School is almost back in session, so take advantage of those quiet times to tackle a few of these deep cleaning tasks.

Blinds – give them a good wipe down. Dust settles on blinds and catches the sunlight highlighting the fact for your guests. Use a microfiber cloth or feather duster to capture the dirt and dust.

Washing machine – this is supposed to be cleaning your clothes, but if you don’t give it a little attention also, mold can build up. To clean your front loaded washer, spray the folds with vinegar and wipe it down, getting inside any areas where air might have trouble reaching or things might get stuck. Then, put two cups of white vinegar into the detergent dispenser and run a cycle on the hottest setting with an extra rinse. Then add a half a cup of baking soda to the drum and run it for a second cycle. Be sure wipe the machine out completely once the cycle is complete. If after cleaning out your washer you still notice a smell, clean out the trap. For top loaders, scrub everything down and then run a load on hot with four cups of bleach (or vinegar for the non-bleach fans). Pause it mid-cycle to let the mixture sit for roughly 30 minutes, then restart and let the cycle finish. Run an extra rinse and then leave the lid open to let it air dry or wipe it out completely.

Refrigerator – it’s easy for the refrigerator to get out of hand, especially during the summer months. We have fresh garden produce, more little hands helping themselves, and it’s just a busy time for a household. As summer is winding down, take the time to search for anything that’s settled towards the back of the shelves and pitch anything that’s past date or looks like it’s been there awhile. Give the shelves a good wipe down and soak any drawers in soapy water for particularly grimy spots. If you have time, pull the refrigerator out from the wall and vacuum behind and on the back to ensure a build up of dust doesn’t impede operation.

Barbecue – ours sure gets a workout in the summer! Since grilling is our go-to method for cooking when it’s hot, it’s also a good time to consider a deep cleaning if you’re planning to put it away for the change in seasons. Start by disconnecting the propane, then remove the grates and metal plates and soak in soapy water. Scrub them as necessary and rinse them off. Wipe down the outside of the grill before reassembling.