JJH Guide: Spring Cleaning Made Easy

If you can believe it, spring has already sprung and if you’re anything like me, deep cleaning is one of the last things that excites me about this time of year. That said, there really is nothing quite like the satisfaction of getting it done!

So, to help us all get into the spirit of spring cleaning, I wanted to share the simple checklist I use to help prioritize the things that should get taken care of first. And if you know me, you know I couldn’t help but throw in my best tips, tricks, and products. 

Tackling Sinks 

We can’t talk about the kitchen until you’ve been formally introduced to my best friend, Bar Keepers Friend. I use that shit on everything, and I’m not kidding about that. My personal preference is the powdered version but I’d imagine that the gel works quite well too.

In our home, we have both stone and metal sinks and have had no issues using the powder on both. It removes all of the grime from the stainless steel and stone, leaving your sink absolutely sparkling! 

Frequency: I do a really deep sink clean twice a month or sometimes more depending on how much cooking, prepping, and dishes I’m doing. 

Where to buy it: You can find Bar Keepers Friend right on our shelves at Mon Pitou (when it’s not sold out), as well as at your local hardware or grocery store. 

Now, when it comes to daily sink cleaning, I use Tallu’s Mat & Surface spray. Here’s a fun tip from Tallu’s founder, Kathy: 

 “Spray this in your sink before bed and let it sit. It’ll fill your kitchen with the most refreshing eucalyptus aroma which you can enjoy when you put that morning pot of coffee on.”

Frequency: I typically do this every Sunday when I’m cleaning up after cooking dinner for Triet and I. Immediately after spraying, our entire space smells incredible and helps us relax as we prepare for another busy week. 

Where to buy it: Tallu.ca, of course! And I have wonderful news - Kathy has very generously provided us with a 25% off coupon for all Mon Pitou customers. Use code JH25 at checkout to save on all of her wonderful products including sprays, candles, soaps, body butters, and so much more! 

Sink Cleaning Checklist

• Rinse your kitchen sink with warm water, then drizzle on a little dish soap to remove waste residue and food scraps
• Sprinkle in some bar keepers friend
• Scrub with a kitchen brush or sponge 
• Spray in some of Tallu’s wonderful spray 
• Rinse and wipe away any residue with a Microfibre Cloth

Dishwashers Need Love Too

Triet and I have lived in our condo for nearly 9 years, and it absolutely pains me to admit this but I only started cleaning our dishwasher three years ago! It was a lesson learned for me because you would not believe how much of a difference it makes to your dishes - they come out clean, sparkling and completely streak-free! 

Here’s the best way to do it: 

The Filter 

• Remove the bottom rack and locate the filter on the interior floor of your dishwasher 
• Remove the Filter (wiggle or twist it from left to right, until it starts to unscrew) 
• Mix 1 cup of hot water with 1 cup of white vinegar 
• Wipe down the filter housing with the solution 
• Soak and scrub the filter with a kitchen brush, then rinse well
• Reinstall the filter
• With the remaining liquid, use your kitchen brush and scrub away any debris in the dishwasher - don’t forget to look in those hard to see areas like around the door seal!

Cleaning the interior 

• Pour 2 cups of white vinegar into a glass measuring cup or other dishwasher-safe container and place it upright on the lower rack
• Run a normal cycle with the heat dry option turned off, and that will clean the inside of your dishwasher. And trust me on this one darling, whatever you do - don’t use detergent! 
• Once the cycle is done, the dishwasher is good to go! 

I like to add Lemi Shine to our washes, as it’s an amazing detergent booster. Another product I love especially when we’re washing stemware or crystal, is a rinse aid. We use Finish Jet-Dry Dishwasher Rinse Agent & Drying Agent. It’s inexpensive and does the trick! 

The (Dreaded) Oven 

I won’t lie to you, do things sometimes tend to boil over or spill when I’m baking or cooking something? Absolutely. More often than not, in fact. And although we have a self-cleaning oven, it never gets it to sparkle so I’m now in the habit of manually cleaning our oven, and then turning on the self cleaning to get rid of any harsh chemicals. 

Oven Racks

If your oven racks fit in your kitchen sink, how does it feel to live an especially wonderful life? For the rest of us, the best way to tackle them is in the tub! 

• Soak oven racks in hot water with dish soap and a 1/4 cup of baking soda
• Let them soak for 30 minutes, and rotate if needed
• Once the racks have had a good soak, give them a scrub with your kitchen brush or a sponge - I usually grab a couple every time I go to Ikea for things like this

Oven Doors

Whether your oven door is solid or has glass, I like using Easy-Off Oven Cleaner and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for this one. If your oven is in major need of a good deep cleaning, you can spay this all over inside the oven - just make sure to cover any grills and fill your oven door crack with newspaper or paper towel. 

Trust me on that last point - the first time I cleaned my oven, I didn’t fill in the crack and stripped the finish on our built-in Miele oven. It’s a lesson that I truly, truly will never forget :)

Once the spray has sat for 30 minutes, wipe everything away with a sponge or paper towel. Now, here’s how to finish it off: 

• Fill a spray bottle with half vinegar and half warm water
• Spray your entire oven then whip away any residue with a microfibre cloth 
• If you want to burn away any of the toxins used to clean the oven, go ahead and turn your self cleaning on but make sure to keep the racks out!

A JJH tip: Anytime we use self cleaning, I make sure to be out of the house. I open the patio doors along with any windows, and make sure to turn our kitchen fan on too. And heck, you can even turn on your diffuser! This helps manage the smoke and smoke smell that often comes with self cleaning. 

Bedding and Linens

Another thing I love to do as part of my spring cleaning routine is to strip all of our bedding and linens. And by strip, I mean deep clean them so good that they’ll look (and feel) brand new. Over time, your laundry starts to collect detergent residue, fabric softener, minerals from hard water, and of course, body oils. Laundry stripping allows you to remove all of that buildup by soaking garments and linens in hot water with this DIY stripping solution!

Here’s how to do it: 

• Fill your bathtub with the hottest water
• To the hot water add 1/2 cup borax, 1/2 cup washing soda and 1 cup of powdered laundry detergent - I love using Nellies Natural cleaning products to do the job!
• Add like-coloured linens to the tub and let them sit until the water turns cold, at least 4 to 5 hours
• Place the soaked linens into the wash with a tablespoon of powdered laundry detergent

A JJH tip: Use white-vinegar as a fabric softener! Don’t worry, your clothes will not come out smelling like vinegar. In fact, the vinegar softens fabrics without the use of harsh chemicals that are often found in commercial fabric softeners. Vinegar also prevents static, which means that lint and pet hair is less likely to cling to your fabrics! How bad can that be?

And just like that, you’ll be saying hello to a fresh spring start! Stay tuned for our next newsletter and blog post which will focus on entertaining tips! Don’t forget to follow along on instagram at @jonathonhawes & @marchemonpitou. 

Happy spring cleaning! 

JJH xx