Spring is the perfect time to deep clean your home. Lighten your cleaning load by using these tricks to make spring cleaning easy and stress-free.

Deep clean your microwave

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy. With the help of a lemon, cleaning your microwave has never been simpler. Cut a lemon into halves and squeeze the juice into a ½ cup of water. Add the rinds to the mix and microwave on high for three minutes. Let it stand for five minutes without opening the microwave to allow the steam to loosen the grease and grime to wipe away with ease.

Show the disposal some love

You can use the power of lemons to clean other areas around your home. After cleaning your microwave, pour the mixture and rinds into your in-sink garbage disposal. The rind will dislodge any stuck-on food bits, the citric acid will kill remaining bacteria, and the skin’s lemon oil will let off a fresh, clean smell.

Remove pet hair effortlessly

Pet hair is notoriously difficult to remove from fabric and upholstery. Well, that is until now! Where vacuum cleaners fail, rubbers gloves come to the rescue! Simply put on a rubber glove, wet it slightly, and run your hand over the pet hair-covered surface. Running the glove over fabric will conduct static electricity that helps attract hair to the glove. When finished, simply rinse the glove under running water to loosen the hair. The glove can even be reused in other areas!

Use coffee filters for electronics

Touchscreens are everywhere now from our phones and computers to refrigerators and coffee pots. All of that touching leaves behind a lot of fingerprints. Unfortunately, traditional cleaning cloths tend to leave behind fuzzy or linty residue on smart appliances. Avoid the annoyance of having to re-clean your electronics by using a coffee filter to wipe down these high-touch surfaces.

Repurpose an old pillowcase

Ceiling fans are excellent ways to control heating and cooling costs. Unfortunately, they have a habit of collecting dust that can be tricky to remove. Instead of using a feather duster that scatters the dust and dirt around the room, grab an old pillowcase. Slide the pillowcase over each fan blade to clear and contain dust and debris from sides and edges at the same time.

Looking for more tips for keeping your home feeling fresh, clean, and welcoming throughout the year? Make sure to check out our inspiration gallery for the latest in-home ideas from top local providers. Stay tuned for more home insights on the next episode of My Southern Home.