Browse Blog:

May Home Maintenance Checklist for Arizona

Things you can do this April to keep your home beautiful, fresh, and safe.

Change out your HVAC filters

You may not have used your heater much this winter, so you might not be in the habit of checking your filters. Take the time now to put in a fresh filter, and while you’re at it, buy enough filters for a monthly filter change throughout the summer season. 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.

Fertilize your citrus trees

It’s recommended that you fertilize citrus three times a year. Get fertilizer that’s made just for citrus and plan on applying it around Valentine’s day, Memorial Day, and Labor day.

Clean your range hood filters

This is one of those things that is easily overlooked, so don’t be surprised to find these filters to be really dirty if you’ve never attempted the task. Cleaning the filters will help with your cooking airflow and remove potentially flammable grease away from your stove. Remove the filters and try either of these two methods:
  1. Put the filters in a pot of boiling water and add 1/2 cup of baking soda (added in 1 tablespoon at a time)
  2. Soak the filters in hot water and degreaser from the auto parts store
Warning, this process might stink, especially if you haven’t done it in awhile. The leftover water will have grease in it, so make sure not to pour it down your drainpipes.

Remove shower heads and clean sediment

Arizona has hard water, which means your shower heads will lose pressure over time from built-up sediment and hard water scale. To remove these deposits, unscrew your shower heads and put them in a Ziplock bag, then submerge the shower head in vinegar and soak it overnight. In the morning, it should look brand new. If it doesn’t, try using an old toothbrush to loosen the sediment or leave it in the vinegar for one more night.

Clean the dishwasher filter (and the dishwasher)

The filter should really be cleaned once a month. For extra deodorization, run an empty cycle with a cup of vinegar.
If you want to go the extra mile and clean the dishwasher, there are some store bought cleaners that you can run an empty load with. You can also take out the racks and spray arms to clean and check for clogs (use a toothpick to clean out the spray jet holes). Check the basin float for any built-up food particles as well.

Clean the inside of the oven

Many cleaning experts do not recommend using the “self-clean” setting on the oven, as tempting as it might be to have the easy solution. You risk a lot by having your oven go up to such high temperatures. For a heat-free method, check out this video:
Monthly Home Maintenance Checklist

Get a monthly email with everything you need to maintain your home in Arizona

One email a month. No spam.