Category: Holiday cleaning

Room-by-Room Fall Cleaning Checklist for Inside and Outside the House

Room-by-Room Fall Cleaning Checklist for Inside and Outside the House

Get your home prepared for the upcoming holiday season and beyond with this helpful Fall Cleaning Checklist for inside and outside the house. This list may seem overwhelming, so complete similar tasks together, or go room-by-room.

For the sake of simplicity, this list will assume that daily cleaning tasks like mopping or vacuuming floors, wiping counters and washing dishes gets done daily, so those items will not be included. Instead, we are including items that are not cleaned so frequently and that you may be overlooking.

If you plan on hiring a professional to deep clean your home, or clean your carpets, make sure you schedule them as early as possible. Cleaners cannot always fit you into their schedule on a last minute basis and are very in-demand leading up to the holiday season.

Kitchen Fall Cleaning Checklist

  • Clean the oven, then test it.
  • Empty the pantry and dispose or donate any unwanted items. Clean the shelves with a Non-scratch scrub sponge like our non-scratch Monster Scrub Sponge or Non-Scratch Cleaning Pad.
  • Clean or change-out any over the oven range hood filters. Greasy dirty filters cannot do their job properly and let cooking smells linger in the kitchen and home, so be sure to either clean them or change if your filter is disposable.
  • Clean out the refrigerator and freezer disposing of any expired foods. Remove and wash shelving. If your kitchen sink is not large enough, fill a bathtub with warm water and add a few drops of dish soap. Use a non-scratch scrub sponge to clean all shelving. Dry with a microfiber cloth and return shelving and food to the fridge.
  • Vacuum refrigerator’s condenser coils. Doing this will help allow your refrigerator to work efficiently and could extend the life of your appliance.
  • Clean garbage cans using an outside hose and scrub sponge.
  • Deep clean the dishwasher.
  • Degrease and clean cabinet doors and backsplashes. Use a flexible microfiber dusting wand to dust the top of cabinets and walls.
  • Use an eraser sponge to remove any dark scuff marks, dirt and grime from walls, doors or baseboards. Save your back and use our Eraser Sponge and Extension Handle Kit.
  • Make sure you’re stocked up with extra cleaning supplies for cleaning up from any holiday gatherings and meals.

Continue reading Room-by-Room Fall Cleaning Checklist for Inside and Outside the House

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Cleaning Your Oven for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day Turkey Cooked in oven

Now is the time to test and clean your oven in preparation for Thanksgiving Day. Cleaning takes time and it’s not something you want to put off.

Why Should I Clean My Oven?

According to appliance manufacturer Whirlpool, a clean oven cooks food more evenly and smells better versus a dirty oven. Grease and food spills can gather inside of the oven’s interior, darkening it and making the oven work harder to evenly cook food. Any spills can start to smoke and produce unpleasant smells. These smells might affect the taste of any food you cook inside it.

How to Test Your Oven Before Thanksgiving Day (Easy)

If you have not turned on your oven in several months, make sure it is working properly by baking something simple like a frozen pizza or cookies. Thanksgiving is already a very busy time for appliance repair businesses so if something is not working right; you want to know as soon as possible in order to schedule an oven repair.

Using an Oven’s Self-Cleaning Cycle

If you are planning on using the self-cleaning feature of your oven, do it a few weeks before Thanksgiving.  A self-cleaning cycle reach’s incredibly high temperatures in order to incinerate food particles, dirt and grime inside your oven. The cycle takes a long time to run and the oven door locks as a safety precaution. Self-cleaning cycles can also produce smoke and smells that might linger inside your home. Be sure to open windows and keep the room well-ventilated when running the self-cleaning cycle.

If your oven is several years old, it might prove risky to run a self-cleaning cycle so close to Thanksgiving Day. During these cycles, there is a good chance that any weakened parts might break, leading to a needed repair. Thanksgiving is already a very busy time for appliance repair businesses and they may not have the part they need to fix your oven in stock.

Eco-Friendly Options for Cleaning an Oven

You may decide that cleaning your oven by hand is best. To clean your oven, first consult the owner’s manual for your oven to see what to use and what not to use when cleaning your oven. If you no longer have the owner’s manual, you can search for it online using your oven’s model number which should be located somewhere on the oven or range.

