These next few tasks take more time and effort to get right. But with the proper tools, you’ll be able to save money by tackling these bigger cleaning projects yourself.
Pressure-wash your garage and driveway
Restore your driveway, patio, or garage floor to its former glory by blasting away caked-in dirt. But before you reach for your pressure washer (we recommend a few different models in our guide), pre-treat your concrete with a bleach-water mixture. First, hose down the concrete—if you skip this step, dry concrete will dry out your pre-treatment mixture before it’s able to loosen the trapped dirt and grime. Next, spritz the concrete with a spray bottle filled with a bleach-water mix (the CDC recommends using ⅓ cup bleach per gallon of water for cleaning and disinfecting). Let the bleach sit for five to 10 minutes—then grab your pressure washer and blast the entire area clean. We recommend that you wear a pair of safety glasses or goggles to protect your eyes, especially on windy days, when a bleach mist could blow back into your face. Keep in mind that this method works only for concrete driveways; asphalt is a tricky material to clean on your own, so Pleshek recommends consulting a professional.
This user-friendly Ryobi pressure washer is a good investment if you plan to bring new life to the outside of your home every spring.
Deep-clean your carpets
Though we have recommendations for upright carpet cleaners and portable carpet cleaners, most people shouldn’t buy one for a job they do only once a year. Instead, we think it’s best to rent a cleaner from a home-improvement store like Lowe’s or Home Depot. Before you put it to work, vacuum your carpets to get rid of dirt and debris. Next, spray your cleaning agent onto the carpet, and let it sit for five to 15 minutes, depending on the instructions written on the label. This will loosen the dirt trapped within your carpet and result in a cleaner finished product. Just be sure to wash out all the soap while using the carpet cleaner; otherwise leftover residue will dry and leave behind a crunchy carpet. Pleshek also recommends working from room to room. You never want your cleaning agent to dry before you have a chance to wash it out. So sectioning out your cleaning gives you more control.
Wash your windows
To achieve clean, streak-free windows, all you really need is a bucket filled with warm water and a few drops of Dawn dish soap and a microfiber towel. But if you’d rather reserve your elbow grease, Pleshek recommends swapping the towel for a cheap beginner squeegee set (like the ones you can find on Amazon). To clean your window screens, you can remove them and hose them down outside with your Dawn-and-water mixture. If you’d rather not fiddle with your windows, you can use a microfiber cloth and your soapy water to wipe down those screens. Wirecutter recommends two different types of extension ladders for folks who want to clean the top windows of their second-story homes themselves. However, if you don’t feel comfortable or you’re physically unable to climb on a ladder, check to see whether your windows unlatch and swing inward for easy cleaning.
