Purpose cleaner working from the top down.
- Spray the rubber seal around the door and use a cotton bud or a thin cloth to really dig out the grime that gets trapped in there.
- Carefully wash the shelves with dish soap and a brush before putting them back. I use gloves for this bit because they can get slippery when wet.
- Finish with a spritz of glass cleaner to give everything a final polish before putting the food back in. Done!
HOW TO CLEAN THE ICE MAKER:
- Turn off the icemaker
- Take the bin to the sink
- I use the old ice cubes to water all my houseplants
- Wash the icemaker bin with dish soap and water. Done!
HOW TO CLEAN THE TOASTER:
- Un-plug it, please.
- Remove the tray and shake the whole thing out over the trash or sink.
- Wash the tray with dish soap and warm water. Dry thoroughly!
- Use Stainless steel cleaner to polish the outside and the cord before putting it back. Done!
HOW TO CLEAN THE MICROWAVE:
- Heat 2 cups of water and half a lemon in a microwave-safe dish on high for 3 minutes.
- Leave the doors closed for 5 minutes more to let the steam soften any splatters.
- Spray the interior with Counter Safe All-Purpose Cleaner and wipe down with a paper towel or cleaning cloth.
- Close the door, and spay and wipe the outside. You’re done!
HOW TO CLEAN THE DISHWASHER:
- Take the racks out.
- Use a toothpick to clear any gunk from the holes in the spinning arms.
- Wash the grate where the water drains, as well as the removable filter (if there is one) with warm, soapy water.
- Spray and wipe the rubber door seal with Counter Safe, All-Purpose Cleaner.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda on the bottom, then run the machine on a short hot-water cycle to battle stains and odors.
- Close the door and spray and wipe the exterior, especially the control panel. Done!
HOW TO CLEAN THE COFFEE MACHINE:
- Fill the carafe with equal parts water and white vinegar.
- Turn it on and run like you would for coffee.
- After several cups, turn it off and let it sit for an hour.
- Then turn it back on to finish the cycle. (Follow with a few cycles of water, just to remove any traces of vinegar.) Done!
HOW TO CLEAN THE BLENDER:
- Fill the blender jar almost halfway with ice cubes.
- Add a little warm water and a small amount of dish soap.
- Now pulse to clean. You may have to run it with more or less ice to break it down enough to blend.
- Keep adding more warm water until it runs clear. The best part is that the ice helps to sharpen the blades while it cleans! You can also chuck half a lemon in there to help break down any staining.
- Once you’ve run it through to clear the bubbles, rinse completely.
- Cover the newly sharpened blades with an old washcloth and scrub away any remaining
- mineral deposits with a stiff natural bristle brush.
- Rinse and dry thoroughly. Your blender jar should be sparkling and clear. Done!
HOW TO CLEAN THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL:
- Throw about 12 ice cubes + half a cup of white vinegar and 1 lemon (cut into quarters) down there.
- Flip the switch and let it grind.
- Pour some boiling water and dish soap down the drain to get rid of the vinegar smell. Done!
HOW TO CLEAN THE WASHING MACHINE:
- Pour 2 cups of vinegar in the soap dispenser
- Run it on a full, hot cycle
- While it’s running clean the lint tray from the dryer and spritz the outside with All-Purpose cleaner. Done!
Once you hit the washing machine, you’ve hit Martha-level cleaning status. Time for break (and maybe some new yoga pants)?
Good luck !!
xmk