19 home items you should be cleaning every month

Do these simple yet often overlooked cleaning tasks monthly to avoid major messes and costly repairs down the road.

Here are 40 more tips for cleaning every nook and cranny of your house.

It’s recommended to have your washer go through a cleaning cycle once a week, depending on how often you are using the machine. If you aren’t using it as often, it’s recommended to give it wash (both inside and out) once a month. Since most clothes/patterns require a cold wash, hot water isn’t moving through the machine often. The first thing you can do is wash the machine with hot water—bleach included. This will help to kill off whatever bacteria or bugs are currently residing within your machine.

Learn the 10 golden rules of cleaning.

The best way to clean out your garbage disposal is with baking soda and white vinegar. Take half a cup of baking soda and a cup of white wine vinegar, and put both down the sink. After a few minutes, pour some boiling hot water down, too. Next, fill the drain with some ice cubes, and add a cup of salt, which will help to remove debris. Finally, add lemon halves to the disposal and keep both the water running and the garbage disposal on.

Here are 17 of the most brilliant ways to fix things using baking soda.

If you let your mini blinds build up too much dust and dirt, they can be impossible to clean. The more you spray and wipe, the more you just spread the dust and grease build-up. It’s difficult to thoroughly wipe both sides of all blades using a cloth – all while trying not to damage any of the delicate pieces in the process. The secret? This time-saving kitchen tong hack!

Bodrozic says you should replace your air filters at least four times a year, but it’s best to check them once a month. This keeps air in the house healthy and your system running efficiently because they are not clogged with debris or dust.

Follow these 6 strategies to keep your home cool.

Remove the filter and wash it to make sure all food particles are gone. Then sprinkle a cup of baking soda in the bottom of the dishwasher and let it sit for 12 hours. Then add a cup of vinegar and run a hot cycle.

Here are 5 common dishwasher problems and how to solve them.

Sweep out your garage, patio and walkways to keep them clear of debris. If you do this job once a month it will be significantly more manageable over time.

Follow these 43 tips for a cleaner, more organised garage right now.

The top or bottom of your refrigerator has a grille that you can detach to get access to the compressor and cooling coils. This builds up dust over time and blocks airflow, which can burn out your refrigerator’s cooling system.

Learn more about how to maintain your refrigerator.

Sprinkle a generous amount of regular baking soda onto the fabric and let it sit for at least 20 minutes. The baking soda will help to release odours and break up some light stains in the fabric. After about 20 minutes, remove the baking soda – and the funky smell – with a handheld vacuum or a hose attachment for your large vacuum.

Here are 10 great spring cleaning secrets.

If you notice that your sinks or tubs aren’t draining as quickly, there may be a build-up causing a blockage. The first thing to do is try to remove anything that is obstructing the pipe manually using a pipe cleaner to pull debris through the plughole. Second, pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by some hot water, which should clear things out.