Let an oven completely cool before cleaning it.  Put down towels or a plastic garbage bag to catch any drips or dirty water from cleaning and to protect your floors.  Remove any oven racks. Make your own DIY eco-friendly oven cleaner by mixing together a paste of baking soda, dish washing liquid and a little water.  Let the baking soda mixture sit for 30 minutes to overnight. Use a spray bottle filled with vinegar or lemon juice to spray inside the oven for added cleaning power on tough grime and grease. Scrub the walls clean using a non-scratch scrubbing sponge like the Instant Erase Super Star Scrubby or SpongeOutlet’s non-scratch cleaning pad. 

Remove the oven racks and clean them by soaking them in a sink or bathtub using the same mixture. Rinse and wipe clean.

Remove any trace of your home-made cleaner before turning on your oven with a damp microfiber cleaning cloth. After your oven is clean, turn it on to make sure there is no smoking from left-over cleaner.

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Holiday Gift Ideas for Your Family Members

Shammy cloth for Holiday cleaning

The holiday season is upon us, and you don’t have a clue what you’re going to get your family members as a gift. If you have kids, you know they deserve purposeful gifts this holiday season. Well, we have a great gift idea for those “cleaner” family members. They’re called cleaning products! We understand that the holidays can be quite chaotic, and our cleaning products can be the perfect gift to help those clean up after the holidays are over.

For the Ones Who May Need a Little Help

At Sponge Outlet, we have a plethora of cleaning products that will get your family member excited to start cleaning. Maybe you have a certain family member that just needs some help cleaning their home or room after the holidays are over. We aren’t necessarily telling you to hire Monica from the hit television show Friends, we’re just offering some of our simple cleaning products.

  • Our microfiber towels work well when it comes to cleaning computer monitors, TV screens, tabletops and counters. These towels will last a long time, and they won’t leave any scratches behind. This is the perfect cleaning product for your family members who may need to clean their bedroom windows, bathroom mirrors, and electronics.
  • Our large shammy cloth will get the job done when it comes to cleaning off desks, tables, and other furniture in your bedroom.

For the Ones Who Did the Most During the Holidays

Some of your family members take one for the team when it comes to hosting, cooking, and preparing for the best holiday meals. These people need all the help and support they can get for cleaning up, so we believe these cleaning products we have to offer will give them the relief they need for cleaning up and getting back to their normal routine.

  • Our eraser mop floor cleaning pads are two-sided pads with one side adhering to the Velcro on your mop and the sponge material on the other side for cleaning scruffs, dirt and grime on floors.

We know it can be difficult for family members to host, cook, prepare, and then clean up after the holidays, and that’s why if they receive these cleaning products as gifts, their clean-up will come easier.

Sponge Outlet

Sponge Outlet provides cleaning supplies for the holiday chaos that may ensue. We carry natural cleaning products to help you with your everyday cleaning. Contact us at 877-776-6430 today!

 

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Holiday Cleaning Tips for the Home

The holidays are a time for special decorations, gifts and visitors, all of which require extra preparation and cleaning! So how can you tackle the messes around your house in time for your guests’ arrival? Follow these helpful holiday cleaning tips for the home.

Space Out Holiday Cleaning and Do It Early

To avoid feeling totally overwhelmed, try cleaning a little bit every day. You can divide up your cleaning task by the task itself, or clean an entire room a day.

Individual tasks:

  • decluttering
  • storage organization (closets, cabinets, refrigerator)
  • dusting
  • washing windows
  • wiping or cleaning surfaces (tables, countertops, appliances)
  • vacuuming and/or mopping

Cleaning by Room

  • Guest bedroom (if guests are staying overnight)
  • Living room/family room
  • Dining room
  • Hallway or mudroom
  • Kitchen
  • Bathroom

Using this method allows you time to do a thorough job without being rushed or left exhausted. Plus, you will have enough energy afterwards to enjoy time with your holiday guests. Before guests arrive, perform quick touch-ups such as wiping down counters and putting away items.

Holiday Cleaning Tips Don't forget the baseboards

Don’t Overlook These Spots When Cleaning for the Holidays

It’s easy to overlook light switches, doors and baseboards as we don’t tend to notice these items on a daily basis. Use a wet Eraser Sponge to remove scuff marks from walls and doors, fingerprints and smudges from light switches, and  dirt and grime from doors. Try our Eraser Sponge Extension Handle Kit to clean your baseboards without bending. It comes with four eraser sponges that attach to the handle via Velcro.

