Spring Cleaning That Won't Take All Day

Daylight savings has come and gone, soon enough Spring will have sprung. If you've been putting off doing your Spring cleaning because you don't have 25 uninterrupted hours to devote to it, don't worry. Start with the basics and once those are finished, you can move on to things like waxing the floors and dusting the ceiling fan (who looks up there anyway?). Following is a list that will only take a few hours but make a big difference in feeling like you've accomplished something. Implementing some of these quick cleaning tips will help jump start your spring cleaning efforts.

1. Change out the batteries in your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector. This is a very important task that needs to be done twice a year—it takes 5 minutes but will save your life.

2. Clean your windows. Spray them with window cleaner (easy homemade cleaning solution: 1 part hot water, one part white vinegar) and then wipe them down with old newspaper. Seriously. It really does prevent streaks.

3. Disinfect all garbage cans by spraying all-purpose cleaner on the inside and outside, then wiping down with a clean cloth.

4. Clean your microwave. This is a simple task that usually doesn't get accomplished with enough frequency: heat up a mug of water with a few lemon slices in it for 3 minutes. Let stand for another 3 minutes. Wipe down walls of microwave with a clean, damp cloth.

5. Wash all pillows and bedding—most pillows can be machine-washed and this eliminates bacteria and mold.

For plenty more cleaning tips and ideas, visit FamilyCorner's cleaning section!