Top 13 Tips for Environmentally Friendly Spring Cleaning!
May 24, 2018
A lot of Coloradans pride ourselves on being ‘natural’ and organic, so we here at Masters Property Management decided to do a little research on some natural alternatives to the most chemical smelling spring cleaning tasks – here are the best 13 tips that we could find.
1. Couch Cleaning!
Cleaning a Microfiber couch can be tricky. If you use a scrub brush and some rubbing alcohol, those stains will come right out. With some elbow grease, you’ll have a couch as good as new!
2. Coffee Tables
Got water rings on some wooden coffee tables? Fear no more! When guests are over, you don’t have to worry about strategically covering them. If you use a blow dryer on a high setting, at a 180-degree angle, it will blow them away in 20 minutes or less. Make sure to use a little bit of olive oil afterwards to moisturize the wood to prevent any cracking!
3. Oven cleaner, but without the oven cleaner
This is personally my most dreaded task. I always seem to end up with oven cleaner on my arms, and a dry patch that I can never quite get rid of until the day before I clean my oven again. Of course, that’s how life works – but with this life hack, we’ve got you – and your arms- covered. With a lot of baking soda, lemon juice, water and dawn dish soap – you and your elbow grease can get your oven looking amazing without the harmful chemicals and risk of oven cleaning poison. A lot of ‘organic’ oven cleaning recipes call for white vinegar and baking soda, but the lemon’s acidity replaces the vinegar and cuts out any risk of a chemical reaction! It does take a lot more effort, and a cold oven, but it’s well worth it to the environmentally conscious tenant.
4. Naturally Polish your Stainless Steel!
Stainless Steel for the past ten years has been all the rage for kitchen appliances. Polishing this can be a somewhat tedious task – but if you use a combination of cream of tartar and a little bit of water to form a paste – scrub it and let it rest for about 15 minutes, it’ll be brand new. No more rust, burns, and it won’t scratch the surface with a light scrubbing! A trick to this, if the appliance isn’t flammable, is to use pledge after you polish. It’ll make everything very shiny – but slippery for a little while if not wiped down properly. Use this trick if you’re moving out or showing your home and it’ll shine as brightly as that newly polished stainless steel!
5. Hard-water and Limescale cleaning!
Everyone Knows the power of vinegar when it comes to cleaning. Grandma really does know best when it comes to this! If your shower head has limescale on it – fill a plastic bag with white vinegar and tie it on to the shower head over night. It’ll be gone by morning! This also works with any faucet or sprayer you have in your home.
6. Stove Top Polishing
Want that reflection on your glass stove top? Fill a bowl with hot water and a few little drops of dish soap. Dip a rag in it, and squeeze the rag out so that it’s soggy, but not dripping. Spread baking soda generously across the stove top – and lay the rag fully down on top for about 15 minutes, allowing the baking soda to steam from the heat of the rag. In swirling motions, pick the rag up and gently scrub the glass stove top – and there you go! As shiny as a new mirror.
If you have a gas cooktop, white vinegar and an old toothbrush will clean virtually anything off of it safely.
7. Easily Clean your microwave – with just one wipe!
My mother always taught me to clean with a drop of dish soap in a glass dish filled halfway with water and boil it in the microwave. This recipe works off of that idea and works even better! Fill a glass bowl up halfway with water and slice half a lemon into thin slices. Put those into the water and add a splash of vinegar – microwave for four minutes (Or until it boils) and then use a damp cloth to wipe away all that stuck on grease and food. It smells and looks great with very little effort and chemicals!
8. Shower Cleaner
That fiberglass bottom of your shower never seems to truly get clean or stay clean. A combination of baking soda and lemon juice will clean it, and get it looking brand new again! For your shower walls and doors, you can fill a dishwashing wand with dish soap and vinegar to just swipe and be done. If you have one, hang it on a suction cup so it’ll last longer and won’t take up valuable shower space.
