Kitchen
• Thoroughly vacuum tops of cabinets, fridge coils and stove vents. If possible, move appliances out and clean or vacuum under them. Wash outsides of appliances; shine up stainless steel with a few drops of vegetable oil on a paper towel.
• Clean out the fridge. Throw away never-used jars of food and what my mother used to call "furry friends." Then thoroughly clean the interior with baking soda and water, or use an all-purpose spray cleaner (rinse afterward). If possible, remove shelves and wash in the sink with dish detergent.
• Clean cabinetry inside and out, one cupboard at a time. Remove contents; wash interior, then replace the contents, throwing away or recycling all those strange things you'll never eat or use. Then wash the outside of the cabinet. When you're done, wash tops and bottoms of cabinets.
• Scrub floor with an all-purpose cleaning solution and a scrub brush to get out ground-in grime. Vinyl floors can be sprayed with a foaming cleanser, left for a few minutes, then wiped clean with a damp mop. Use tile cleaner to clean grout on ceramic tile and some stone floors.
Bathroom
• Scrub around faucets with bathroom cleaner and an old toothbrush to get rid of built-up soap scum. If mildew on tile is a problem, use the toothbrush and tile cleaner to get rid of it.
• Take down shower curtains and plastic liner and wash.
• Clean and wash cupboards, throwing away expired medicines and cosmetics you'll never use.
Bedroom
• Strip all bedlinens, including bedskirt, and wash. Vacuum mattress and box spring and spray lightly with fabric freshener.
• Unless your mattress is the no-flip kind, flip and rotate the mattress.
• Open and clean out closets and dresser drawers. Give away clothes you haven't worn for a year; dry-clean or launder what you're keeping.
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