Home Care Challenge: Midyear Mini Deep Clean
Tackling the sneaky spots with a mini deep clean.
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Can you believe we’re almost halfway through the year?
If you’re a parent of school-aged kids, this part of summer break might feel like the weird in-between: part vacation, part chaos. You’re either in the thick of summer camp logistics or gearing up to figure out where you need to be, when, and with what snacks.
With more movement, people, and clutter flowing through the house, I’ve been noticing how quickly things start to feel… not clean. Not dirty exactly, just dusty and a little stale.
So this week’s Home Care Challenge is a mini deep-clean — not the full-blown kind that requires blocking off your entire Saturday, but a focused effort on the sneaky places that quietly collect dust and mess with the vibe of your home.
Let’s Talk About Deep Cleaning… in Real Life
If you’ve been following along this year, you know I’m a big fan of breaking home care into manageable pieces. Would I love to deep clean my entire house in one go? Sure. Would I actually be able to do that with a full-time job, two kids, and a never-ending calendar of life stuff? Not even a little.
Plus, let’s be real: even if I did deep clean everything, it would be messy again within 30 minutes. So I’m learning to pace myself.
Some people online swear by cleaning their fans, floors, and baseboards weekly — and if that works for them, that’s great. But for the rest of us, spacing out the deep-cleaning tasks throughout the year makes it more sustainable and more likely to actually happen.
This Week’s Focus: Dust Central
We’re talking about:
Ceiling fans
Light fixtures
Walls + baseboards
Doors + door handles
These are the kinds of areas that quietly collect grime while pretending everything’s fine.
Spin Class, But for Your Dust Rag
If your ceiling fan is always running, it’s easy to forget it even gets dusty. But over time, that buildup affects air quality and performance.
Steps:
Turn off the fan.
Dust the blades. Use a microfiber cloth or the trusty pillowcase trick — slide it over the blade and gently pull back.
Wipe with a damp cloth. Add a bit of mild soap if needed.
Vacuum the motor housing. A soft brush attachment works best.
Not-So-Bright Lights
Dusty lights = dingy ambiance. Cleaning them takes five minutes and makes a bigger difference than you’d expect.
Steps:
Turn off the lights and make sure everything is cool to the touch.
Remove covers or shades and wash with warm, soapy water.
Dust bulbs and fixtures. Use a microfiber cloth or a vinegar-dampened one for sticky buildup.
Dry thoroughly and reassemble.
Because Fingerprints Don’t Count as Decor
This is not a "wash every wall in your home" type of task. This is a quick refresh — the kind that makes your space feel brighter and less... neglected.
Dusting:
Use a microfiber cloth or dry mop to gently wipe from top to bottom.
Run the vacuum brush attachment over baseboards.
Spot Cleaning:
Identify obvious marks or fingerprints.
Mix a mild soap solution and test in a hidden spot first.
Gently blot — don’t scrub — using a soft cloth or sponge.
Handle It (Literally)
Door handles are touched a thousand times a day (especially by small, sticky hands). This is one of those simple jobs that pays off immediately in both looks and hygiene.
Steps:
Mix your cleaner. Equal parts water and vinegar works great. Store-bought disinfectants are also fine.
Spray onto a cloth (not the door directly).
Wipe down surfaces focusing on edges and high-touch zones.
Detail the grooves. Use a toothbrush or detail brush.
Dry with a clean cloth.
You Did It!
These are the quiet, unglamorous tasks that don’t earn a ton of praise — but they go a long way in making your home feel fresh. And while you don’t need to do them weekly (unless you truly want to), knocking them out a few times a year keeps your space running smoothly.
Let me know if you give this week’s challenge a go, or if you’ve got a favorite cleaning hack for fan blades or dusty light fixtures. I’m always up for learning new shortcuts.
Happy dusting!
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