9. No more grease!
Fill a spray bottle with 2-parts rubbing alcohol, and 1-part water. Spray this everywhere that cooking grease splashes while you’re frying or cooking, and it will dissolve before your eyes!
10. Dusting won’t take all morning anymore!
To dust off pillows and lampshades, you can swipe a lint roller quickly over them and you’re done. For blinds, you can use an old sock and a couple drops of vinegar to leave them shiny and clean! Dusting computer and TV screens becomes a seconds only task with a coffee filter, and for paintings that you don’t want to damage with any chemicals – stay with me, here – use half a bagel. It’ll pick up all that dust and any other nasty things that rest on any paintings, and it won’t risk any damage at all!
11. Clean Carpet Stains
With this tip, we all need to be careful not to damage carpet or make a stain worse. If you’re unsure about what the stain is, or the material your carpet is made out of, don’t try this one at home, and leave it to our professionals to clean, otherwise you run the risk of losing part of your security deposit.
Now, with that warning in mind – you can get tough food, drink, and pet stains out with a spray bottle of water and white vinegar, a protective towel, and an iron. Spray the vinegar and water mixture onto the stain, let it rest for 10 minutes, and then steam the carpet using your iron. Immediately lay the towel over the stain, and lay the iron over the towel, being careful not to leave the iron in one spot for too long to avoid burning. Remove the iron and the towel, and you’re done! Again, be careful with this one!
12. Clean your Cabinets and Baseboards
Use a dish cleaner filled with dish soap to clean your cabinets and baseboards! This method is sworn by, by a lot of people on the internet. It works so well at getting dirty and grime off easily, just use a wet rag to wipe the soap residue away.
13. Cleaning Slime
Use this cleaning slime to get into the nooks, cracks, and crannies you can’t easily get into, that you don’t want to push anything else into. Like a computer keyboard, for example! This cleaning slime is made up of borax, water, and glue, and you can add food coloring if you want!
The recipe is:
1 tsp of Borax
4-5 oz bottle of Elmer’s glue
1.5 cups of water
And about 8 drops of food coloring!
Heat the water up in the microwave, add the glue, then add the food coloring if desired, and then the teaspoon of borax, and mix until it turns into the consistency that you want! You may need to add a couple more drops of water, depending on your need for the cleaning slime. Place the cleaning slime on the surface that needs cleaned, wait a few minutes – and then peel it away to see how much gunk it’s picked up! Repeat the process until your surface is completely clean.
There you go! Our top 13 tips for environmentally conscious, chemically free cleaning! Let us know how everything works out for you!
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As the days get longer and temperatures start to rise, spring is the perfect time to give your rental properties a much-needed refresh. After a long winter, a thorough inspection and maintenance routine not only keeps your property in top shape but also helps prevent costly repairs down the line. Whether you're a seasoned landlord or managing your first rental, here’s a spring maintenance checklist to help keep your investment—and your tenants—happy. Masters Real Estate does regular property inspections to ensure all of these items are taken care of in order to protect our clients investments. ✅ 1. Inspect the Roof and Gutters Winter can be harsh on roofing materials. Look for missing shingles, signs of leaks, or storm damage. Don’t forget to clean out gutters and downspouts to ensure proper drainage and prevent water damage. ✅ 2. Service the HVAC System Before temperatures soar, schedule a professional HVAC inspection and tune-up. Change air filters and check for any issues that could affect performance or energy efficiency—this keeps your tenants comfortable and reduces utility complaints. ✅ 3. Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Safety first! Spring is a good reminder to test and replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. It’s a small step that can save lives and protect your property. ✅ 4. Check for Pest Issues Rising temperatures mean increased pest activity. Look for signs of rodents, termites, or ants—especially in basements, attics, and around the foundation. Consider scheduling a pest control service as a preventative measure. ✅ 5. Inspect Windows and Doors Examine seals, caulking, and weather stripping. Not only can worn-out seals drive up heating and cooling costs, but they also make the property less secure and more susceptible to moisture damage. ✅ 6. Spruce Up Landscaping Trim overgrown shrubs, remove fallen branches, and refresh mulch beds. Not only does this boost curb appeal, but it also helps prevent issues