Everything You Need to Know About Keeping Your Home in Tip-Top Shape

Now that we're a month into the spring season, hopefully you've gotten your major spring cleaning out of the way. Closets have been cleaned out and outfitted with warm-weather attire and shoes. The kids' flannel sheets have been put away and all of the down comforters and coats have paid a visit to the dry cleaner. Even the junk drawer has undergone a renovation.

Just when you thought you were ready to sit back, relax and enjoy the rest of the season, you realize there's more to be done! Air-conditioning units must be installed in windows (unless, of course, you're lucky enough to own a home outfitted with central A/C!), carpets need to be shampooed, and what do you know, mattresses need to be flipped.

Because there's a quite a bit of confusing information out there as far as these all-important household things are concerned--how often? when? why?--we thought it only made sense to break down all those extra tasks, plain and simple, and show you how it's best done.

1. Water Pitcher Filter Change: Many of the modern filters (Brita, for example) now come with a system that indicates when it's time to replace the filter, but since these can't always be relied upon for accuracy, figure you want to change the filter every two to three months. One way of determining whether it's time to put a new filter in is to pour a sip from the filtered water pitcher and one straight from the tap. If you can't tell the difference or if the tap tastes better, you know what you've got to do.

2. Professional Carpet Cleaning: Twice a year is typically plenty for a professional carpet and upholstery cleaning. Some families can even get away with just once a year, but if you have pets or regularly deal with nasty spills, you might want to increase it to three or more times a year.

3. Ultimate Shower Curtain Hack: Regardless of how well you scrub your bathroom on a regular basis, shower curtains get grimy over time. You can--if you like the feel of a good elbow grease cleaning--take the curtain down, lay it across the kitchen floor and scour it until it's sparkling along with your normal cleaning, but you might just want to consider replacing it at least once a year. Your average curtain isn't expensive, so it's not much of an investment.

4. Fridge/Freezer Overhaul: It's a tedious job, but somebody's got to do it. And regularly, too! A thorough fridge and freezer cleaning is necessary at least a couple of times a year, but seasonally is probably better. We have guidelines to help you master the job once and for all.

5. Cast Iron Cookware Care: Inexpensive, durable and all-around amazing (it even increases the iron in food), cast iron cookware isn't born in a non-stick state. You've got to season it before using it for the first time, and then every time you heat oil in the skillet, you're furthering the seasoning. If, however, over time, your favorite skillet develops rusty patches or begins to get a sticky coating, you can simply re-season it. Avoid soaking it or using a lot of dish soap. Hot water and a mild abrasive are all that's needed for even the most stubborn particles.

6. Knife Sharpening: A dull knife is a dangerous knife, so get thee to the knife sharpener! While there are plenty of kits and simple tools you can purchase to DIY, consider taking your knives in once a year to get a professional grade sharpening. Regular, at-home sharpening or honing should really be done every few weeks, depending on how much you use your knives.

7. Air Conditioner Maintenance: Instead of simply assuming that it's time to buy a replacement unit, see what you could be doing to keep your air conditioning unit functioning well. First, wash the filter screen. You can easily remove the mesh filter and clean it with warm water and soap. Underneath the filter, there are coils that can be vacuumed with a brush attachment. Making sure this area is clean will help cool air filter through. Dust the unit in general and pay attention to the economy settings, which are great energy savers and will ultimately keep your AC unit in good shape for longer.

8. Window Washing: Cleaning the outside of windows generally requires calling in the professionals, so just once or twice a year is recommended, but don't neglect the other side of your windows, the part that you can reach from right inside your house. If you keep up with this window cleaning, you can let the exterior cleaning slide a bit.

9. Mattress Flipping: If you've got a pillow-top mattress, there's no need to flip, but most mattresses should be flipped with more consistency than we once realized. Some folks suggest flipping every time you change your sheets, but that seems a little obsessive to us. A quarterly flip seems about right. The best way to do it is end-over-end and side-over-side rotation.

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