To use,:

  • Wet one of the kit’s eraser sponges and squeeze out the excess water
  • Stick it to the end of the handle
  • Use the buttons on the handle to extend it to desired length
  • Press it firmly against a baseboard, wall, or other surface and gently move it back and forth to clean away dust, dirt, stains and dark scuff marks.

Holiday Cleaning the Entryway

Your entryway is the first thing guests will encounter when they arrive at your home, so making sure it’s spick and span will guarantee a good first impression. Wipe down your front door with our Eraser Sponge, shake out the doormat and add some festive decorations like a holiday wreath and garland. Also be sure to organize coat closets and shoe storage so everything is neat and tidy. A clean and cozy entryway is just what you need to make your guests feel welcome!

Holiday Cleaning Tips: Scrub and wipe down counters

Holiday Cleaning Tips for the Kitchen

All of your delicious food will taste better in a clean oven! Mix white vinegar and baking soda together to create a foamy mixture. Let it sit on greasy spots and then use our scrubby sponge to scrub it clean. Next, declutter your countertops and wipe them down with a Swedish Dishcloth.  The Swedish Dishcloth is non-scratch and safe to use on marble and granite countertops and on wood cabinets.

Preparing a Guest Bedroom

If your guests are visiting from out of town, chances are they are staying at your home for all of the holiday fun. You’ll want your guests to feel like they are in a home-away-from-home, so make sure the guest bedroom is ready with fresh sheets, towels and extra toiletry items. If you don’t remember the last time you had guests stay over, chances are there is a lot of dust in the room, so you’ll want to remove it with microfiber cloths or a microfiber duster.

Not only will your guests need a place to sleep, but they will also need somewhere to put their clothing, coats and luggage. Tackle one closet at a time and empty everything out of it. After the closet is empty, create four piles: keep, give away, throw away and store. Don’t forget the golden rule: if you can’t remember the last time you wore or used something, get rid of it!

Tips for Cleaning the Bathroom

Go through the closet and medicine cabinets and get rid of any unnecessary items. Add  new towels and replenish toilet paper and hand soap so you don’t have to worry about running out when the Christmas craziness begins.

Wipe down the bathroom sink, clean the toilet and mirror. Eraser sponges are great for removing dirt and grime from shower stall floors and soap scum from glass doors and tiles. You can also use an eraser sponge to clean the sink, floor and toilet bowl.

Now your home is ready for lots of company and entertaining! For home-cleaning supplies, shop now!

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How to Remove Christmas Tree Sap This Holiday Season

How to Remove Christmas Tree Sap This Holiday Season

We love our Christmas trees. The twinkling lights, the festive decorations, the presents waiting to be unwrapped … but then there’s the sap. Cleaning sticky pine sap residue off the floor could even turn Santa Claus into the Grinch. There is hope, however: with the right products and techniques you can eliminate Christmas tree sap this holiday season.

Here are a few tips for removing Christmas tree sap and preventing sticky, gooey buildup on your floors:

Use Ice to Remove Christmas Tree Sap 

Placing ice cubes over puddles of sap for 10 to 15 minutes will cause the sap to harden.  If you have hardwood floors, scrape the sap off with a plastic knife, a razor or even your fingernail. Just be careful to position the tool nearly parallel to the floor so you don’t scrape or scratch the wood or tile. For carpeted floors,  use your fingers to pick the sap out of the carpet fibers.

Try Oil Soap to Remove Pine Tree Sap

Non-diluted oil soap, like Murphy’s, is great for cleaning pine sap off hardwood floors. Apply it with a sponge directly to the sap and let it sit for 15 minutes. The oil-based soap will soften the sap, making it easier to scrub off with a brush or non-scratch sponge and then rinse. If you don’t have oil soap, vegetable shortening or rubbing alcohol can work, too.

Don’t forget, the right products can go a long way toward protecting your floors this holiday season. SpongeOutlet’s amazing Eraser Sponge is ideal for spot cleaning carpet stains, and our Melamine Floor Pads will get your whole floor nice and clean after the holiday season ends and you take down your tree. Happy Holidays!

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