It’s that time of year again: the Mr. Softee truck is stationed at the corner, the flowers in the sidewalk are blooming—and your apartment looks like a cyclone came through. For all of the great things spring brings, it also comes with the unavoidable chore of spring cleaning.
NYC Apartment Cleaning Tips
Clean beyond the obvious.
In addition to the usual suspects when dusting, be sure to take a quick swipe at lamps, light fixtures and even light bulbs, as dust accumulates there. If you’re one of the lucky Manhattan residents to have a dishwasher in your home, run a wash with just a specialty cleaner to decrease scaling and dislodge food particles leftover from your many dinner parties. Placing a measuring cup with vinegar and a splash of lemon juice will also give your most-treasured appliance a spring uplift.
Let the light shine in (just not when you’re washing the windows).
Wash your windows when it’s cloudy out, since direct sunlight can dry the window cleaner, leaving streaks. Mopping your wooden floors every week can actually do more harm than good. Instead, wet clean them only once every month and spot clean them with a dry cloth as needed. Fido or Felix shedding everywhere? Pop them in your apartment’s bathtub, wet them down, and collect the hair all at once.
Make your kitchen more than a takeout repository.
If you have an exhaust hood, run it every time you cook (especially when you attempt stir fry). Wipe down grimy, greasy cabinets with specially made cream to help the shine come through. Make stainless steel shiny again with a quart of hot water with a teaspoon of dish detergent and a microfiber cloth. When attacking the fridge, besides chucking last month’s takeout, wipe down all shelves and bins to remove food bacteria and spillage.
Kiss clutter goodbye.
Spring cleaning isn’t just about polishing; it’s also about decluttering your apartment and your life for the year ahead. As you swap out seasonal clothes, be really honest about whether you wore some of those items this past winter. Apply the minimalist rule of thumb: if replacing an item costs less than $20 and can be achieved within 20 minutes, get rid of it. For the clutter that isn’t as easy to part with, consider renting a storage locker, which are about the size of a closet. They’re affordable, and let you keep your collection of flannel shirts for next winter some place other than next to your bed.
Now that your apartment is refreshed, find a home for things you love but don’t have room to keep. Contact the experts at Gotham Mini Storage, the leader in Manhattan mini storage, who offers a free truck to move in your belongings, rent specials, 24/7 security and climate-controlled units in NYC.