Cleaning Articles


Tips for spot cleaning your carpets

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Spot cleaning your carpets is something that you will have to do at one time or another, especially if you have kids. You don't want to spend hours cleaning the entire carpet area when there is just a small area that you need clean. Here are some tips for those times when you need to do some spot cleaning on your carpets.

First off, get to the stain as quickly as possible. The longer it stays in the harder it will be to get out. Eventually you won't be able to get it out because it will get into the deep fibers of the carpet. If you are in a hurry, just try to do something at least and then come back to it later if you absolutely have to.

"Tips for spot cleaning your carpets" »

Tips for keeping under and behind appliances clean

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Cleaning under appliances isn't always fun, but it makes your home feel clean and fresh. It's hard work moving the appliances or trying to get around them to get them clean, but here are some tips to make is easier for you.

First off, you don't have to clean under and behind your appliances every week. They get dirty, but not that dirty. Try to clean them every once in a while. Say every few months if you are really worried about it, or once a year when you are doing your Spring cleaning. Cleaning under appliances like the refrigerator is a huge job, and it is one that doesn't require that you do it everyday. But do it at least once a year. You will be cleaning all the places you don't usually clean when you Spring clean, so add cleaning under and behind your appliances to the list.

"Tips for keeping under and behind appliances clean" »

How to dust most effectively

dusting23471451.jpgDusting is one of those jobs that never goes away no matter what you do. You can dust with the best product out there and still have to do it again the next week. You can ignore dust but then you end up with a house that you can barely breathe in. So to help you with your dusting job, here are some tips for dusting more effectively.

You can use all sorts of dusting products to help you clean. However, the cheapest way is just to use some water. Just get a cloth damp and use it to dust. You might want to use a dusting product just for dusting wood because you shouldn't get water on wood. There are special products just for wood that help to improve the finish and keep it looking good.

"How to dust most effectively" »

Tips for making your cook top shine

kitchen34842932.jpg There are many different kinds of stove tops and many different ways to go about cleaning them. Depending on what type of cook top you have will determine the best way to take care of them and keep them clean. So, here are some tips for making your cook top shine:

"Tips for making your cook top shine" »

Tips for always having a clean house

kitchen7651550.jpg In today's society of parents working outside the home with demanding work loads and schedules, it is hard to find the time to keep the house clean. The last things working parents want to do at the end of the day is to come home and clean. Even if you are at home during the day with kids, it is also hard to find the time to keep a home clean. If you find that you can't find the time to clean, then here are some tips for always having a clean house:

"Tips for always having a clean house" »

Tips for keeping dust off fans, blinds, and knick knacks

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Dusting is probably one of the most hated household chores. It has to be done every week and bothers a lot of people who have allergies. There is no magic formula that will keep dust off forever but there are a lot of helpful hints and ways to keep it away as long as possible.

Dusting off fans and blinds can be one of the most annoying things to dust. Many companies have come out with products to help but Swiffer has come out with a duster that works great on blinds or fans. It's not very good for things like knick knacks because it's larger and works well only on larger items. It is kind of expensive since you have to keep buying the pads for it but if you have a lot of fans and blinds and long hard surfaces, like a mantle, then it would be a good purchase. If you don't have a lot of time to clean and really get things done, or find that it just doesn't get done because you don't have the time then this is probably a great idea too. You don't have to use it for everything but using a little might help you keep your home cleaner and more dust-free.

"Tips for keeping dust off fans, blinds, and knick knacks" »

Tips for cleaning crayon stains off of walls

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Those of you who have kids, or have ever had to watch kids, know that a mere tiny piece of paper is very rarely a large enough canvas to contain their creative energy and abilities. Far too often, kids decide that your walls are the best place for them to draw their masterpieces. If you come around your hallway corner and see that your five year old has attempted to recreate the Mona Lisa on your nice white wall, don't despair, and don't kill your kid. It's actually a lot easier to get crayon and pen markings off your walls than you think that it is. Hold off on the year-long grounding until your kids are teenagers and they really start causing trouble.

