We are all getting tired of the heat at this point 🥵 (don’t worry, only 2 more months to go! 😜) Don’t worry, all the maintenance we have for you this month is inside. And if that’s still too daunting, may we recommend making your kids do it.
Clean your microwave
This one isn’t as hard as you think, and honestly should be done more often than once a year. Once we show you how easy it can be, maybe you’ll start cleaning it every week!
- Start by adding 1 cup water to a microwave-safe bowl
- Next, add some lemon juice or a few tablespoons vinegar to the water
- Put the bowl in the microwave and turn it on high for a few minutes so that the water boils and allows the steam to start the cleaning process.
- The bowl will be really hot at this point, so be sure to give it time to cool off before you open the microwave back up and remove the bowl.
- When you do, use a sponge to wipe the inside of the microwave clean. It should be easy-peezy now, and the steam mixture will also help deodorize in the process.
- The turntable can be cleaned in the dishwasher.
- The exterior and door seals can be cleaned with windex or if it’s really bad, use a wet sponge dipped in baking soda.
Check grout in bathrooms and kitchen
Cracked and broken grout can cause more problems when water and other liquids are allowed to soak into your tiled surfaces. Avoid these problems and beautify your living spaces by fixing any grout issues.
Clean your dishwasher
It’s easy to forget to clean the thing that’s cleaning something else, but cleaning your dishwasher actually makes it clean better and last longer than if you neglect this maintenance.
- Remove the upper and lower racks. Lift out the lower rack. For the upper rack, push in the ends of the endcaps and then pull out.
- Remove the upper sprayer arms. They either snap off or are held in place with a screw cap.
- Clean the spray holes with a toothpick
- Clean the dishwasher’s filter. This will help particles from getting stuck in the sprayer in the future.
- Clean the basin float
- Depending on what you see in there, you may also want to clean the sides, door, and/or racks before you put everything back into place.
Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
This really should be done once a month. Use the “test” button, and if the alarm sounds, you’re good to go. If you replace the batteries and still don’t hear a sound, you might have to replace the whole unit.
This is also a good opportunity to clean out anything you want to donate to charity.
Change your HVAC filters
Your unit works hardest in the summer, so make sure your air is clean and your air conditioner is working smoothly by replacing your filters. Unless you have severe allergies, don’t worry about buying the expensive filters, which just put more strain on your HVAC by restricting air flow.
