5 Big Holiday Cleaning Jobs Made Easy
The holidays are here, and your house is a mess. You need a game plan to get your home ready for unexpected guests and to turn out your signature holiday dishes. We'll show you how.
Skip the bleach, ammonia, and other harsh cleaners – Simple Green is the safer choice to use on washable surfaces. It's pretty much a one-product solution to all your toughest messes and stains. We can help you tackle the most intimidating tasks on your holiday cleaning checklist, so you can relax and enjoy the season.
When you're ready to give your house a good holiday cleaning, these particular cleaning jobs are often the ones people dread most.
It's okay, we get it. Not everyone knows how to clean some of the trickier areas of your home. Which is why we break down the steps it takes to tackle 5 of the biggest items on your holiday cleaning to-do list.
Stick with us and you'll have a clean, holiday-ready home in no time.
When's the last time you gave your oven a good cleaning? If you can't remember, then you probably need to get to it.
Grease splatter on the door, gunk on oven racks, and charred food stuck to the walls… ovens can be one big mess! Before you start your holiday baking, show your oven a little love. Here's how.
Remove the racks for easier access and place them in the sink for cleaning. Pre-spray the entire oven, including the door and racks, with warm water or use a damp cloth to wipe out burnt food bits before cleaning.
Next, spray full-strength Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner on the entire oven and racks (including the outside if necessary). Let the solution soak for up to 5 minutes to penetrate any baked-on grease.
Then scrub with a stiff bristled nylon brush or non-abrasive pad to help loosen any remaining stuck-on food gunk. Rinse by wiping the surfaces with a warm damp cloth, then dry with a clean microfiber or cloth and replace the oven racks once you clean them in the sink.
A stinky, dirty, cluttered fridge is no way to start the holiday season. Here's how to give your fridge a thorough scrub down to avoid cross-contamination and leave it smelling fresh.
Remove all food items from the fridge and pull out any removable drawers and racks to clean separately. Spray Simple Green on the entire surface area inside the refrigerator.
Allow the product to soak for a minute or so on heavy soils and greasy spills. Then scrub away any food gunk or dried globs of sauce by scrubbing with a bristled nylon brush or non-abrasive scrubbing pad. Repeat this process in your sink for any drawers and racks you removed.
Rinse by wiping everything down with a clean, damp microfiber pad or non-abrasive cloth, ensuring a residue-free surface. Dry and polish with a separate clean cloth, and voila! Your fridge is sparkling clean, without streaks.
Toss any old, out-of-date food items and put the rest back in your fridge. This is a great opportunity to organize each shelf by category to make it easier to find ingredients when you're cooking.
Want to get cozy and warm this holiday season? Then you're going to want to grab a comfy blanket and throw a few logs into your wood burning fireplace.
But before you spark up a fire, you'll want to clean your fireplace to improve its look and safety - as soot, ashes, and even embers can easily become airborne and potentially create a breathing or fire hazard inside your home. Instead of using a cleaner that leaves behind harsh chemical residue, reach for a bottle of non-flammable Simple Green. It's safer for use in your home, and powerful enough to remove tough, blackened buildup in your fireplace.
Here's how to tackle your fireplace cleanup. First, protect the surrounding area by covering any nearby furniture and carpet with trash bags or old sheets. Keep a trash can lined with two bags nearby to dispose of any ash, soot and debris. Don't forget to check the flue for bird's nests or other debris that needs to be removed prior to cleaning.
Next, remove the andirons and grates and take them outdoors. Spray everything down with Simple Green and use a stiff bristled nylon brush to remove any buildup or stuck-on carbon deposits. Rinse thoroughly with water and dry with a towel.
Then clear debris from the firebox using a fireplace shovel and dump the ashes into your waiting trash can. Use a fireplace brush to gently sweep the inside of the chimney and firebox. You may also want to use a hand-held vacuum to remove any loose dust and ash.
Clean the firebox and fireplace screens/doors by spraying them with Simple Green and use a stiff bristled nylon brush to scrub away any visible buildup, then rinse and air dry or dry with a paper towel. Replace the andirons and grate - and your fireplace is ready to go!
If you've got smoke stains on nearby walls, use this helpful smoke stain cleaning tip.
Dust the wall before cleaning, then dilute 1 ounce of Simple Green to 4 cups of water to avoid damaging the paint. Spot test a small, hidden area before use to be sure the color won't fade.
Then Spray the Simple Green solution directly onto the area and allow the product to soak for a minute or so on heavy soils such as scuff marks or crayon. Use a damp, clean non-abrasive cloth to remove dirt and grime, then wipe the walls completely.
Finally, use a clean, non-abrasive cloth to wipe down oil-based gloss or semi-gloss walls for a clean and streak-free surface.
Grimy grout on your tile counter or floors is not a good look. You want your kitchen and bathroom to shine for the holidays!
But don't go reaching for a steel bristled scrub brush, which can actually scratch and damage grout lines. Simple Green penetrates the tiny pores of your dirty grout to eliminate deeply ingrained stains at the source without damaging the grout itself.
Start by spraying grout with water to help the cleaner better penetrate soils. Then mix 1 oz. Simple Green to 1 cup of water and spray the area down. Allow a few seconds for the solution to really get into the pores of your grout. Then use a toothbrush or soft bristled brush to scrub the dirty grout areas.
For heavy-duty grout cleaning jobs, you can make a homemade cleaning paste by mixing baking soda and Simple Green to pull deeply embedded soils to the surface. The mix is an easy blend of three parts baking soda to one-part Simple Green, which will form a loose paste that you can apply directly to the grout.
Allow 10 to 15 minutes for the mixture to penetrate, then scrub with a wet toothbrush or soft bristled brush. Rinse with clean water. Wipe away any remaining residue with a clean, non-abrasive cloth. Now you've got a truly clean bathroom worthy of holiday guests.
DID YOU KNOW? Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner is also available in Lemon and Lavender! Stock up now for all your holiday cleaning needs.
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