Tips for cleaning crayon stains off of walls

There are a number of different ways that you can get crayon and pen markings off of your walls. Here's one way that will work for you just about every time.

"Tips for cleaning crayon stains off of walls" »

How to keep your garbage odor down

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Garbage odors are something that everyone has to deal with. No matter who you are or what you do, you will always have garbage. So how is someone supposed to keep the smell at bay? Here are some tips.

Washing out your garbage can is always the first step. Sometimes your bags can leak and you don't notice until you tie up the bag and are ready to take it out. Then by the time you come back you forget about the leak and the mess it's made in the trash can. So to help, once a month take your garbage can out and spray it down with a hose. Try using some dishwashing soap and really clean it out. You can also try scrubbing it if there are things crusted on. Make sure you do a thorough cleaning. Also, for those in between times try putting some baking soda in the bottom. This will help neutralize the odor of anything that may leak or drop down.

"How to keep your garbage odor down" »

How to get pet stains off your carpet

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Pet stains are probably the worst sort of stain you can ever get on your carpet. They smell and can stay with you longer than most other stains. Sometimes pet hair can stick into the stain and makes it even worse. There are expensive ways and of course the cheap ways of getting pet stains out of the carpet.

An expensive way to get your pet stain out is to buy a special vacuum cleaner that gets rid of pet hair and stains in carpet, specifically pet stains. Dyson makes a wonderful one that gets out stains pretty well. These vacuums are at most stores but cost a lot. They can typically get out the general stains or ones that have only been sitting for a few minutes but for a really deep stain you can try using some of the cheaper and more economical ways of getting out pet stains. Then use the vacuum when you catch your pet.

"How to get pet stains off your carpet" »

How often should you clean out your fridge and freezer

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Everyone has a fridge. And everyone has to clean out that fridge at one time or another. Figuring out how often to clean it out or how often to go through and make sure there aren't any containers filled with last month's lasagna can be frustrating. No one really loves to clean out the fridge and see piles of rotten and gross moldy food but it has to be done.

The best way to make sure you don't have piles of rotten and gross moldy food is to clean out your fridge as often as possible. If you are the type of person that knows exactly what's in their fridge at all times then you probably don't have to worry about cleaning the fridge too often. Just maybe go through it every two weeks to make sure that you have everything bad out. If you are the type of person that kind of knows what's in the fridge just try to go through it once a week and make sure you don't have any of that gross stuff in your fridge. It can also help remind you of what you have and can help you decide what to make for dinner that night. Keeping on top of your fridge is the best way you can make sure that you don't have piles of gross food and don't waste money on food.

"How often should you clean out your fridge and freezer" »

Best tips for cleaning tile grout

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You've been scrubbing your kitchen floor, cupboards, and counters for hours. All of the dishes are washed and put away where they go. The oven has been cleaned, you've scrubbed your stove off, and you have washed all of your towels and your dish cloths. But you're still not gone, and the part of your cleaning that you have left to do is one of the most frustrating and aggravating aspects for anybody who is trying to clean their kitchen: tile grout.

When tile grout gets dirty and stained, it's impossible to ignore it. But it can be incredibly difficult to get that tile grout clean. There's no magical method that doesn't require you to get down on your hands and your knees to scrub your grout, but there are a number of "fail-safe" remedies that are floating around that don't work, only work every once in a while, or will actually ruin your tiles, destroy any fabric that they touch, and can actually be deadly if you are mixing chemicals that react in a very dangerous way.

"Best tips for cleaning tile grout" »

Best cleaning product to get blood off carpet, clothes, etc.

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Blood is a horrible thing to get off your clothes or anything. It stains really fast and hardly ever comes out if you leave the stain for too long. You can usually get most of it out but sometimes you can't get it all out. But luckily there are some things that can help get stains out from that shirt that you just absolutely love or that carpet that was just put in last week. Sometimes things that you have at home are the best things to get out stains or clean anything. Lets look at two different ways to get out blood stains that are amazing and work wonderfully and are two things that you probably have lying around your house right now.

