Spruce up for spring

Clean rooms from the top down using our tips

Wipe ceiling fans

Clean blades and housing with a damp cloth and all-purpose cleaner or a mix of water and a mild liquid dish detergent, unless care info says otherwise. Dry thoroughly because damp blades attract dust.

Helpful tool

Make annual cleaning easier by dusting blades once a season with a U-shaped brush, sold at hardware stores. The blade fits inside the U, so both sides are cleaned simultaneously.

Wash windows

Clean from top down on a cloudy day or when the windows are in shade. Direct sun can cause the cleaner to evaporate before you've had a chance to wipe it off. Apply solution with a slightly dampened sponge. Wipe across window with dampened squeegee blade, then wipe blade.

Homemade suds

Mix one-half cup sudsy ammonia, 1 pint rubbing alcohol, and water to make 1 gallon of cleaner; pour into spray bottles. Or try Walmart's Streak Free with Ammonia glass cleaner, a CR Best Buy that cost 3 cents per ounce.

Freshen curtains and drapes

Vacuum with the soft brush or dusting attachment and set on reduced suction to prevent fabric from being drawn into the nozzle, or dust with a soft, long-handled brush with synthetic fibers.

Velvet touch

Clean velvet drapes by brushing them with a chamois cloth. Dip chamois in hot water, wring out thoroughly, and then brush.

Refresh upholstery

A vacuum that does well in our tool airflow tests should do a good job sucking up pet hair from sofas and chairs. Vacuum corners and all sides of cushions. If pets nap on the couch or chair, deodorize upholstery by sprinkling with baking soda and letting it sit for 15 minutes, or longer for tough odors, then vacuum. Wash upholstery by applying a cleaning product or renting a machine that cleans upholstery and carpet. A DIY job is likely to yield better results if done before the upholstery becomes badly soiled.

Test it first

Always try cleaners on an inconspicuous spot first. Pros may prefer steam cleaning with water and detergent since results are often better than from dry cleaning. But be sure they do a spot test and are prepared to switch to dry cleaning or a foam-based cleaner if needed.

Clean window blinds

Place greasy aluminum or PVC blinds in a bathtub filled with warm soapy water and rinse. Keep roller mechanism dry and protect the tub bottom with a towel. Air-dry blinds by hanging at full length.

Fabric shades

Vacuum fabric blinds with the soft brush attachment.Spot-clean with an upholstery cleaner. Test first in an inconspicuous spot to be sure that colors don't fade or bleed.

Launder pillows

Unless the care instructions say otherwise, most foam-filled and synthetic pillows can be machine-washed. Use the gentle cycle, warm water, and a mild powdered detergent like Seventh Generation Natural Powdered HE, which did well in our tests. For hand-washable down and feather pillows, fill a sink with warm water and a powdered detergent. Hold the pillow under water until completely soaked and knead gently. Drain the water out and press down on pillow to extract as much water as possible. Roll in towel to prevent dripping and then unwrap it and spin it in your washer for three cycles to extract water. Line dry or place in dryer on moderate heat with clean towels to speed drying and a clean tennis ball to help fluff the pillow.

Try this

Borax makes an excellent laundry freshener and deodorizer and should be added a few minutes into laundering.