If spring is near, can cleaning be far behind?

The Maids Home Services offers the following tips for doing the job right:

¢ Use a brush attachment to vacuum upholstered furniture, window sills, baseboards and the tops of door and window frames.

¢ Scrub wastebaskets with soap, water and a clean, stiff brush. Rinse with a mild disinfectant, then take the wastebaskets outside to dry in the sun.

¢ Move the refrigerator, oven, clothes washer and dryer just enough to clean behind them. If you can’t reach items that have fallen behind an appliance, use a long-nozzle vacuum attachment with a piece of pantyhose secured over the opening by a rubber band. The pantyhose will prevent the item from being sucked into the vacuum.

¢ To clean ceiling fans, remove the light bulbs and light globes after turning off the lights. Wash the globes in a sink filled with warm, soapy water and lined with a washcloth to prevent breakage. Use the vacuum cleaner and brush attachment to clean fan blades.

¢ To clean food spatters in the microwave, heat a cup of water on high for three to four minutes so the steam will loosen the food. If odor is a problem, mix one part each water and white vinegar and heat for three minutes. For more persistent odor, place a charcoal briquette on a paper plate and leave it in the microwave awhile.

¢ To easily dust knickknacks, squirt an old, clean cotton tube sock with a solution of vinegar and water and slip it over your hand.