"Best cleaning product to get blood off carpet, clothes, etc." »

Keeping your window treatments clean

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If you have windows in your home chances are you have some type of window treatment on that window. Whether you have blinds, curtains or a mixture it can be hard to keep them clean. Your window treatments seem to be a magnet for dirt and dust. Keeping your window treatments clean can be hard but here are some tips.

Your draperies or curtains are the easiest to clean. Most curtains and draperies can be taken down and cleaned in your washer. If you have draperies that need to be dried cleaned it is best to take them to a dry cleaner. They will be able to wash them according the directions. If you attempt to wash them at home it may shred or ruin the fabric so it is best to take them to a professional. To keep curtains and draperies clean and lasting longer you should clean them every four to six months. Once you have them washed and dried you can iron the curtains with some starch to help keep the shape and attractiveness of the curtains or draperies.

"Keeping your window treatments clean" »

How to clean grease off walls and ceilings by the stove

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Because you cook on your stove you can end up with grease on the walls and ceilings around your stove. After some time this grease can build up around the walls and ceilings of your stove creating a fire hazard and dust trap. You should clean the grease off the walls and ceiling by the stove whenever you can, the best time is every four to six months to keep the build up from accumulating.

The best way to clean grease off the walls and ceilings by your stove is to do so at least once a week. Cleaning every week will help in controlling any build up you may have. If you clean the walls and ceilings around your stove at least once a week then you will not need to scrub a lot because it should wipe off easily. If you do clean the walls and ceilings that surround your stove on a weekly basis then you should be able to use a wash rag with a little bit of dish soap on it. This should remove any grease residue that is starting to build up from your cooking.

"How to clean grease off walls and ceilings by the stove" »

Getting hard water spots off windows

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Getting hard water spots off windows can become a big chore. There are different ways to get those spots off your windows. Some require only the products you may already have in your home. Other methods of getting hard water spots off your windows may require specialty cleaners or rags. You can use any mixture of cleaners and rags that work for getting your hard water spots off your windows. Here are a few tips in the quest to remove those hard water spots from your windows.

The best way to get rid of your hard water spots on your windows is to do research about the chemicals that will give you hard water spots on your windows. Calcium, lime and iron are the major problems in the hard water spots you get on your windows. The longer these chemicals stay on your windows the harder it is to get them off your windows. The faster you clean the hard water spots on your windows the easier it is to get the hard water off. If you have waited too long to get the hard water spots off then you can use cleaners specially made for the type of chemicals in the hard water and clean the window according to the directions.

"Getting hard water spots off windows" »

How to rid your home of pet hair

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If you have pets you most likely have pet hair of some sort in your home. Whether you have a lot of pet hair or just some depends on the type of pet you have and the length of their fur. Some pets shed more then others but no matter what you want to rid your home of pet hair.

Not only can you get pet hair on your couch and other furniture you can also get pet hair on your carpets and stuck all over your clothes. So much pet hair can start to be a problem when trying to keep your home and clothes clean. Too much pet hair can also keep dust mites in the home and aggravate allergies. You just need to find ways to help control all the pet hair that seems to multiply at a disarming rate in your home.

To help control some of the pet hair you can invest in an adhesive roller. Any home with pets should have at least one or more of these sticky lint brushes to help control the pet hair. The adhesive sheets on the rollers easily pick up hair from upholstery, drapery and clothing. These adhesive rollers are easy to handle because they roll and are so much easier to use then the old masking tape trick. From miniature to jumbo, there's a roller for every purpose; keep one in your purse, in the laundry room, in the car, even by the front door to catch any remaining hairs before heading out.

"How to rid your home of pet hair" »

How to get rid of mold in your bathroom

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Bathrooms have a higher risk of mold in your home because of the water and the humidity that can get into your bathrooms. Almost every bathroom you come across has mold in some way or another in someplace. Mold is a fungus that causes black spots on your walls, fixtures or faucets and on your floors. It is very dangerous if left untreated and can cause serious illnesses. How to get rid of mold in your bathroom is something everyone should know how to do along with preventative measures for the mold.

