Tips and Tricks to Getting a Spring Time Shine

Spring is here. And that means many things.

The sun is shining.
The temperature is rising.
Birds are chirping, and flowers are blooming.

But spring also means that it’s time to give your home the refreshing, seasonal, deep cleaning it needs after a long and stuffy winter. Luckily, cleaning doesn’t have to be the chore it's known to be. And with a variety of Scotch-Brite™ Brand products, plus the following helpful tips and tricks, you can make cleaning more enjoyable all spring long!
 

Stain Removing Made Easy

Stains. Sometimes they show up out of nowhere. Other times you know exactly how it got there. But no matter how they always arrive at the worst time and are a burden that needs to be dealt with quickly. With Scotchgard™ Oxy Spot & Stain Remover, you can easily rid your favorite fabrics of unfortunate stains while protecting it from any future spills.

With Scotchgard™ Oxy Spot & Stain Remover, even the toughest stains like red wine, grease, and mud are no match. If a spill or stain occurs, simply;

1: Wipe up as much of the stain as possible.

2: Shake well and thoroughly spray the area.

3: Allow to penetrate the stain for 5 minutes.

4: Blot or lightly rub with a clean, colorfast sponge or cloth.

5: Repeat steps 1-3 as necessary. Stay off cleaned area.

6: You have not only gotten rid of your stains, but you’ve also protected your fabrics from future spills.
 

Sponge Away Your Microwave

From reheating leftovers to getting in the right mood for movie night, your microwave handles a lot through the days, weeks, and months. And for every stain, spill, pop, or explosion, there’s a need to get your microwave cleaned up. With these 7-steps, and a little help from Scotch-Brite® Advanced Scrub Dots Non-Scratch Scrubbers, you can make your microwave clean for another round of whatever you reheat.

Microwave Sponge Steam How-To:

1: Wipe any loose crumbs.

2: Add two tablespoons of baking soda to a microwave-safe bowl. Mix in a cup of water.

3: Microwave the bowl on high for four minutes. As the water comes to a soft boil, the steam will loosen the gook on the walls while the baking soda eliminates any odors of late-night food choices. You can also substitute lemon juice for the baking soda if you want a citrusy deodorizing effect.

4: Let the bowl sit and steam for two minutes after the timer to loosen up that cooked-on mess.

5: Carefully open the door and remove the hot bowl along with the turntable plate and roller element. Take your moist scrubber and wipe the inside of the microwave. Use the scrubbing side if there are any remaining stubborn spots.

6: If you have a turntable tray, wash it with warm, soapy water like you would a normal dish. Go ahead and wash the plastic roller piece while you're at it. Then, dry them completely before placing them back in the microwave.

Steel the Show

Whether it’s fingerprints or spilled food, your stainless-steel appliances are bound to get covered with marks, smudges, and grease. But with Scotch-Brite™ Appliance Cleaner & Degreaser Wipes, you can easily wipe, degrease, and protect your fridge, ranges, dishwashers, ovens, and any other stainless appliance you have in your home. These wipes provide a long-lasting, streak-free shine while extending the length between cleaning times.

Erase Wall Mistakes

After a long winter stuck inside, your walls likely resemble something Jackson Pollock would paint. Now that your kids can spend time outside, you can use this opportunity to clean your wall canvases. With the Scotch-Brite® Easy Eraser, you can easily wipe away scuff marks, dirt, smudges, and even crayon and marker from most surfaces. No sprays or cleaners are needed, these erasers just need water to restore your walls to their former glory.

The Bright Idea of Lampshade Dusting

Lamplight looking a little dim? Here’s a bright idea to fix that. The Scotch-Brite™ 50% Stickier Lint Roller. With this roller, you can easily remove dust from your lampshade to make any room brighter. Featuring 50% stickier rolls, with just a few swipes, you can let there be light.

Washing Machine for More Than Clothes

Just because it’s generally used for clothes doesn’t mean you can’t launder other items around the house. Take your shower curtain for example. While it hangs in your shower–a place you go to get clean– how often do you clean it? With this simple trick, you can put your washing machine to good use while giving your shower curtain a refreshed look. It’s very easy to do, simply;

1: Wash your shower curtain using warm water combined with vinegar, baking soda, or gentle laundry detergent.

    *Note: Pick one of the three cleaners listed above. Do not use all three at once or you will have a science experiment or nasty chemical reaction on your hands.

2: After washing, hang your clean shower curtain back on the shower rod to dry.

Expert Tip:

Believe it or not, you should wash your plastic shower curtain at least once a month. However, doing so every three months should be the bare minimum you should be shooting for.

A Cleaner Shower Head for a Cleaner You

Oddly, the place where you clean yourself contains one of the most overlooked items to clean in your home, your shower head. The good news is that it’s a quick fix. With just some distilled white vinegar, a rubber band, a re-sealable plastic bag, and a Little Handy Scrubber, your old shower head will perform like new. Here’s how to do it;

How-To:

1: Wrap the plastic bag around the faucet head.

2: Fill the bag with white vinegar.

3: Let soak for 30 minutes to 1-hour.

Remove the bag and scrub with the Little Handy Scrubber

A Sponge, Tongs, and Ceiling Fans. Oh My!

Ceiling fans are a sneaky place for dust mites to gather. But with the unlikely pairing of regular kitchen tongs and Scotch-Brite™ Sponges, you can easily get your fans circulating fresher air. Check out this video for the steps you need to get your fans dust-free.

Tracking Clean Window Tracks

As the weather gets nicer, you'll want your windows open for a nice breeze of that fresh spring air. Though they’ve been closed for the winter, there is sure to be some gunk and debris in the tracks, but with the Scotch-Brite® Grout & Detail Brush, you can clean the window tracks to rid the debris that could blow through your home.

Busting Baseboard Dust

You may not notice it, but baseboard dust is known to collect right there in plain view. After a long winter of brushing past it, take the time this spring to give your baseboards a refreshing dusting. The Scotch-Brite® Dusting Cloth easily lifts and traps dust and removes fingerprints for a streak-free shine to make your baseboards looking fine.

Time for Your Glass Cooktop to Shine

Whether it’s a freshly cooked meal or delicious desserts, your glass cooktop makes sure everything is ready to make your belly full. After eating, once the cooktop has cooled, give it the cleaning it deserves with the Scotch-Brite® Glass Cooktop Pads. Designed specifically to give your glass cooktop a scratch-free clean. Your glass cooktops will be so clean you’ll want to eat off them.

Cleaning Your Cleaner

A clean sponge is an essential tool in a clean home. And as an essential part of any kitchen, sponges get used for a variety of daily tasks. But with all the cleaning you get out of your sponge, how do you clean the cleaning tool? Don’t sweat it. Just wash the sponge and run it through the dishwasher (top rack) with the drying cycle.

Expert Tip:

You can also soak the sponge for one minute in a solution comprised of ½ teaspoon of concentrated bleach to 1 quart of warm water.

Tubbed. Tiled. And Scrubbed.

Even though you use it for bathing and getting ready cleanly, your bathroom can become quite messy. With the new spring season, give your bathroom a fresh start with help from the Scotch-Brite® Non-Scratch Extendable Tub & Tile Scrubber. With over 25 inches of cleaning extension, you can easily scrub away soap scum, hard water, and other shower grime without scratching, reaching, or bending for it. Safe to use on floors, walls, shower doors, tubs, and more with just water or your favorite cleaner, you can easily scrub away the grime for the springtime shine.