like foundation damage from overgrown roots or clogged drains. ✅ 7. Examine Exterior Paint and Siding Take a walk around the property and look for chipped paint, cracked siding, or areas showing wear. Spring is a great time for touch-ups that keep your property looking well-maintained and attractive to current and prospective tenants. ✅ 8. Check Walkways and Driveways Inspect for cracks or uneven areas that could become tripping hazards. Repairs now can prevent bigger problems later, especially if water seeps in and freezes again next winter. ✅ 9. Clean Out Dryer Vents Lint buildup in dryer vents is a major fire hazard. Ensure vents are clean and functioning properly—it’s a quick job that protects both the property and your tenants. ✅ 10. Aerate the Lawns Lawn aeration is a crucial lawn care practice of creating small holes in the soil to improve air, water, and nutrient penetration. This helps to alleviate soil compaction, promote healthier root growth, and reduce thatch buildup. An ideal time to aerate is in the Spring before you turn on the sprinklers. Spring maintenance is all about being proactive. By staying ahead of repairs and keeping your rental property in great shape, you protect your investment and create a safe, comfortable environment for your tenants. Keep this checklist handy and make spring your most productive season yet! Don't have time to manage your rental property? Masters Real Estate can help! Learn more about our services and get a free rental analysis.
When you're looking for a property manager, it's not always easy to know what to look for. There are 5 key things to consider when choosing someone to manage your investment property. Read this to learn what these are and how to pick the best property manager to save you time, money, and stress while managing your properties!
As winter approaches, it's time to get prepared for the season. There are three things that are on the top of the to do list, arguably the most important things you need to do is winterize your sprinkler system. If not done properly you will find yourself with a maintenance emergency and an expensive repair bill when freezing temperatures come to Colorado. Another thing to consider is keeping branches away from your home and car during Spring where we receive moisture heavy seasonal snow that can damage anything or cause injury as they fall off. And lastly, if you like your healthy lawn, its aeration/fertilization time. Get your sprinklers blown out for the season Winter is the time to get your sprinklers blown out. The winterizing process helps ensure that your irrigation equipment will last longer and will not burst during the coldest months of the year. If water freezes in an un-winterized system, it expands and bursts water lines, sprinkler heads, backflow preventers and the plumbing inside your home causing significant, traumatic and costly damage. To winterize your sprinkler system: Turn off the water lines Blow out all hoses so they are not full of water Close the solenoids or turn off your system. Turn off outside faucets (check for leaks). Make sure your sprinkler system has been unplugged or disengaged. Remove tree branches that might break off with heavy snow or ice If you have trees on your property, especially large ones that may need to be removed in the future, it is important to do the following: Remove dead or diseased branches. These branches can fall and cause damage if they are near power lines or on top of your car. Remove branches that are too close to the house. This helps protect against wind coming from different directions and knocking down some of these trees onto your home. If there is a large tree that has grown too tall and its branches are overhanging your driveway, this could also cause problems with vehicles driving underneath it or kids playing around it during winter months when snow falls heavily overnight causing heavy snowfalls while temperatures drop quickly during nights when people go outside before sunrise during those cold mornings before going off to work or school! Get your lawn aerated Your lawn has had a long year of getting watered, being pressurized and packed down by lawn mowing, now its time to the alleviate the pressure. Aerating is a great thing for the lawn. It pokes holes throughout the lawn allowing for water, air and nutrients to get in deep to the roots. The holes are 2 or 3 inches into the ground, not too deep for your sprinkler lines to get punctured, but deep enough to help with new roots. After aerating you will want to put down a winter fertilizer, the fertilizer will get deep into the soil allowing for the nutrients to be delivered right to the source. Making sure you have a good fertilizer is also important. There are several good brands out there that you can find at the local home hardware store. If you need help managing your investment property, please let us know through our contact form or by calling 303-930-5125.