There are many cleaners out there to buy that will help you clean the mold in your bathroom. Not all the mold cleaners you find will work very well but you can find some that work great. Try many different kinds until you find one that you like and then stick with that one. Follow the directions on the back of your cleaning container for the best results in getting rid of your mold.

"How to get rid of mold in your bathroom" »

How to ensure you do not get bed bugs

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Bed bugs are real and not just a phrase from children's poetry. Bed bugs don't just live in your beds they can also live in furniture cushions or even the walls of your home. They are fast moving insects that feed on humans or pets. They are oval in shape and brown in color. They are not known to spread any diseases but they will leave you scratching. They only come out at night and are very tiny so getting rid of them can become a problem.

There is not a 100% safe way to be sure that you don't get bed bugs. You can ensure that you don't get a huge infestation of bedbugs though. Bedbugs can be found everywhere including the cleanest houses. Bedbugs can latch onto luggage during a vacation and return home with you. They can live up to a year without a human host and the females lay 300 eggs hatching every ten days. To get rid of bed bugs you need to notice them before it becomes a huge infestation and then treat the bed bugs accordingly to get rid of them for good.

"How to ensure you do not get bed bugs" »

Cleaning soap scum and mildew off tubs

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Cleaning soap scum and mildew off tubs is not one of the most fun things to do in your house. No matter how good of a housekeeper you are you may still have soap scum or mildew that remains on your tubs. Soap scum and mildew can be found around the tub, the edge of the tub and wall, around the faucets, on the shower curtain and in the walls surrounding your tub or in the grout on those walls. It can be easy to clean but not too much fun. Take a look at these tips for cleaning soap scum and mildew off tubs in your home.

The worst soap scum is the soap scum that has been sitting around for awhile. We all let it sit at times and hope to come back to it later. But life happens and you just don't schedule a regular cleaning of the bathroom tub. The longer the soap scum sits on your tubs and tub walls the more concrete it will become this is why regular cleaning should be scheduled. It's not a fun job but with regular cleaning it should become easier and less time consuming.

"Cleaning soap scum and mildew off tubs" »

How to get rings off your toilet bowl


How to get rings off your toilet bowl: If you get rings around your toilet often than it probably means that you will need to clean you toilet more often. The best thing you can do to prevent getting toilet rings is to clean your toilets once a week.

You need to clean your toilets. If you don't clean your toilets than you could end up with this ring or even worse, you could end up getting this bacteria that stinks and it is hard to get off. It's so much easier to clean the toilet once a week.

"How to get rings off your toilet bowl" »

How to get fingernail polish off your tile


How to get fingernail polish off your tile?

There is a few different ways to get nail polish off tile. So you will have to make your best judgment.

First choice:

Nail polish remover, this could get messy and it might stain so you have to take caution. People have used it before and it worked perfect it is just up to you. If you think that nail polish remoiver is the best choice than you should follow these simple steps.

"How to get fingernail polish off your tile" »

How to get blood stains out of carpet


How to get blood stains out of carpet?

How to get blood stains out of carpet can be difficult, so for the most part try to be careful and not get any blood on your carpet. If you have a white carpet that you might want to be as careful as possible. You should never try to scrub any kind of stain, because it tends to make the stain worse.

"How to get blood stains out of carpet" »

Tips for cleaning kitchen surfaces

Here are some great tips for cleaning kitchen surfaces. It can be a challenge for any good cleaner to bring shine to your kitchen surfaces. However, there are ways to get it done.

There are some cautions to be aware of before you choose the products you want to use to clean your kitchen surfaces. The tops of many surfaces can be scratched or stained by harsh and abrasive cleaners.

"Tips for cleaning kitchen surfaces" »

How to sanitize bathrooms


How to sanitize bathrooms? Well it can be said that most people are not fond of cleaning and sanitizing their bathrooms. Though, it is very much a necessary evil. A bathroom is the main area in your home that houses the most bacteria. Bacteria are one of the major causes for illness that we deal with in this day and age.

So in order to prevent illness, sanitizing your bathroom well is important. Here are some steps to help you to sanitize your bathroom.

