Your laundry room may be a closet, a nook or an actual room. Regardless of its size, this list will help you keep it clean and organized.
- Wipe light fixtures.
- Wash walls.
- Wash door and frame.
- Wipe down and organize shelves. Have what you need, where you need it. It is good to have a shelf to store your supplies instead of keeping them on top of your washer and dryer to prevent the chemicals in the supplies from damaging the finish on your appliances.
Washing machine
- Mildew tends to build up inside a washing machine, especially around the door seal. Using a solution of 1 cup bleach to 2 cups water wipe the door seal. Apply solution liberally with a cloth and let sit a minute. Then wipe clean with a damp cloth.
- Following manufacturer’s instructions, clean fabric softener dispenser.
- Wipe down the rest of the washer.
- Pull out washing machine and dryer to clean behind.
- Fill the bleach dispenser and run the washer through a complete cycle without any clothes in it.
- To help prevent mildew from building up inside washer, keep door or lid open after use to allow moisture to evaporate.
Dryer
- Wipe down dryer with mild dishwashing liquid and water solution.
- A while ago, a piece of gum was left in a pocket and when it went through the dryer, it melted and left a smear across the inside of the door. Since then, I’ve been thinking about how to get it off. With hesitation, worried I would leave scratches, I finally decided to try a razor blade. Guess what?!?! It worked!
- Check exhaust ducting for lint buildup.
- Clean the vent.
- Fire Safety Tips
- Only use approved aluminum vent.
- Clean lint tray after every load of laundry.
- Never run dryer before going to bed or when you aren’t home.
- Install smoke detector in laundry room
- Clean vent at least once a year.
Iron
- Running vinegar and water through your iron to clean it may result in a brown substance oozing from it while you’re ironing.
- Many manufacturers now recommend that you simply clean the iron with its own steam.
- Some irons have a clean setting or you can turn your iron to steam and on the highest setting.
- Place your iron plate side down on a metal cooling rack over a heat resistant surface and let the steam and water jet through the holes.
- I noticed my iron cleaned through the bottom holes first and eventually worked through the top holes, filling up some of the holes with the mineral deposit build-up that was inside my iron. Once the holes cleared a brown and white residue was left on the outside of the plate. I had to refill my iron 3-4 times before all the holes were clear.
- After the iron cools, spray a cloth with vinegar solution and wiped off the plate.
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