"How to sanitize bathrooms" »

Dusting tips for a cleaner home

Here are some dusting tips for a cleaner home. When we think of dust, we usually think of that thin layer of film materials that sit on top of our televisions, or on our blinds. However, when you really know what dust it, you tend to want to get rid of it. It is more than just a layer of film. It is much more than that.

Here is what dust really is. Dust is minute solid particles that are very small. Dust can be made from many things and have many things in with them. Dust comes from skin cells that are dead, pet dander, fuzz from materials, pollen, mold, fungi, dead things, dust mites, etc.

"Dusting tips for a cleaner home" »

Tips for the seasonal household cleaning

Seasonal household cleaning doesn't just have to be spring cleaning. You can also do seasonal cleaning in the fall or pre-holiday. Seasonal cleaning is basically a deep clean from top to bottom throughout the house. Seasonal cleaning should include moving all furniture to clean under and around it, cleaning all your smaller knick knacks or collectibles, ceiling fans, washing walls and perhaps shampooing the carpets. Seasonal cleaning should also leave the whole house sparkling like new. Every nook and cranny of your home should look brand new.

You can do your seasonal cleaning any time of the year but it is most popularly done during the spring to air out your house after a long cold winter. No matter when you do the cleaning it is a long and tedious job. The easiest way to do this is to schedule a day or two to do the cleaning and break down the jobs into rooms or by chore.

"Tips for the seasonal household cleaning" »

The best way to keep your home clean, not just picked up


Your home is a sanctuary. Somewhere you can go to relax and enjoy your accomplishments. When you come home from work you don't want to spend all your time cleaning your house but you still want it to look nice. You also don't want to spend a whole day cleaning. If you stay home with kids you know how hard it can be to find time to actually clean and not just pick things up. The best way to keep your home clean and not just picked up is to do a little every day.

Figure out what you want to keep clean and what you need to keep clean. Things like vacuuming, dishes, taking out the trash and dusting are some jobs that should be done every week. Cleaning under furniture can be done monthly or more if you need. Cleaning appliances like stoves and washers should be done every few months. You can make these into a list of rooms and what to do in each room.

"The best way to keep your home clean, not just picked up" »

Keeping baseboards looking clean, not dingy

Keeping your baseboards clean, not dingy is a time consuming task. The baseboards are the place where your floors meet your walls. They come in different colors and styles depending on your home. They are rarely thought about until you need to clean them. This task requires time and some elbow grease. It will also require a bucket of some sort and wash rags or a sponge.

Baseboards can become dust collectors. When vacuuming or mopping your floors some of the dust gets moved around and ends up on the baseboards. People rarely clean the baseboards as much as the floor or even the walls. Your baseboards need some attention too. Clean baseboards can really liven up a room. You can clean them with a homemade solution, regular soap and water, or store bought cleaners.

"Keeping baseboards looking clean, not dingy" »

How to make sure your blinds stay clean


Window blinds are great choices for decorating windows. They come in different shapes, styles, and colors. They are also made of different products including wood, fake wood, vinyl, aluminum and fabric are just a few. Choosing a blind may be easy but making sure your blinds stay clean is not so easy. They are dust collectors but cleaning them regularly will help them to last longer and function properly.

Keeping your vinyl or aluminum blinds clean may be easier then other blinds. You'll need to vacuum the blinds with a small attachment to get some of the collected dust off. If you just dry dust the blinds then the dust particles will go into the air and may go back onto your blind. After vacuuming use a damp sponge or rag to get some of the stuck on dirt or dust. This should be enough to clean and add the sparkle back. If you require a more severe clean use a soap and water mixture with a sponge and clean each slat one by one. This is time consuming but will restore the blinds to fairly new. Once they are clean it is best to go over them every few weeks with a duster or vacuum attachment. This may add some extra time onto cleaning but in the long run it will reduce how many times you need to deep clean your blinds.

"How to make sure your blinds stay clean" »

Deep cleaning tips and tricks


Deep cleaning your home requires a lot of time and can be frustrating. If you only do the deep cleaning once a year there is a lot of dust and grime build up. If you do some deep cleaning all the time then it may not be as stressful but still requires time. To help reduce some of the stress of deep cleaning let's look at some tips and tricks.

Carrying all your supplies with you will help. There are basic cleaners to use like the pros do. Notice how they don't carry around a cleaner for every surface? The basics would include a glass cleaner or multi-surface cleaner, a heavy duty degreasing cleaner, tile cleaner and powdered abrasive cleaner. The less you carry the best, this isn't a workout.

"Deep cleaning tips and tricks" »

How to clean windows for a streak free shine


A streak free shine on your windows is not impossible to achieve. There are different ways to get that streak free shine. Some require no more then products you may already have in your home. Other methods of getting a streak free shine require specialty cleaners or rags.

There are different methods for getting a streak free shine on your windows using homemade recipes. They don't all require the same ingredients or the same cloths. You can use paper towels, newspapers, or squeegees. The best way to find one that works for you is to try them all out on different windows. First let's look at the different recipes and methods.

"How to clean windows for a streak free shine" »

Tricks for cleaning sliding glass doors when you have small children


Tricks for cleaning sliding glass doors, when you have small children. As amazingly beautiful a sliding glass door can be, if there are fingerprints covering it, then an eye sore it can become.

So how can you prevent, minimize, or protect your sliding glass door from being a negative feature in your homes décor? Check out some of these ideas and see if they help.

"Tricks for cleaning sliding glass doors when you have small children" »

Tricks for cleaning sliding glass doors when you have small children

Tricks for cleaning sliding glass doors, when you have small children. As amazingly beautiful a sliding glass door can be, if there are fingerprints covering it, then an eye sore it can become.

So how can you prevent, minimize, or protect your sliding glass door from being a negative feature in your homes décor? Check out some of these ideas and see if they help.

"Tricks for cleaning sliding glass doors when you have small children" »

The nooks and crannies cleaning guide


The nooks and crannies cleaning guide. When it comes time to clean those nooks and crannies, you really need to have a plan to get it all done. This is because those are usually the jobs that get pushed aside. They are easily dismissed because things get busy. They are out of the way and who will see them, right? Well you do and that is why you want to clean them.

Lets take a look at how you can plan to clean those nooks and crannies and how to get them done right.

"The nooks and crannies cleaning guide" »

Keeping your electronics dust free

Keeping your electronics dust free. This is never an easy job. The reason that dust is always getting on your electronics is simply that the electronic impulses tend to pull dust into them.

Electronics is known as one of the biggest dust magnet problems out there. They are known to not only get dust on top of them, but also inside of them. The other problem with dust and electronics is that the dust can become very damaging to many of the moving parts of the electronics.

"Keeping your electronics dust free" »

Keeping stair carpet clean and stain free


Keeping stair carpet clean and stain free. The stairs is often times a place that stains, and dirt seems to track to the easiest. Maybe not as much as by the front door of your house, but close enough. It is also easier to clean the carpet around the front door, than it is to clean your stairs. Why is this? Because of the incline or decline and the shape that the carpet takes on the stairs.

So what can you do to keep your stair carpet clean and stain free. Well check out some good ideas.

Idea #: Stain resistant carpet

"Keeping stair carpet clean and stain free" »

Spring cleaning tips


There are so many things that people want to do once spring comes. One thing that a lot of people do is spring clean. The reason why it is called spring cleaning is because in the olden days when spring would come people would clean the houses to get all the soot that had collected from their fireplaces all winter out of their houses. Now days we do a spring cleaning to just do a sweep of the whole house and make sure to get any of the dust out that might have collected through out the year. Here are some spring cleaning tips that you might want to use to make sure that you get your house in tip top shape.

The first tip is to make sure that you go through your house and do a deep clean in every room. You can do this by going through closets and taking out any clothes that do not it any more or are not in season. For example if it is April you will probably not need snow suites anymore. You will want to make sure that you have a coat closet or something that you can put all of the clothes away that are out of season so that you will know where to pull them out next year when you need them.

"Spring cleaning tips" »